ITV

Tag: Jay Mehta

  • Warner Music strikes a new note with CFO hire

    Warner Music strikes a new note with CFO hire

    MUMBAI: Warner Music India has hit a high note in its leadership line-up, naming Vikram Kulkarni as its new chief financial officer. The appointment underscores the company’s push to amplify its business strategy and deepen collaboration across the Asia-Pacific region.

    Armed with over 17 years of experience across finance, strategy, and governance, Vikram brings a sharp understanding of balancing numbers with creative ambition. Before joining Warner Music, he served as finance controller at Thermo Fisher Scientific, where he partnered with India and South Asia leadership to drive sustainable growth. He has also held key roles at Ernst & Young and Welspun Group, honing expertise in financial reporting, audit, tax, and business performance management.

    “I’m honoured to join Warner Music India during such a dynamic time for the music industry,” said Vikram Kulkarni. “The company’s artist-first vision and commitment to creative growth inspire me. I look forward to building strong financial foundations that fuel innovation and long-term success.”

    Warner Music India & SAARC managing director Jay Mehta added, “Vikram brings the perfect mix of financial insight and leadership. His strategic perspective will be vital as we continue expanding Warner Music’s presence and impact across India and South Asia.”

    With Kulkarni now in the mix, Warner Music India looks set to fine-tune its rhythm of growth, blending business precision with creative passion in one of the world’s fastest-growing music markets.

     

  • Guru Randhawa strikes the right chord with Warner Music India deal

    Guru Randhawa strikes the right chord with Warner Music India deal

    MUMBAI: Guru Randhawa is hitting all the right notes as he embarks on a new musical journey with Warner Music India, marking a landmark partnership that promises to take his artistry to the next level. With a fresh creative direction and new management led by Gurjot Singh of BeingU Studios, the Punjabi pop icon is set to drop his highly anticipated studio album, Without Prejudice, later this year.

    Packed with nine electrifying tracks, Without Prejudice fuses Afropop with Indian pop, delivering a genre-defying experience. Fans can expect bangers like Snapback, Sirra, New Age, Qatal, From Ages, Jaaneman, Kithe Vasde Ne, Surrey Connection, and Gallan Battan, the latter set to drop on 28, March 2025, alongside its music video. The album will also feature exciting collaborations with artists like Zehr Vibe, NSeeB, Bob.B Randhawa, Kiran Bajwa, and Prem Lata.

    Speaking about his evolution as an artist, Guru Randhawa shared, “This album is about breaking barriers and embracing fresh sounds. I want to connect with a global audience while staying true to my roots. With Warner Music India by my side, I’m ready to create something truly special.”

    Warner Music India managing director Jay Mehta stated, “Guru Randhawa has been instrumental in bringing Punjabi music to a global stage. This album marks an exciting new phase in his journey, and we’re committed to supporting his artistic vision while helping him build a well-rounded brand.”

    As one of India’s most influential music exports, Randhawa has amassed over eight million monthly Spotify listeners and more than 14 billion streams across platforms. Known for crafting chart-topping anthems, his music transcends borders, cementing him as a true global force.

    With Without Prejudice, Guru Randhawa isn’t just dropping an album he’s making a statement. And with Warner Music India backing his vision, the world is about to hear him louder than ever.

  • Warner Music India brings eight unique tracks from ‘Maati’

    Warner Music India brings eight unique tracks from ‘Maati’

    Mumbai: Warner Music India has launched Maati, a musical project celebrating India’s folklore with eight tracks in eight languages. The lineup includes artists like Vishal Dadlani, Mohit Chauhan, Mikey McCleary, Sushant Divgikar (Rani KoHEnur), Madhubanti Bagchi, Ash King, and Nikhita Gandhi. The tracks will be released over the next two months on Warner Music India’s YouTube channel and social media, starting with the first track, Bawla, available now on all streaming platforms.

