MUMBAI: Sony Pictures Television (SPT) has announced the opening of a local sales office in the Middle East. This new office will be responsible for licensing films and television series from Sony Pictures? distribution catalogue as well as finished, local content produced by SPT?s production company in the region, SPT Arabia.

Based in Dubai, the distribution office will report directly into SPT?s regional Europe, Middle East and Africa headquarters in London. Heading up this new office will be Ziad Yaghi, who is appointed executive director, sales, for the Middle East.

SPT?s other local distribution offices in Europe, the Middle East and Africa region include London, Paris, Rome, Moscow, Madrid and Munich.

Yaghi will be responsible for SPT?s distribution activity across the Middle East, in particular expanding business with local broadcasters in each territory as well as managing existing output deals with regional broadcasters. He will report to SPT senior VP, sales, Middle East, Central and Eastern Europe, Greece, Turkey and Cyprus Damian Newton.

SPT senior EVP EMEA distribution Stuart Baxter said, "Recent years have seen a boom in new TV channel launches across the Middle East, offering a real growth market that SPT?s distribution business can thrive in. This new office is part of our ongoing commitment to get closer to our clients and gain a greater understanding of their needs. Yaghi brings impressive Middle East experience and, under his leadership, I?m certain this new base is set to become an important asset to our business."

Prior to joining SPT, Yaghi was Dubai Entertainment and Media Organisation director legal. He has also served as Dubai Film Market director and founder, Tecom Authority director media regulatory affairs and Orbit legal counsel and director of acquisitions VOD.