NEW DELHI: Gaurav Banerjee, managing director and chief executive of Sony Pictures Networks India (SPNI), has been named chairman of the Confederation of Indian Industry’s national media and entertainment council for 2025-26. The move signals CII’s push to turbocharge the M&E sector’s global competitiveness with a focus on policy reform, skilling, tech-creative innovation and inclusive growth.
Banerjee, who also chairs BARC India, steps into the role at a time when India’s media and entertainment engine is revving up to be a $100bn juggernaut—fuelled by AI, VFX, and a hungry Gen Z audience. His mandate? Drive trust, sharpen policy, and make “Create in India” the global gold standard.
“At a time when the world is looking to India for inspiration, our M&E industry is uniquely positioned to reflect our cultural ethos while shaping global narratives,” said Banerjee. “We need frameworks that empower innovation, creative-tech and opportunity—without compromising trust or accountability.”
As council chair, Banerjee will double down on four key levers:
* Policy and regulation: Partnering with government to streamline norms, fight piracy, and foster a level playing field.
* Tech meets creativity: Embracing AI, AR/VR and automation to supercharge content quality, personalisation and productivity.
* Skill-building: Rolling out future-ready courses via the Indian Institute of Creative Technologies to upskill youth in animation, VFX and immersive storytelling.
* Going global: Backing Indo-foreign co-productions and showcasing Indian stories to the world with tech muscle and cultural soul.
The CII council under Banerjee will act as a bridge between industry, academia and government—taking on thorny issues like fair monetisation, content ethics, data privacy and equitable tech access. Expect sharp focus on regulating generative AI without stifling innovation.
A filmmaker by training and former journalist at Aaj Tak, Banerjee brings over two decades of experience to the table. At SPNI, he has been the force behind bold content bets and digital pivots—balancing creative risk with fiscal discipline.
His new role is likely to give India’s M&E sector the push it needs to move from scale to stature on the global stage.