    Bawla features Sushant Divgikar, with music by Mikey McCleary and traditional sounds from The Khan Brothers. The song blends modern beats with Rajasthani folk, portraying the spirit of a carefree soul.

    Curated by composers Achint Thakkar and Parth Pandya, Maati explores India’s musical traditions, highlighting regional music and pairing contemporary artists with folk stories that cross language and regional barriers. The first season is powered by boAt.

    Warner Music India & SAARC MD Jay Mehta shared, “With Maati, our vision was to create a platform that elevates India’s folk music and artists to the global stage, while celebrating the rich diversity of our folk traditions. Through this journey, we’ve uncovered extraordinary stories from across the country, and I am deeply passionate about sharing them with the world. This first official season marks just the beginning, as we aim to make Maati a recurring seasonal property, with plans to evolve it into a live festival next year.”

    One of the curators Achint Thakkar added, “Maati is about breaking boundaries—showing that folk music isn’t confined to regional artists. Every artist involved has fully embraced the folk traditions they are representing, creating a truly immersive musical experience.”

    Co-curator Parth Pandya commented, “Working on Maati has been an incredible experience. We’ve brought together an amazing ensemble of artists to tell the rich stories of India’s culture. India is a land of languages, but music is a boundless emotion. Maati embodies that freedom—it’s everything, everywhere.”

    boAt co-founder and CMO Aman Gupta shared, “boAt, as a proud homegrown audio technology brand, has always been deeply rooted in the rich diversity and culture of India. Our journey with Maati feels like a natural extension of that pride. We understand that it’s not just about gaining a share of voice, but about truly embracing a share of culture—by meaningfully contributing to the music scene and celebrating the vibrant heritage that shapes who we are.” 
     

  • Warner Music expands deal with Jetsynthesys’ Global Music Junction

    Warner Music expands deal with Jetsynthesys’ Global Music Junction

    Mumbai: Warner Music India has expanded its partnership with Global Music Junction (GMJ), the music and entertainment subsidiary of JetSynthesys. The companies struck a distribution deal in 2021, but this new agreement sees Warner Music make a strategic investment in GMJ, giving it a seat on the board. The move will establish Warner Music India to become the largest player in the central Indian music market.

    GMJ is the dominant force in the Bhojpuri, Haryanvi, Oriya, Kannada, and Gujarati language markets and has recently achieved exponential growth in the latter two. Bhojpuri is the fastest-growing language in India, and this move makes Warner Music the largest player in its music market. GMJ is committed to empower artists and labels through services including content creation, events management, innovative distribution, marketing solutions, technical analytics, and legal expertise.  

    The company has built an ecosystem that involves more than 100 partners, over 250 million subscribers, serving up more than 100 billion minutes of entertainment annually in more than 130,000 pieces of audio-visual music content.

    Its partners include renowned figures such as Bhojpuri superstars Khesari lal Yadav, Pawan Singh, Haryanvi superstars Renuka, Sapna Chaudhary and Sahil Sandhu, Odiya stars Malay Mishra and Ira Mohanty along with legends from the industry such as Sonu Nigam, Salim Merchant, Shaan, and Sulaiman Merchant.

    GMJ also collaborates with training and production partners such as the top online music learning platform Artium Academy, Rajasthan-based movie production company Hariprem Films and music directors Sahil Sandhu (Western Beats, Haryana) and Malay Mishra (Basanta Studios, Orissa).

    In the recent past, GMJ has achieved significant milestones with its content such as “Jale 2”, by Haryanvi superstar Sapna Choudhary, becoming one of the fastest music video to reach more than 300 million views on YouTube and more than 15 million Instagram Reels in India in 90 days. The video for “Sent Gamkauwa” by Shivani Singh accumulated more than 700 million YouTube views in just six months.

