APEX in Profile: Jovita Toh
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Jovita Toh
Chief Executive Officer
Encore Inflight Limited
A veteran in the in-flight arena, Jovita believes only in quality content and service. Her diverse career path spans from journalism, public relations and graphic design to media sales, publishing, content acquisition and distribution.
FAST FACTS
Location: HKG
Frequent flight: HKG-LHR
Now Reading: Far from the Madding Crowd, Thomas Hardy
IFE Standby: Art house movies
Favorite Airport: SIN
Favorite Aircraft: B747-400
Brand of Suitcase: Tokyu Hands
Paper or electronic boarding pass? Electronic
Passport stamp you wish you had: Greece
What does your typical workday look like?
My typical workday at a film market involves a breakfast meeting at 8 a.m. followed by a screening of five movies, with at least six meetings in between. Drinks and dinner with distributors bring the day to an end by 2 a.m. Repeat for five to 10 days, depending on the length of the market.
Every job has a cool factor. What’s yours?
My team. I have been very lucky on this front. We don’t just get along and work well together, we love hanging out with each other. We play together almost as well as we work together. I look forward to going to the office every day.
“This industry has the nicest people. From clients to competitors, there is an assurance that everyone is supportive and rooting for your success.”
Something that never ceases to amaze you in your industry?
The people. This industry has the nicest people. From clients to competitors, there is an assurance that everyone is supportive and rooting for your success.
What do you think is the most overlooked aspect of the passenger experience?
That individual needs, wants and behaviors change from flight to flight. Unlike being on the ground, there are just too many contributing factors to what a passenger may want or like on an airplane. The key is not to identify patterns, but to provide variety.
How do content and entertainment expectations change for people when they are traveling?
I think it differs for different types of travelers. With frequent business travelers, they expect to be wowed, to come across content they have not heard about. They are more adventurous with selecting non-mainstream content, because they have the luxury of time. On the ground, they are far more discerning, as time is limited. For holidaymakers, the ones that travel once, maybe twice a year, they expect to see whatever’s available on the ground. It’s the flipside of the frequent traveler – their time on the plane is limited, so they are very discerning with what they select to watch, often expecting all the blockbusters.
If you weren’t doing your current job, what would you love to be doing?
Running a halfway home for juvenile delinquents, to teach them a skill they can be passionate about.
Have you noticed any entertainment trends that you find interesting?
Art imitates life. With the ease of travel and job opportunities, every country – and especially its major cities – is filled with people from different cultures. The entertainment industry has embraced this by creating content that reflects this. Coproductions between the Asian and Western worlds used to be rare, but it has had much success recently.
Passenger devices and aircraft connectivity have been shaking up traditional in-flight entertainment models. How has it changed things for you?
As Encore has always focused on providing content that is not easily accessible on all other platforms, such as festival gems, this has worked in our favor. With passenger devices and aircraft connectivity, all the mainstream content is likely already viewed or downloaded on personal devices. This makes niche and not-easily-accessible content desirable and appealing.
What are your ritual travel habits?
The one essential for me as I get older is sleep. At the end of every trip, I allow myself to sleep as much as I need. I have done as much as 36 hours in a stretch.
What’s the most efficient way to pack a carry-on suitcase?
Pack only what you really need. For me, it’s a laptop or iPad, one set of clean clothes (in case luggage gets misplaced) and one book (in case of a faulty in-flight entertainment system).
What’s the one item you can’t travel without?
Mobile phone.
Two things that you miss most about home when you’re traveling?
My bed and my shower.
Your top three films of all time?
The Classic (Korean), Heaven’s Bookstore (Japanese), The Age of Innocence (English).
If you could sit next to anyone on a plane, who would it be?
My grandma.