ITV

Category: People

  • Shaji Mathews appointed as Kerala MSO KCCL CEO

    Shaji Mathews appointed as Kerala MSO KCCL CEO

    MUMBAI: From Gujarat, where he helped steer MSO GTPL towards its IPO, he is now headed back to his home city of Kochi in Kerala. Shaji Mathews has been appointed as the CEO of Kerala Communicators Cable Ltd (KCCL), a leading cable TV and broadband network in Kerala which is a consortium of operators who are shareholders and participate in management.

    An initiative of Kerala’s independent cable operators it works under the guidance of the 4,000 member strong Cable Operators Association ( COA), the main objective of which is to develop Kerala’s cable TV sector by building wider networks, upgrading technology, finding new avenues of activity apart from addressing various issues and challenges before the industry for and on behalf of its members.

    The company is led by the chairman Boobacker Siddique and managing director PP Suresh Kumar.

    KCCL’s website states that these cable operators have cumulatively invested Rs 5 billion in equipment, networking, studios and other infrastructure all over Kerala. The cable operators have a consolidated turnover of Rs 2.5 billion per annum. KCCL has a network capacity of 300 SD channels and 60 HD channels, and provides 240 SD channels and 28 HD channels to its two million digital subscribers.

    “KCCL has been one of the front runners in Kerala on digitisation and has received appreciation from the MIB and TRAI as well,” says Mathews. “The network derives huge strength from the dedicated team of operators who have active participation in the management. It is quite similar to the state my previous company GTPL was when I joined it four years back. While KCCL has completed its digitsation, there is a lot of scope in the area of broadband for which Kerala’s citizens have a huge appetite. My objective is to create a similar success story like GTPL with KCCL as it is poised for rapid growth going forward.”

  • Sanjay Berry rejoins Siti Networks

    Sanjay Berry rejoins Siti Networks

    MUMBAI: Sanjay Berry has been appointed as chief financial officer of Siti Networks.

    Berry joined Siti Network in December 2016 but after four months he quit the organisation. Prior to this, he was working with Bharti Airtel as corporate financial controller.  

    In his 25 years of work life he has had experience with computer sciences corporation, Patni Computer  Systems,  HCL  Technologies  and  Arthur  Andersen  &  Associates.  

    Commenting on the appointment,  chief business transformation officer  Rajesh Sethi said, “We welcome back Sanjay Berry on board. He brings with him specialized expertise of handling the finance function at large & diverse range of industries.  Siti Networks  has  been  a  pioneer  in  compliances  and  adherence  to regulations.  Berry will play an instrumental role in further strengthening systems, processes  &  compliances.  He  also  brings  to  us  a  competitive  edge  in  strategizing business, and accomplishing organizational goals.”

    Berry will be based at the corporate office of Siti Networks, Noida.

    Also Read:

    Siti Networks appoints Sanjay Berry as CFO

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  • DishTV hires Reliance Cap’ Kataria as HR chief

    DishTV hires Reliance Cap’ Kataria as HR chief

    MUMBAI: DishTV has appointed Pushkar Singh Kataria, as Chief Human Resources Officer (CHRO) with immediate effect.

    In his new role, Kataria will be responsible for reshaping the organisational structure. He will also provide strategic leadership, oversee talent management and drive HR excellence. The announcement comes ahead of DishTV and Videocon’s merger post which Kataria will be leading the HR operations of the merged entity — Dish TV Videocon Limited.

    Prior to joining DishTV, he served as the chief people officer and President at Reliance Capital.

    DishTV group CEO Anil Dua stated: “Having worked across all specialized areas of the HR domain, he comes with solid experience. With DishTV at the cusp of significant transformation, this experience should stand us in good state, on both business and employee fronts. Kataria’s leadership and dynamism will help us steer future growth in this new phase of our journey.”

    With over 20 years of experience in the industry, Kataria has worked in various organizations such asReliance Capital, Vedanta Resources and Praxair. Kataria brings in understanding and knowledge about the industry, and showcases expertise in many aspects of human resources management including organisational development, talent management and performance management. He has also introduced several change management initiatives.

    Kataria, an engineer by training, has done his post-graduation in HR. His interests includes travelling and cricket.

  • Rajesh Sethi re-designated chief biz transformation officer of Siti Networks

    MUMBAI: Rajesh Sethi, who had been appointed as executive director and CEO of Siti Networks sometime back, has been re-designated as  chief  business  transformation officer of the company with immediate effect.

    Before joining Siti Networks, Sethi served as CEO at Taj Television’s Ten Sports from 2013 to 2016 when it was still a subsidiary of Zee Entertainment. In a strategic decision last year, Zee sold its sports business, comprising TV channels marketed under Ten Sports brand, to Sony Pictures Network India. 

    Siti Networks also informed BSE that the the board of directors of the company at its meeting held on 14 July 2017, approved  the  appointment  of  Sidharth  Balakrishna  as a whole-time director of the company with immediate effect.

