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Tag: Star TV

  • Mallika Nath Handa inks a new chapter with Network18 leadership move

    Mallika Nath Handa inks a new chapter with Network18 leadership move

    MUMBAI: When it comes to building big brand bridges, Mallika Nath Handa knows the blueprint. The seasoned media and partnerships leader has joined Network18 Media & Investments Limited in August 2025 to helm Building Strategic Relationships, marking yet another power move in a two-decade career spanning India’s biggest media and digital houses.

    Handa’s career arc is as eclectic as it is impressive. She most recently spent 1 year and 9 months at Zomato, where she headed partnerships and played a pivotal role in shaping the food-tech major’s brand-building efforts. Before that, she spent a mammoth 11 years and 8 months at Times Internet, rising to the position of head of revenue and branded content for Indiatimes Lifestyle Network.

    Her early innings saw her hold senior sales roles at AIDEM Ventures (1 year 11 months), NDTV Media (4 years 3 months), and Star TV (2 years 5 months). Across these stints, she sharpened her expertise in revenue growth, branded content, digital innovation, and strategic partnerships, working at the intersection of media, technology, and brand storytelling.

    An alumna of the National Institute of Fashion Technology (2000–2004) with a degree in Fashion Design and Information Technology, Handa’s journey reflects a blend of creativity and commercial acumen, a combination that’s particularly suited to navigating Network18’s expansive media ecosystem.

    The move comes as Network18 continues to deepen its relationships with advertisers, creators, and platforms in an increasingly fragmented media landscape. With her proven track record in forging partnerships and scaling businesses, Handa’s entry signals the company’s intent to fortify its strategic growth playbook.

    From fashion design to food-tech to forging the future of one of India’s largest media networks, Handa’s career trajectory proves she has always been in the business of connections and at Network18, she now gets to take that literally.

  • Tanuj Luthra elevated as chief business officer at CarDekho Group

    Tanuj Luthra elevated as chief business officer at CarDekho Group

    NEW DELHI: Auto-tech platform CarDekho Group has named Tanuj Luthra as its chief business officer, (CBO) marking a significant leadership elevation for the digital veteran with over two decades of experience in media, digital, banking, and telecom.. 

    Luthra, who joined CarDekho in 2023 as vice president – new auto, has since April 2025 (when he was named CBO) has been overseeing  the group’s entire business strategy, revenue leadership, and partnerships. His remit includes driving growth across digital ads, branded content, SaaS offerings, and white-label IPs, while accelerating the company’s digital transformation journey in the automotive space.

    A business engineer-turned-marketer with an MBA and a senior management programme from IIM Ahmedabad, Luthra has previously held key roles at Network18 and Star India, The Walt Disney Co, and Citibank. Known for cracking Rs 100-crore+ deals and pioneering brand-led content integrations, he has worked with top-tier brands including Dabur, Coca-Cola, Patanjali, and Alibaba.

    Industry insiders say Luthra’s mix of deal-making prowess, strategic acumen, and deep client relationships puts him in the driver’s seat to unlock the next chapter of growth for CarDekho.

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  • Harsh Vora promoted to senior vice-president at PHD Media

    Harsh Vora promoted to senior vice-president at PHD Media

    MUMBAI:   PHD Media has announced the promotion of Harsh Vora to senior vice-president. With 16 years of expertise in media planning, buying, strategy, and events across both ATL and BTL channels, Vora has been instrumental in driving growth and innovation within the industry.

    Currently serving as the business lead for Skoda Automobiles at PHD, Vora previously held several key positions within the agency, including vice-president and assistant vice-president. Over his tenure, he has demonstrated his ability to implement successful media strategies and achieve significant business results.

    Before joining PHD, Vora was the assistant general manager of marketing at Kalpataru and worked as senior manager of media planning & buying at Star TV Network, where he spearheaded media for popular shows on Star Plus. His strong analytical skills have also led to successful campaigns, such as the impactful Star Plus – Nayi Soch campaign, which significantly increased the channel’s viewership.

    Vora’s career highlights also include working with Godrej at Madison Media group, where he managed the media strategies for major brands, achieving combined annual sales of Rs 3,000 crore. He started his career as a media planner at Lodestar Universal, contributing to high-profile launches like the Tata Nano.

  • Vikram Sakhuja honored with AAAI Lifetime Achievement Award

    Vikram Sakhuja honored with AAAI Lifetime Achievement Award

    MUMBAI: The Advertising Agencies Association of India (AAAI) presented its prestigious Lifetime Achievement Award to Madison Media & OOH group CEO Vikram Sakhuja, on 10 January at a glittering ceremony attended by leading figures from the advertising and marketing industry – Piyush Pandey, Prasoon Joshi, N. P. Singh, Arvind Sharma, Madhukar Kamath, Ramesh Narayan, Sam Balsara, Shashi Sinha, Anupriya Acharya, Prasanth Kumar, and another 200 of them. 

