Hael Kobayashi

Digital Media and Creative Industries Executive (Singapore, Sydney)

Hael is an international and award winning executive with over 25 years experience in the creative industries, including film, digital media, broadcast, and the visual and performing arts.

As a pioneer in the ascending field of digital media, Hael has held roles as senior executive and producer for several of the world’s leading film and entertainment studios. Most recently, he was the Executive for Production Strategy at OmnilabMedia Group, Australia and New Zealand’s largest, independently owned, vertically integrated media company. Prior to this, Hael was the Group Head of Production and Associate Producer on the Oscar winning, digitally animated feature film, Happy Feet for Australia’s Animal Logic. 

Hael previously held the position of Director of Digital Artists Production for Lucasfilm’s Industrial Light + Magic. 

Hael served in several production management roles at DreamWorks Animation, and was the
Entertainment and Science Bureau Chief for MSNBC/ZDTV, which pioneered the use of online communication in conjunction with simultaneous broadcast.

An active industry advocate and champion for digital media development, training and education, Hael is the co-founder of the Presidential Scholars in the Arts’ film and video program for the National Foundation for Advancement in the Arts, USA.

Since 2003, Hael has been a member of leadership teams working with economic development
groups, area planners, leaders in education and other sector representatives to create strategies for developing digital and emerging media as part of sustainable, economic growth in several regions of the world, including Australia, the USA, and Singapore.  He was a member of the federal and state task forces that advised the Strategic Industry Leaders Group (SILG) for Australia’s Digital Content Industry Action Agenda.

Hael is a member of the international jury and senior advisor for Copenhagen’s INDEX: Design to Improve Life.