Celebrating Basant Dhawan’s remarkable journey through media, marketing and leadership

Currently serving as Chief Marketing Officer at Shoonya by Finvasia, Dhawan has built a career that reflects the evolving relationship between brands, businesses and consumers. From shaping audience engagement strategies in broadcasting to driving marketing initiatives in financial services, his professional journey has taken him through some of India's most competitive industries.

Dhawan's career has been distinguished by his ability to navigate different business environments while maintaining a focus on brand development, consumer engagement and growth.

One of the significant chapters of his career was at Network18, where he served as Chief Executive Officer of English and Business News. In this leadership position, he oversaw prominent television news brands, including CNN-News18, CNBC-TV18, CNBC Awaaz and CNBC Bazaar. The role placed him at the intersection of editorial brands, audience development and the commercial dynamics of India's competitive news broadcasting industry.

His association with Disney Star further expanded his experience in sports broadcasting and marketing. As Senior Vice President and Head of Emerging Sports, Dhawan was associated with the development of sporting properties such as the Pro Kabaddi League, Indian Super League and Premier Badminton League. These initiatives played an important role in bringing sports beyond cricket to wider television and digital audiences.

Earlier, during his tenure at Vodafone India as General Manager for Media and Digital, Dhawan handled major media and sponsorship initiatives, including the company's association with the Indian Premier League. His responsibilities included campaigns and consumer engagement initiatives associated with Vodafone's popular ZooZoo characters and the Vodafone Superfan activation.

His professional journey also included a stint as Chief Executive Officer at Twenty First Century Media (TCM), adding another dimension to his experience in sports, media and business leadership.

Dhawan subsequently brought his marketing expertise to financial services as Group Chief Marketing Officer at Capri Global Capital. In this role, he led brand marketing, strategic communications and digital initiatives across the group's businesses. Among his notable assignments were campaigns featuring actor Pankaj Tripathi for Capri Loans' MSME and gold loan offerings, alongside digital-first brand films featuring cricketer Shubman Gill.

Before joining Shoonya, he served as Chief Operating Officer at Polymaxx Adhesives, further broadening his leadership experience beyond media and financial services.

In October 2026, Dhawan began a new professional chapter as Chief Marketing Officer at Shoonya by Finvasia. His current mandate includes strengthening the trading platform's brand positioning, accelerating digital marketing and expanding its appeal among retail investors, particularly those entering the investment ecosystem for the first time.

An engineering graduate from Manipal Institute of Technology and an alumnus of IIM Calcutta, Dhawan brings together technical education, business leadership and extensive experience in consumer-facing industries.

What makes his professional journey particularly interesting is the diversity of sectors he has navigated. From telecommunications and television news to sports leagues, financial services and digital investing, his career mirrors the transformation of India's media and marketing landscape over the past three decades.

As he celebrates another birthday, Dhawan's journey offers an example of professional adaptability, cross-sector experience and sustained leadership in an increasingly dynamic business environment.