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The following is issued on behalf of the Hong Kong Cyberport Management Company Limited:
Hong Kong Cyberport hosted the third annual Digital Entertainment Leadership Forum (DELF) 2006 at Broadway Easy Cinema today (March 21). The one-day event featured visionary speakers sharing their insights on the theme of the Forum: ¡°Challenges and Opportunities in the Next Digital Entertainment Wave: Broadband, Content and Mobility¡±.
DELF 2006 attracted more than 350 local and international attendees from all walks of the industry including government officials, academicians, creative artists, entrepreneurs, and IT professionals, to congregate at Hong Kong Cyberport and learn what will drive the next wave of the rapidly evolving and fast growing global digital content and digital entertainment industries.
DELF 2006 was jointly organised by Hong Kong Cyberport Management Company Limited, China Game Publishers Association (Hong Kong), Hong Kong Comics and Animation Federation Limited, Hong Kong Digital Entertainment Industry Support Centre and School of Design of the Hong Kong Polytechnic University, with the Office of the Government Chief Information Officer as the key sponsor. DELF 2006 continued to be an important annual international platform for the Hong Kong¡¯s digital entertainment industry and also a part of the mega event, Entertainment Expo Hong Kong (www.eexpohk.com).
The Permanent Secretary for Commerce, Industry and Technology (Communications and Technology), Mr Francis Ho, said in his opening address that digital technology had brought about the many innovative and creative forms the entertainment industry had produced in recent years. "Promotion of digital entertainment is a main pillar of the Government's Digital 21 Strategy,¡± Mr Ho said.
¡°Digital Entertainment is a dynamic industry which breeds both creativity and wealth," the Chief Executive Officer of Hong Kong Cyberport Management Company Limited, Mr Nicholas Yang said. ¡°DELF 2006 provides the industry professionals a great opportunity to exchange ideas, share knowledge, forge collaboration and most importantly work together to take digital entertainment to the next level.¡±
DELF 2006 featured 14 elite speakers who are experts, visionaries, pioneers and foremost leaders from the digital entertainment and related industry. Three distinguished keynote speakers, - the Lead of Tools Moving Pictures Group of Pixar Animation Studios and a recognised pioneer in many renowned animation films such as Toy Story 2 & The Incredibles, Dr Michael B Johnson; Chairman of UIM Holdings, Inc., Mr James Ding; and Managing Director of Asia of Sony Pictures Television International, Mr Todd Miller - shared their insights and visions on the opportunities and challenges in the development of animation films, evolution of broadband-based IPTV digital entertainment and proliferation of mobile TV broadcasting.
Other prominent speakers included (in order of their surnames):
- Mr Ricky Chong, General Manager, Product Strategy of Hong Kong CSL Limited
- Mr Robert Hayes, Managing Director of Asia-Pacific and Vice President, Corporate Development, Asia Pacific of Glu Mobile
- Dr Robin King, President and Chief Executive Officer of Imagina Corporation
- Mr Alan Leung, Chief Operating Officer of Optisp
- Mr Ken Lo, Vice-President, Business Development, Asia of Sony Pictures Television International
- Mr Terry Mak, Executive Vice-President ¡ª Distribution and Television Networks, Celestial Pictures
- Mr Jonathon Marshall, Technical Strategist of Scott Gronmark Associates
- Mr Chris Reitermann, Managing Director of Ogilvy & Mather Advertising; Managing Director/ North China of OgilvyOne Worldwide
- Mr Mark Resch, Fellow of Banff New Media Institute
- Mr Simon Smith, Creative Partner of Weapon7
- Mr Michael Tong, Chief Operating Officer of NetEase
DELF Showcase Junior, a complementary event of DELF 2006, began today to inspire the young generation about digital entertainment. This event will be held at the Ocean View Court of the Arcade at Cyberport until Sunday (March 26), featuring exciting and marvellous events such as PSP (PlayStation Portable) Treasure Hunt, RTHK 17th International Pop Poll Awards, Interact, YRock live concert and Wise-Kids & Xbox 360 exhibition, and showcasing the latest development in video game, pop music and interactive entertainment. Both DELF 2006 & DELF Showcase Junior are aimed at facilitating and propelling the growth of digital entertainment industry in Hong Kong.
About Hong Kong Cyberport (www.cyberport.hk)
Hong Kong's IT Flagship is a US $2 billion (HK$15.8 billion) landmark project managed by Hong Kong Cyberport Management Company Limited and wholly owned by the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region. The project is being developed on a 24-hectare site at Telegraph Bay in the southern district of Hong Kong Island. It comprises four office buildings, a five-star hotel, a retail entertainment complex, and a deluxe residential development, aiming at creating an interactive environment that will be home to a strategic cluster of about 100 IT companies and 10,000 IT professionals.
Cyberport won the internationally acclaimed Intelligent Building of the Year Award 2004 in New York City in June 2004, which is given to commercial buildings that have used broadband and information systems technology to add demonstrable value in the form of advanced services and merits to its tenants.
Ends/Tuesday, March 21, 2006
Issued at HKT 11:20
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