Maria Ishak

Maria Ishak is a seasoned leader in the international television industry, with over 25 years of experience spanning dealmaking, content strategy, revenue growth, and franchise development.

Most recently, she led international content and co-productions at Asacha Media Group (a Fremantle company), where she spearheaded co-production and co-financing strategies for both in-house and third-party projects. During her tenure, Ishak brought a fresh, entrepreneurial lens to project development, helping to identify and package high-value titles such as Cicatriz (Amazon Spain, TVE, Telekom Serbia) and Poe (TF1, starring Freddie Highmore). Backed by Oaktree Capital, Asacha became the fourth-largest production group in Europe and was acquired by Fremantle in March 2023 — a deal Ishak helped navigate.

Previously, Ishak served as SVP of North America Sales at All3Media International in New York, where she launched the Americas office, doubled regional turnover, drove co-production strategy, and oversaw the sale of over 20,000 hours of programming. Her work fostered deep partnerships with talent, buyers, and platforms across the U.S., Canada, and the UK.

In January 2026, Ishak launched Mischief International — a boutique studio dedicated to packaging bold, culturally resonant scripted, documentary, and unscripted content.  Working with a dynamic mix of established, award winning, and emerging talent, Ishak has quickly positioned herself as a key player in identifying and producing distinctive projects that capture the spirit of the contemporary cultural zeitgeist.

She’s worked on acclaimed titles such as Russell T. Davies’ It’s a Sin, Two Brothers’ Dinosaur,  The Forge’s Help, written by Jack Thorne, Arrow Media’s The Wave, World of Wonder’s Ru Paul’s Drag Race, and Roast Beef TV’s Who is Ghislaine Maxwell.

She is a juror for the International Emmys, a member of WFTV UK and Media Club Elles in France, and a former Chair of BAFTA New York, where she remains an active contributor.