Exclusive: Streaming trade association OTT.X appoints new head

Hollie Choi (photo courtesy)

Thomas K. Arnold

December 4, 2024

Hollie Choi has been named the new president and CEO of OTT.X, the streaming trade association that spun out of the Video Software Dealers Association (VSDA), according to an internal memo from Chief Executive Cameron Douglas obtained by Media Play News.

Choi, who has served as executive director of the Entertainment ID Registry (EIDR) for the past three years, succeeds Mark Fisher, the longtime OTT.X chief who retired in May. Since then, EVP Eric Hanson has served as interim president.

Choi, who has worked at EIDR to consolidate and strengthen its growing role in streaming workflows, is a long-time strategic advocate for supply chain automation, improved metadata governance and workflows, and digital and media asset management systems.

According to Douglas’ memo, Choi was selected by the OTT.X board after “an extensive search” and will begin her new position on January 6, 2025.

“Hollie is a goal-oriented leader with a focus on adding value, cultivating relationships and a proven track record of creating vision and driving strategic growth,” Douglas wrote. “With nearly 15 years in major studios and a successful tenure at EIDR, Hollie has been a driving force in transforming systems and organizations. Her imaginative leadership has resulted in increased effectiveness and streamlined operations while positioning organizations for meaningful, long-term growth.”

Prior to joining EIDR, Choi was a managing director at The Walt Disney Co. and 20th Century Fox, responsible for managing intellectual property and metadata, including standard EIDR registration for all content.

In the memo, Choi is quoted as saying, “I’m excited to welcome OTT . The industry is constantly changing and I am excited to be part of this organization that is helping to pave the way for the future media and digital landscape.”

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Fisher joined what was then VSDA in 1999 as vice president of membership. At the time, the trade group was supplying home video retailers as the industry transitioned from renting VHS videotapes to selling DVDs.

In April 2006, the VSDA merged with the Interactive Entertainment Merchants Association (IEMA) to form the Entertainment Merchants Association. Fisher was subsequently promoted to EVP and named president and CEO in October 2012 following the resignation of Crossan “Bo” Andersen.

Fisher then oversaw the association’s evolution from supporting the physical media business to a trade group for first transactional and subscription streaming and then all forms of online video distribution, including AVOD and FAST. The EMA was renamed OTT.X in January 2020. Fisher also led the development of OTT.X’s current cornerstone events – the OTT.X Summit and X-Fronts – as well as its salons, its roundtables and its online webinars.