    Warner Music president, emerging markets Alfonso Perez Soto said, “This is a significant milestone in the expansion of our presence across India. Working with the amazing team at GMJ last year not only strengthened our partnership but enabled us to better support artists from the central regions of India, bringing them the best artistic support that any company can provide, and helping them connect with fans across the country and around the world. India is one of the most exciting music markets in the world and with GMJ as a partner we’re right at the heart of it.”

    JetSynthesys CEO and founder Rajan Navani added, “Our journey with Warner Music has been remarkable, highlighted by some successful collaborations. The indigenous languages in which we operate, such as the Bhojpuri, Haryanvi, Oriya, Kannada and Gujarati language markets in India, have seen incredible growth in the recent past. Warner Music’s investment in Global Music Junction and its continued collaboration with us will fast track the increasing expansion of India’s regional music industry. With our combined collective vision and understanding of audience preferences, we aim to strengthen the ecosystem by meeting the growing fan demand in the music and entertainment space. We are looking forward to more successful outcomes from our longstanding collaboration.”

    Warner Music India MD Jay Mehta added: “Our partnership continues to have a significant presence in the places in the Indian market which are growing most rapidly, and so enables us to be the fastest music company in our expansion.  GMJ is a leading player in five language markets in central India and works with some of the biggest names in Indian music and show business.  This is a critical moment in our expansion across the country as we seek to position Warner Music India as the number one choice for all discerning artists and labels.”

    Global Music Junction CEO Rajkumar Singh commented: “GMJ is committed to pioneering innovative marketing strategies, fostering creativity, and elevating the digital music landscape across India.  Our expanded partnership with Warner Music will help us fulfill our vision of becoming the foremost digital entertainment company in the country, while nurturing the next generation of talent. We will continue to enable our partners to focus on their artistic endeavours, while we manage their digital properties to engage users effectively.”

    Giri Digital, an early investor in GMJ, continues to stay invested.

  • Warner Music India names Sujal Parekh as general manager, operations

    Warner Music India names Sujal Parekh as general manager, operations

    Mumbai: Warner Music India has announced that Sujal Parekh has been promoted to become general manager, operations for Warner Music India and other territories in the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC). He will report to Jay Mehta, managing director of Warner Music India and SAARC territories.

    In his new role, Sujal will drive Warner Music India’s sustainable and profitable growth, provide leadership in all aspects of fiscal management, help develop the company’s long-term business strategy, and act as an effective co-pilot for business.

    Sujal will focus on spearheading artist management, digital operations, legal affairs, publishing, live events, people initiatives, and strategic mergers and acquisitions.

    The announcement comes as Warner Music India is poised for strategic expansion, and it will leverage Parekh’s expertise to navigate the diverse and dynamic Indian music market.

    Sujal Parekh said: “I am excited to have this opportunity to spearhead Warner Music India’s comprehensive operations, ensuring that we deliver even more support to our artists and develop our amazing team. This will enable us to offer even more incredible music to fans in India and around the world.”

    Jay Mehta added: “I’m delighted to announce Sujal’s elevation to general manager, operations.  We believe in empowering our team by offering greater responsibilities and nurturing leaders within the organization. This marks a pivotal moment as Sujal’s leadership will help guide many aspects of our business. His expertise will be vital as we strategically expand our local operations and empower our artists and partners to leverage Warner Music’s global resources to deliver unparalleled success.”

    Sujal has served as Warner Music India’s head of finance since February 2021, and been instrumental in propelling the company’s growth and nurturing crucial alliances.

    Prior to that, Sujal was associate vice president – finance at Bigtree Entertainment’s BookMyShow, India’s premier comprehensive entertainment ticketing applications and analysis solutions provider. While there, he handled many challenging assignments, including raising resources from domestic and global markets, corporate restructuring and regulatory matters.

  • Warner Music acquires the Indian management company E-Positive

    Warner Music acquires the Indian management company E-Positive

    Mumbai: Warner Music has announced the acquisition of the Indian artist management company, E-Positive. The deal further strengthens Warner Music India’s position in independent music and will allow its artists to tap into new expertise in brand partnerships and live events. The company will also continue to maintain the prestigious Indie Music Label as part of its holdings.