    With nearly four decades of expertise, Sakhuja has been associated with global giants like Procter & Gamble, The Coca-Cola Co, Star TV, Mindshare, Maxus, and GroupM. An alumnus of IIT Delhi and IIM Calcutta, his career highlights include setting up India’s first media AOR, launching the country’s first afternoon soap opera, and leading brand introductions during P&G’s and Coca-Cola’s early days in India. He has also been instrumental in pioneering research initiatives such as BASES and retail audits and transforming GroupM into India’s largest and most awarded marketing investment powerhouse.

    Accepting the award, Sakhuja reflected on his 38-year journey, including 23 years in the agency world. He noted how his 15 years in marketing gave him a solid foundation. And how his early years in  DCM between IIT and IIM shaped his professional outlook, stating, “After five years of college, I got a taste of professionalism, and it tasted pretty good. I said to myself: If this is what corporate life prepares us for, I’m all game for it.”

    He added: “I am truly humbled to have been given the Lifetime Achievement Award by AAAI. When I look at the list of 31 recipients before me, it’s genuinely humbling because they were all legends. I am a mere mortal. That said, it is brilliant to receive this validation from my peers. I thank the entire industry for this lovely honour that I’ve been bestowed with.”

    In response to the honour, Madison World chairman Sam Balsara remarked:  “This lifetime achievement award is a testament to Vikram’s tireless work ethic, his passion for excellence and his commitment to making a positive impact on the media industry as a whole.”

    Sakhuja remains an active contributor to the industry through roles in organizations like the Advertising Standards Council of India (Asci), Audit Bureau of Circulations (ABC), Readership Studies Council of India (RSCI), Broadcast Audience Research Council (BARC), and Ficci’s marketing committee.

    The accolade recognises Sakhuja’s outstanding contributions to shaping India’s media and advertising landscape.

  • Bharat Media recruits Sumaiya Shaikh Vaidya in biz development role

    Bharat Media recruits Sumaiya Shaikh Vaidya in biz development role

    MUMBAI: From being an executive assistant or administrator for almost 10 years in various companies in the beginning of her career, to associate director business development at the Bharat Media & Entertainment group (BMEG), Sumaiya Shaikh Vaidya has progressed extremely well.

    Her first big break outside the EA or admin role came when she was appointed as a deputy manager at India News in charge of revenue generation from the western Indian region – a position she enjoyed for two years. Following this,  she moved to Star TV as a senior sales executive , hopping on to dailyhunt for five months as regional manager, and then back to Disney Star for more than five years, leaving it in December 2024 as assistant manager looking after revenues for Star Suvarna SD, HD & Plus. In between she dabbled in short assignments for companies such as Red Digital Cinema, Aidem Ventures and dailyhunt.

    Her motto all along has been “to seek a higher level of work to expand my experience.”

    BMEG is headed by Andy Charles and is a marketing service company  with expertise in media planning and buying skills, strategic brand building, OOH + experiential,  and creative design solutions. It has offices in Bengaluru, Mumbai, Delhi , Chennai, Kochi, Hyderabad and Kolkata with  new age clients such as Dangal, Linc, KochiKodens, Rapido, Bombay Shaving Co, IDBI Bank, among a long list of others.

     

  • One Health Assist appoints Divya Dixit as chief growth officer

    One Health Assist appoints Divya Dixit as chief growth officer

    Mumbai: One Health Assist has announced the appointment of business strategy veteran, Divya Dixit, as chief growth officer. In this role, Divya will be responsible for spearheading the organisation’s innovative growth initiatives, driving revenue generation through strategic partnerships and multi-channel marketing efforts, both in domestic and international markets.

    With over 25+ years of diverse experience in growth marketing, digital transformation, and business expansion, Divya has previously worked with leading organizations such as Alt Balaji, ZEE5, Saregama, Tata Docomo, Star TV, UTV, Sony Entertainment, and Barista Coffee. Her ability to scale businesses and transform brands has consistently delivered impressive results across sectors, establishing her as a leader in growth-driven roles. At Alt Balaji, under her four year leadership tenure, it witnessed a stupendous business growth, growing from a seven crore topline to a 110 Crore.

    As the CGO, Divya’s mandate focuses on driving business to consumer revenue for the brand and strategic business collaborations as well as focus on wellness and ecommerce divisions. Her role will encompass creating and executing growth-driven strategies that expand the company’s footprint in India as well as International Markets, ensuring the brand’s continued upward trajectory.

    One Health Assist founder Davinder Bhasin expressed his enthusiasm about her appointment, saying, “We are thrilled to welcome Divya onboard as our Chief Growth Officer. Her exceptional portfolio in scaling companies through growth as well as strategic initiatives speaks for itself and she will play a crucial role in our vision to be the market leader as we enter this dynamic phase in the healthcare sector.”

