North American basketball’s NBA has appointed Kelly Cooke as head of content distribution and direct-to-consumer (DTC) partnerships for Asia-Pacific.

Cooke, a media executive with more than 25 years of experience in streaming and traditional digital media across entertainment and sports, will be based in the league’s Singapore office and report to NBA Asia managing director Ramez Sheikh.

In her new role, she will oversee the league’s linear and digital distribution and programming development efforts across Asia-Pacific, with a focus on growing its direct-to-consumer offerings through NBA League Pass, the league’s OTT subscription service.

Cooke joins the NBA after previously serving as head of distribution and brand partnerships for children’s media company Moonbug Entertainment. Before this, she held various media roles across Asia, including at heavyweight Disney’s media distribution division in Hong Kong and at ESPN’s offices in Hong Kong and Singapore.

Sheikh said: “Kelly brings an unbelievable skill set, an outstanding track record across live sports and entertainment, and a deep familiarity with the region, making her an ideal fit for this key role.

“She will have an immediate impact on our business and leadership team by helping us navigate a rapidly evolving media landscape and contributing to our ambitious business growth and fan engagement plans across Asia-Pacific.”

Cooke added: “I am excited to join the NBA and contribute to its fantastic and growing team in Asia. The NBA is one of the most popular sports leagues and entertainment properties in the world and I can’t wait to help drive its next phase of growth.”