    Balakrishna has over 13 years of experience in the energy, infrastructure and education sectors. In the past he has led strategy and headed projects including in the fields of oil & gas, renewable energy, education, water and vocational training. Balakrishna has  also  been  a  strategy consultant with Accenture and KPMG. 

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  • Rajesh Sethi succeeds Wadhwa as ED & CEO of SITI Networks

    NEW DELHI: Senior media expert Rajesh Sethi has been appointed Executive Director CEO of SITI Networks Limited, as V D Wadhwa is stepping down.

    Wadhwa has been asked by the management to help in smooth transitioning by being with Sethi over the next couple of months.

    Sethi has over 22 years of experience in varied industries like Media, Insurance and Automotive sector across India and South East Asia.

    Sethi joined Ten Sports (Taj Television – a then subsidiary of Zee Entertainment) in July 2013 as Chief Executive Officer, where he spearheaded the turnaround and divestment of Ten Sports from multi year losses to a profitable entity and has placed the Distribution & Placement Business on a consistent growth path.

    Before joining Zee Entertainment, Sethi has been associated with large conglomerates like Tata, General Electric and Allianz with a proven track record of progressive leadership and entrepreneurial success. He specializes in enhancing Stakeholder value through large-scale Business Transformation, Leadership Development, Innovation, Organization change management and Customer strategies.

    Sethi completed his under graduation in Mechanical Engineering and received his Executive Education from Harvard Business School, Kellogg School of Management & INSEAD and is a GE certified Quality Green Belt.

    He has been conferred with prestigious awards of “Rashtriya Udyog Ratna” by N.E.H.R.D.O. and “Global Indian Achievers Award for Business Excellence 2012″ by Economic Development Forum.

    Speaking on his tenure at SITI Networks, Wadhwa said, “It was one of my most satisfying careers at SITI. Under the guidance of the Board, we have managed to establish SITI as one of the leading profitable players today. I thank the Board for the opportunity and wish Rajesh and his team all the success.”

    Commenting on his new role, Sethi said “Post our very successful turnaround & divestment of Tensports and thereafter implementation of Digitisation of our broadcasting business, I am very excited to further transform our Delivery Platform with SITI Networks which has immense growth possibilities & opportunities. The sector is on the cusp of reinventing itself with smarter Business Models and ways of delivering & connecting to customers with varied products and services”.

    In a statement, the Board placed on record its appreciation for the role played by Wadhwa during his tenure in turning around the business profitably and inculcating the highest ethical standards and professional work culture in the Company.

  • Siti Networks’ CFO Sanjay Berry resigns after four months

    MUMBAI: Barely four months into the new role, Sanjay Berry has resigned from the position of the chief financial officer of Siti Networks. Siti Networks Ltd, a sister company of Zee group, today informed the BSE Limited and National Stock Exchange that Berry has resigned with effect from the close of business on 28 April, 2017.

    Siti Networks had appointed Berry in December 2016. Prior to the Siti role, Berry was working as the corporate financial controller with Bharti Enterprises. Berry has been handling finance function with expertise in financial management, compliance and internal controls.

    In his 25 years of work life, he had varied experience with computer sciences corporation, Bharti Airtel, Patni Computer Systems, HCL Technologies and Arthur Andersen & Associates.

    Also Read: Siti Networks appoints Sanjay Berry as CFO

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  • iconectiv’s Sangeeta Roy named to WICT ’17 rising leaders program

    MUMBAI: iconectiv, an authoritative partner of the global communications industry connecting more than two billion people every day, has announced that Sangeeta Roy, head of technology operations, has been named to the 2017 Rising Leaders Program by the Women in Cable Telecommunications (WICT).

    WICT’s Rising Leaders Program is a competitive, application-based program that recognizes industry professionals at the manager and director level who have demonstrated leadership potential within their companies. Those selected participate in a weeklong immersion program, which prepares them to undertake increased leadership responsibilities when they return to the workplace. The program is comprised of leadership analysis, high-performing teams, cable business acumen and tactical personal leadership skill development. RLP participants will also create and manage their own personalized leadership development plans.

    “WICT’s Rising Leaders Program provides emerging industry leaders like Sangeeta with critical tools to enhance their skills and strengthen their companies,” said WICT’s Senior Vice President of Educational Programs Christina Vergara. “We believe she will benefit greatly from this invaluable program working with an exceptional group of other rising professionals.”

    “I wish to thank WICT for this honor and the opportunity and I believe such engagements are critical for developing the future leaders of the telecommunication industry,” Sangeeta said. “I know this program will benefit iconectiv’s mission in nurturing leaders to deliver high-quality services to the industry and at the same time help professionals like myself acquire the appropriate skills for becoming successful leaders in the industry.”

