MUMBAI: The Asia-Pacific Broadcasting Union (ABU) appointed Javad Mottaghi as the next ABU Secretary-General.
Mottaghi is currently Director of the Asia-Pacific Institute for Broadcasting Development (AIBD). He succeeds David Astley, who has been Secretary-General since July 2002. Mr Astley is leaving the ABU at the end of June but Mottaghi’s starting date is yet to be announced.
An Iranian citizen, Mottaghi has headed the AIBD since August 1998 and has 30 years of national and international experience in media and communications. He served Iran’s national broadcaster, Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting (IRIB), in various capacities from 1978 to 1996, notably in the fields of sports, production and news.
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He was the Director of IRIB’s Radio and TV Sports Department for 18 years. He also held the directorships of the Foreign Bureau and International Relations Department, TV Social Department and News Department, and was Advisor to the President of IRIB.
Mottaghi has long been active in ABU activities. He was IRIB’s Liaison Officer for both the ABU and the European Broadcasting Union until 1996.
He was a member of the ABU Administrative Council for three years as well as Chairman of the ABU Sports Group, Chairman of the ABU Olympic Sub-Group, Chairman of the World Football Cup Sub-Group, Chairman of the Asian Games Sub-Group and a member of the negotiating team for TV Rights for the World Football Cup, Asian Games and the Olympics for several years.
In February 2009, the Commonwealth Broadcasting Association presented Mottaghi with the Elizabeth R Award for Exceptional Contribution to Public Service Broadcasting.
Mottaghi holds a Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering from Tehran Sharif University of Technology, a Master’s Degree in Management and is a PhD candidate in Management from the University of Teesside, England.