    E-Positive is home to Darshan Raval, one of the top five most streamed artists in India and the fastest-growing artist in the region, having quadrupled his daily streams in the last 12 months. Raval is renowned for his crossover ability and has released songs in languages including Hindi, Gujarati, Punjabi and Bengali. His tracks have been streamed more than nine billion times while he has grown his monthly listeners across the DSPs to more than 43 million and garnered 17 million followers on Instagram.  

    E-Positive will continue to act as a stand-alone company and will be led by founder and CEO, Naushad Khan.  Khan is a prominent figure in the live entertainment industry, having built an unrivalled network of contacts while promoting more than 15,000 shows. Since launching E-Positive, he has also been instrumental in managing the careers of many artists including Darshan Raval, who he discovered and developed into a star.  

    Naushad Khan said: “This is an exciting day in the journey of E-Positive. I’ve worked towards developing a legacy for over 10 years and carved the journey of each one of my artists. I’m delighted that we’ve found a new home at Warner Music India. The team at Warner Music India will help us grow in the international market and will help our artists connect with more fans from around the world. We’re looking forward to the next chapter of E-Positive.”

    Warner Music India managing director Jay Mehta added: “Naushad Khan has done an incredible job of positioning E-Positive as a leading management company and his knowledge in brand partnerships and the live sector will be a great asset for us at Warner Music India. And it’s a privilege to welcome such a phenomenal artist like Darshan Raval into the global Warner Music family. Darshan is a true star, and we believe he can become a staple on the global stage.”

    Warner Music president of emerging markets Alfonso Perez Soto concluded: “This deal once again reinforces our desire to become the number one destination for artists in India, and welcoming an artist like Darshan onto our roster is a real statement of intent. Darshan, as well as the whole of the E-Positive roster, will be able to collaborate with Warner Music’s global network and start to connect with a wider international audience. This deal helps us to level up and enhance our 360 offering to artists by bringing in the knowledge and expertise of Naushad Khan to the Warner Music family. Our improved suite of services will enable our artists to transcend the whole of India and help bring Indian culture to the rest of the world.”

  • Warner Music India expands partnership with Sky Digital India

    Warner Music India expands partnership with Sky Digital India

    Mumbai: Warner Music India has signed a joint venture deal with Sky Digital, India’s fastest-growing Punjabi music content consortium and aggregator, significantly expanding their partnership.

    The companies penned a strategic partnership in 2021, but have now entered into a new phase of collaboration that will see them jointly develop and manage a roster, with Warner Music India upstreaming some of the hugely popular artists on it.

    Sky Digital India is already home to some of the country’s biggest Punjabi music stars including Bir, Harnoor, Kaka, Mankirt Aulakh, Navan Sandhu and Sunanda Sharma.

    The company also manages premium Punjabi content-based YouTube channels with more than 50 million subscribers and aggregates releases from more than 50 Punjabi labels, as well as two leading mainstream independent Hindi labels.

    WMG president – emerging markets, recorded music Alfonso Perez-Soto says, “This is a strategic partnership with a hybrid model that enables us to help develop artists’ careers directly.  This approach will be hugely beneficial to Sky Digital’s artists who have the potential to be truly global stars.  It’s also part of our mission to take culturally vibrant Punjabi music to a worldwide audience.”

    Warner Music India managing director Jay Mehta adds, “The popularity of Punjabi music around the world has soared in recent years, amplified by a widespread diaspora and starting to cross over into the mainstream in several markets.  This partnership creates a great platform for more artists to take their music global and have Punjabi music dominate global charts.”

    Sky Digital India managing director Gurkaran Dhaliwal concludes, “This deal takes our collaboration to a new and a more dynamic level.  Our synergetic relationship with Warner Music Group has already helped us expand our market share in India and significantly graced our artists with popularity among a wider audience.  This joint venture allows music and homegrown talent to scale zenith of success by becoming globally loved and acclaimed stars.”