    Sangeeta joined iconectiv in 2014 and is currently responsible for heading the technology operations team at the company. Previously, she was responsible for the Business Intelligence Competitive Center initiative where she was focused on developing key partnership with major vendors in delivering predictive models for customer churn and satisfaction management, network traffic modeling and end-to-end correlation of user service experience with network level key performance indices. Previously, she gained valuable IT experience working in various industry domains, including telecom and mobile industry, media, publishing, financials, government, human resources and payroll. She holds a graduate degree in communication and information systems from Rutgers University and an undergraduate degree in computer science from the National Institute of Technology, India. She is also a certified PMP and ITILv3 professional and continues to engage in various MOOCs for continuing education and professional development.

    WICT Rising Leaders are chosen based on a selection process led by over 80 cable telecommunications professionals who are alumnae of the program. Sangeeta was awarded a full scholarship to attend this program.

  • Ashok Mansukhani takes over as IMCL CEO & MD

    Ashok Mansukhani takes over as IMCL CEO & MD

    MUMBAI: Hinduja Ventures Limited (HVL)’s whole-time director Ashok Mansukhani will take over from Tony D’Silva aftre the latter completes necessary formalities.

    D’Silva, after being with the Hinduja group for over four and half years, since August 2012, had expressed his desire to demit office in order to pursue other interests and spend more time with his family.

    On 1 August, 2012, D’Silva took over as the HVL president and strategised the group’s media business. He went on to head Hinduja Group companies — IndusInd Media Communications Limited and Grant Investrade Ltd. – as their MD and CEO, where he completed his service contract on 31 January ’17.

    D’Silva, in a span of around five years, overhauled the group’s media businesses in a challenging and changing environment and put it on a strong platform for growth. Under his leadership, the business conceived and launched the unique Headend-in-the-Sky (HITS) platform, designed to boost the digitisation of local cable operators and MSOs.

    D’Silva and his team established the concept of prepaid model in the cable industry, a revolution in the prevailing system of credit extension which was stressing out business.

  • Ashok Mansukhani takes over as IMCL CEO & MD

    Ashok Mansukhani takes over as IMCL CEO & MD

    MUMBAI: Hinduja Ventures Limited (HVL)’s whole-time director Ashok Mansukhani will take over from Tony D’Silva aftre the latter completes necessary formalities.

    D’Silva, after being with the Hinduja group for over four and half years, since August 2012, had expressed his desire to demit office in order to pursue other interests and spend more time with his family.

    On 1 August, 2012, D’Silva took over as the HVL president and strategised the group’s media business. He went on to head Hinduja Group companies — IndusInd Media Communications Limited and Grant Investrade Ltd. – as their MD and CEO, where he completed his service contract on 31 January ’17.

    D’Silva, in a span of around five years, overhauled the group’s media businesses in a challenging and changing environment and put it on a strong platform for growth. Under his leadership, the business conceived and launched the unique Headend-in-the-Sky (HITS) platform, designed to boost the digitisation of local cable operators and MSOs.

    D’Silva and his team established the concept of prepaid model in the cable industry, a revolution in the prevailing system of credit extension which was stressing out business.

  • Distribution vet Tony D’silva departs from IMCL

    Distribution vet Tony D’silva departs from IMCL

    MUMBAI: Tomorrow, Tony D’silva will serve his last day as the MD and CEO of IMCL, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Hinduja Ventures.

    “I have decided not to renew my contract (with IMCL) as I wanted to take a break,” D’Silva told Indiantelevision.com. He denied knowledge of his replacement. “They may announce it tomorrow, or whenever,” he said.

    During his stint at IMCL, he helped roll out the Hinduja-promoted headend in the sky (HITS) project NXT Digital, a process which took the group sometime, courtesy regulatory cholestrol. He also rolled out pre-paid subscriptions for the both NXT Digital and the cable network INCable which resulted in a consistent revenue stream for the latter. However, the haphazard management of the DAS III and DAS IV process by the government resulted in idelays. This meant that NXT Digital could not get fair digital content deals with some broadcasters. And this impacted its business planning.

    Looking back at the broadcast industry in India, the cable veteran of 20 years said that he witnessed exciting times in the industry. “There were tremendous challenges as well — some were natural and others created,” he remarked.

    The cable and broadcast industry was at cusp of a paradigm change, he said. “With new regulations, changes are taking place at least in spirit — if not (practically, or) legally. I hope it changed the course of the industry’s progress,” he said.

    With the positive changes — from push to a pull economy, each constituent and stakeholder of the distribution value chain, he said, must be able to sustain on its own. He said he hoped the industry’s fortunes would turn around sooner than later. He would not hazard a guess on the possible changes the budget may bring in.

    About the recent development that one MSO licence would permit pan-India service, he said the regulation, rather amendment, had come rather late in the day. “Simply, allowing the MSOs to function across India would not help immediately. From where would they get head-ends or how soon can they lay their fibre connectivity in newer area?” he questioned with a puzzled tone in his voice.

    “Until and unless, infrastructure sharing is allowed (and practically operational), there is no point in relaxation of rules which allow a cable operator to operate pan-India with a single licence,” he quipped.

    After his break, D’Silva said that he might start a business independently. On prodding about the sector he would be haring into, he shared that he only knew the broadcast industry, with a smile. .