    One Health Assist co-founder Karan Arora added, “Divya’s proven track record of driving growth across diverse industries speaks volumes. As a forward-thinking healthcare ecosystem, One Health Assist will rapidly establish its market presence and Divya’s fresh perspective will be key to revolutionizing healthcare ecosystem”

    Speaking on her new role, Dixit said, “I’m excited to join One Health Assist at such an inflection point for the healthcare sector. Leveraging my experience across industries and startups, I look forward to driving top line initiatives that will further One Health Assist’s mission to revolutionize healthcare through digital transformation as well as driving incredible consumer experience. The brand is uniquely positioned to be an industry leader, and I’m eager to be a part of this growth curve.”

  • Zee Media appoints Joy Chakraborthy as new chief business officer

    Zee Media appoints Joy Chakraborthy as new chief business officer

    Mumbai: He’s hoping to bring some joy to Zee News. Veteran broadcast executive Joy Chakraborthy has hopped on board Zee Media as its chief business officer. His task: oversee advertising, distribution, sales and marketing at the news network. Chakraborthy has over 27 years of experience in the media industry with a core competence of ad sales and revenue generation.

    His last employment was with the Manish Shah promoted Goldmines Telefilms as its CEO, a post he held for eight months.

    Prior to that  he was the CEO of Enterr10 Media and even before that with TV Today.

    It is a homecoming of sorts for Joy as in the past he held the position of executive director at Zee Group.  He has had experience with the print medium too as director of the Times of India group. He served as president-TV18 and executive vice president-Star TV in the early 2000s.

    He is an alumnus of the Harvard Business School and a graduate from National Defence Academy.

  • U-TO onboards Wolfzhowl Strategic Instigation as business strategy partner

    U-TO onboards Wolfzhowl Strategic Instigation as business strategy partner

    Mumbai: MediaTech company U-TO Solutions is all set for its next phase of growth. Founded in 2000, U-TO has partnered with companies like Sony Pictures, Star TV, Viacom18, TataSky, Shemaroo and others in driving intelligence for profitable actions through technology. U-TO through their association with BroadView Software Canada and indigenously built RightsU are gearing up to enter Southeast Asia and Middle East and Africa this year. It has appointed Wolfzhowl Strategic Instigation as their business strategy partner.

    “As the media landscape becomes more complex, with the rise of streaming services and influencer-turned content creators, U-TO is looking at making in-roads by creating bespoke solutions for Media & Entertainment companies across India, Southeast Asia & Middle East and Africa. We were looking for a strategy consultancy that had expertise in B2B Technology and product marketing, who could become true partners in our success and not just work as external consultants,” said  U-TO co-founder CTO Sumit Suri on this appointment.

    Globally, the Digital Rights Management market is valued at $1.29 billion in 2018 and is expected to reach $2.05 billion by the end of 2024. India, South Korea, Southeast Asia and Africa will be driving this market growth with the increase in On-Demand Content and increased internet penetration.

    “U-TO is gearing up for the solidity of their success and we are happy to partner with them in this growth. As a behaviour change consultancy, we are excited to be working across the business’ value chain. Our deep understanding of culture and its impact on each stakeholder in the value chain along with our focus on outcomes ensures that we drive growth for U-TO. This growth will come through Brand Positioning 2.0, Service and Sales Design 2.0 and Product Branding and Marketing,” says Wolfzhowl partner and lead integrated strategy Prerna Dubey Gupta.

  • Bindu Nair elevated to sr vice president marketing at Star TV Network

    Bindu Nair elevated to sr vice president marketing at Star TV Network

    Mumbai : Star TV Network has elevated Bindu Nair to the position of senior vice president marketing. Nair updated her profile on LinkedIn late on Wednesday.

    A senior marketing professional with over 16 years of experience, Nair joined Star TV Network in March 2019 as VP marketing. Prior to this, she was working with Viacom18 Media as associate vice president – corporate strategy and data sciences.

    Nair has also worked at Star TV as assistant VP marketing in 2010 and later as marketing specialist in 2012, when she was involved in the creation and management of the operating plan for the launch of 22 new shows on the network.

  • Amit Kumar Sinha joins SonyLIV as pricing & revenue strategy head

    Amit Kumar Sinha joins SonyLIV as pricing & revenue strategy head

    KOLKATA: Leading OTT platform SonyLIV has appointed Amit Kumar Sinha as pricing & revenue strategy head. Sinha brings 15 years of experience in business strategy, marketing & research to the table.

    Before this, Sinha was associated with Star TV Network as associate vice president (product, revenue strategy). He worked on major genres like Hindi GEC, Hindi Movies & Hindi News. He also worked for Star Sports to plan, deliver revenue targets for the Cricket portfolio.

    He also worked with other renowned media organisations like Zee News, Bloomberg UTV, ETV.

    During the last fifteen years, he has been involved in strategizing & planning for various business functions; marketing & promotion of programmes/events; distribution Strategies; handling Research among others.