Urmila Venugopalan

Urmila Venugopalan is the President and Managing Director for the Asia-Pacific region, where she leads  efforts to expand market access, drive industry growth, and strengthen advocacy across one of the world’s most dynamic markets for film, television, and streaming. A seasoned leader operating at the intersection of business, public policy, and global affairs for the past two decades, she brings a strategic vision that bridges commercial priorities with policy imperatives.

Previously, Urmila served as Executive Vice President of Strategy & Global Operations at the Motion Picture Association (MPA) in Washington, D.C., where she was instrumental in aligning the organization’s U.S. and international teams, streamlining global operations, and enhancing coordination across key divisions.

Before joining the MPA in 2017, she served in the Obama Administration as a Senior Advisor and a member of Secretary John Kerry’s Policy Planning Staff, leading initiatives on economic and business affairs to advance bilateral and regional trade, investment, and development. She further honed her expertise in navigating complex global markets at the Albright Stonebridge Group, advising multinational corporations and international foundations on political and regulatory risks in South Asia and the MENA region. Earlier in her career, she was a senior associate and consultant at IHS Jane’s, specializing in geopolitical risk, defense analysis and market intelligence across the Asia-Pacific region.

With a global perspective shaped by living and working in the U.K., the Middle East, and South and Southeast Asia, Urmila brings a deep understanding of international business and policy dynamics. She holds a Bachelor’s degree from McGill University and a Master’s degree from the London School of Economics & Political Science. She is currently based in Tokyo, Japan.