  • Warner Music India and Warner Music Canada Come Together To Launch 91 RECORDS

    Warner Music India and Warner Music Canada Come Together To Launch 91 RECORDS

    Mumbai:  Warner Music Canada and Warner Music India have come together to launch a new joint venture, 91 NORTH RECORDS, aimed at supporting artists of South Asian heritage.  The new entity will be guided by renowned artist and producer Ikky, who has come onboard as Creative Director.  

    Ikky has already made huge waves across the industry, racking up more than two billion streams worldwide with songs such as Shubh’s “Baller”, Diljit Dosanjh’s “Chauffeur” and Sidhu Moose Wala’s “Bambiha Bole”.  He launched his own label, 4N Records, in partnership with Warner Music and Coalition Music in 2021.    

    91 NORTH RECORDS’ first signings are Canadian-based Punjabi stars Karan Aujla and Jonita Gandhi. Both artists will work closely with Ikky as well as A&R Director, Charlie B.

    Karan released his new album Making Memories last Friday and over the last five years has become one of the scenes biggest artists. Since his first major hit “Don’t Worry” in 2018, he’s received almost three billion views on YouTube, has garnered over one billion audio streams and eight million followers across his social media channels.

    The name 91 NORTH RECORDS references both countries with a nod to India’s country code and Canada’s geographical location and the logo is inspired by India’s national flower the lotus.

     

    The label held a launch event at Warner Music Canada’s offices in Toronto on Tuesday, August 22.  

    91 NORTH RECORDS creative director Ikky said, “I’ve always been fascinated by the blending of Indian and Western sounds into culturally impactful, innovative music. 91 NORTH RECORDS exists to elevate artists pursuing this fusion. Punjabi and South Asian music already competes worldwide, and I’m thrilled to collaborate with emerging talents, showcasing and amplifying what they have to offer. This is no experiment; it’s the future.”

    Jay Mehta, Managing Director, Warner Music India managing director Jay Mehta said, “We’re so excited by the launch of 91 NORTH RECORDS. This venture not only celebrates the musical styles of artists with South Asian heritage but also leverages the market potential of uniting two distinct fan bases to bring this music to the global stage. This is certainly going to be a gamechanger initiative for artists who will now have global support from A&R, marketing, collaborations and more.”

    Warner Music Canada president Kristen Burke added, “91 NORTH RECORDS is dedicated to celebrating and amplifying Indian culture. There is an incredible new generation of talent rising, influenced by their South Asian heritage, and we want to make sure these artists are represented both here and around the world. This new venture allows artists to be truly authentic, and our global network gives us the opportunity to showcase their culture on a global stage.”

    Warner Music president- emerging markets Alfonso Perez-Soto concluded: “Punjabi music is currently going through a vibrant evolution, having been supported by multicultural Canada, it is now transforming from a regional and diaspora-based genre into a global force. This growth is thanks to exceptional production and artistry from the likes of Ikky and the ambition and understanding from Jay, Kristen and the teams at WM India and WM Canada. 91 NORTH RECORDS will act as the vital bridge between East and West – uniting talent, cultures, and ideas, and cementing a movement that is here to stay. At Warner Music we will continue to champion initiatives like this for the love of music, artists, and fans alike.”

    There are almost 2.6 million people of South Asian heritage living in Canada and a new generation of artists from these communities are starting to have a massive impact in the country and internationally. There is also a strong musical connection between the South Asian diaspora in Canada and the subcontinent.  Three of the Top 10 tracks in India in 2022 were by Punjabi-Canadian artists according to IFPI figures.  

  • JetSynthesys, Warner Music launch podcast for women of South Asian diaspora

    JetSynthesys, Warner Music launch podcast for women of South Asian diaspora

    Mumbai: Digital entertainment and technology company JetSynthesys and Warner Music India have come together to launch “EkWomen,” a podcasting and networking platform for women of the South Asian diaspora. The podcast is available on audio streaming platform – Spotify.

    “EkWomen” is conceived and produced by JetSynthesys’ Medha Jaishankar (BBC World former producer and Reliance Entertainment consultant) and Monika Patel (journalist/host Midday, Uppercrust, and JetSynthesys’ Daily Hinduism video series and Mata Monique podcasts).

    The podcast addresses a lacuna in the podcast world by creating a global sisterhood through uplifting stories of the struggles and successes faced by diaspora women of South Asian heritage. In the next phase, it plans to add community building and on-the-ground networking sessions across several countries including India.

    The interviewees include – “Chopped” show judge and chef Maneet Chauhan; celebrity make-up artist and entrepreneur Shalini Vadhera; ClassPass founder, dancer, and novelist Payal Kadakia; yogini and novelist Ira Trivedi; Teach For India founder Shaheen Mistri; leading UK Muslim female comic Shazia Mirza; Kama Sutra expert, storyteller, and mythologist Seema Anand; philanthropist and humanitarian Meera Gandhi; artist Sujata Bajaj, Pulitzer award-winning journalist and Dean of Berkeley School of Journalism Geeta Anand, and author, activist and academic Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni.

    “At JetSynthesys, we have always aimed at building social communities, not just to bring people together, but to connect thoughts and ideologies. We are extremely delighted to join hands with Warner Music India once again to launch ‘EkWomen,’ providing strength and support to South Asian diasporic women aiming to overcome challenges and achieve their dreams,” says JetSynthesys vice-chairman and MD Rajan Navani.

    “The podcasts on the platform have been thoughtfully curated with stories of victories and struggles. We will soon bolster our other offerings on the platform to build a stronger network and a support system across the world,” he adds.

     “We are delighted to launch ‘EkWomen’ in association with JetSynthesys. The initiative focuses on building an inspiring ecosystem for millions of South Asian women and empowering them with a hope to create their own success stories,” shares Warner Music India MD Jay Mehta.

  • 92.7 Big FM elevates Jay Mehta to station head, Mumbai

    92.7 Big FM elevates Jay Mehta to station head, Mumbai

    MUMBAI: 92.7 Big FM has announced the elevation of Jay Mehta as station head, Mumbai. Mehta joined 92.7 Big FM in August 2014 in the position of sales head – Mumbai and has been an ace performer, steadily growing revenues for the station. In his role as station head, Mehta’s primary responsibility will be to manage the P&L of the station, ensuring profitability as the station continues to deliver excellent value to listeners and advertisers alike.

     

    Mehta will report to 92.7 Big FM business head Ashwin Padmanabhan.

     

    Mehta carries with him over a decade’s work experience, with companies like Uninor, Idea Cellular, Bharti Airtel and Reliance Communications. His key strengths include innovations, strategy formulation and execution, brand launches, brand associations, and sales and distribution. He has to his credit, been a key part of the launch team of two telecom giants in India – Uninor and Idea Cellular and has been instrumental in seeding the brands during its initial periods.

     

    Padmanabhan said, “It is an absolute delight to meet and work with committed employees like Jay. His relationship skills and ability to deep dive and understand the Clients requirements and offer suitable solutions, is phenomenal. We couldn’t have found anymore more apt for this role than Jay and I am confident he will lead the entire team to the next level.”

     

    Mehta added, “I am privileged to be acknowledged so early in my association with BIG FM and thank the management for the same. My clear focus going forward is to make Big FM synonymous with radio, to increase revenue share and to build a strong cohesive team that delivers excellent clutter breaking content to listeners and value to advertisers.”

     

    Jay has a superlative educational record with a distinction in Masters in Management Studies (MMS) – Marketing from Chetana College Mumbai and a Bachelor of Commerce (BCOM) degree with distinction from Narsee Monjee Institute of Commerce and Economics Mumbai.