Kingsmen of Viacom18 and Disney Star: A look into the leadership before the merger shakeup

With the $8.5 billion merger between Viacom18 and Disney Star at the brink of finalisation, the industry is abuzz with speculation about how the leadership structure will evolve. As the merged entity gears up to announce its restructured leadership, some executives are expected to step into enhanced roles, while others may exit the system entirely.

The Viacom18-Star India merger not only promises to reshape the Indian media landscape but also demands clarity in operations and leadership. Both companies bring their own powerhouses to the table—leaders who have defined the success of sports, entertainment, and digital platforms.

Here’s a curated list of the key players from Disney Star and Viacom18 who are likely to shape the future of this media giant. Will they remain in the fold, or will the new structure call for fresh faces? Let’s take a closer look at "all the king’s men"—the decision-makers at the heart of this high-stakes transformation.

Disney Star

K Madhavan, Country Manager and President, Disney Star

As Country Manager & President of Disney Star, K Madhavan drives the strategy and growth of the Company, responsible for the Disney, Star, and Disney+ Hotstar businesses and operations across General Entertainment, Sports, Direct-to-Consumer and the Studios business.

Madhavan joined Star India in 2009 as its South Head. Under his leadership, the company built a thriving regional entertainment portfolio. Previously, he served as MD and CEO of Asianet from 2000 to 2008, driving the network’s growth as the undisputed leader in Malayalam television with more than 50% market share. His vision for the regional language network led to the establishment of quality programming in South India.

Madhavan has steered Disney Star to a leadership position in both linear television as well as streaming businesses, offering content to diverse viewers across geographies.

 Sanjog Gupta, Head, Sports, Disney Star

Sanjog Gupta leads the Sports business for Disney Star/Disney Star India, which includes a portfolio of 17 channels. In this role, he is responsible for the business, product (programming & production), marketing, and strategy for the sports network.

Sanjog has been pivotal in driving the sports broadcasting space in India. Before his current role, he was the content head for sports where he shaped and delivered marquee national and international broadcasts watched in over 200 countries ranging from IPL to ICC Cricket World Cup.

Sanjog also played a big role in driving growth for home-grown Indian sports properties such as Pro Kabaddi League and Indian Super League. He pioneered the regionalization of sports broadcasts by delivering live feeds in seven languages and launching regional sports networks in Hindi-speaking markets, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu. 

He has championed grassroots development in sports by launching properties such as KBD Juniors and partnering with the Sports & Youth Affairs Ministry to launch Khelo India, which seeks to drive youth participation in sports. The delivery of interactive consumer experiences and deployment of live AR/VR on broadcast – both world firsts – along with the use of state-of-the-art production technology have been crucial milestones in his vision of putting Star Sports at the forefront of the global broadcasting space.

Having been with Star India for 10 years, Sanjog also led content development for Life OK – Star India’s GEC channel for two years, prior to his role in sports. He has been in the broadcast industry for almost two decades and has donned content leadership roles across English and Hindi News, Hindi General Entertainment, and Sports.  

Mani Rangarajan, Head Finance & Strategy, Disney Star

Rangarajan joined Disney Star as the Head of Finance & Strategy in January 2022, responsible for all aspects of finance and strategy, including corporate development and M&A, strategic and financial planning, accounting, reporting, information technology, distribution and ad sales operations.

Coming from REA India (the largest full-stack real estate company owned by REA Australia and News Corporation), where he was the Group Chief Operating Officer, he has over 26 years of extensive experience across diverse areas, including P&L management, setting up and managing large-scale operations, risk management, data analytics and corporate finance. In his previous role, Mani led the turnaround of Housing.com and transformed the company into the market-leading online real-estate classifieds platform.  

His experience spans 30 countries in financial services and the internet, with leadership roles in companies such as Citigroup and Yahoo!. Mani was part of the Silicon Valley start-up community for more than a decade and was on the management team and advisory board of start-ups with responsibilities across revenue, business development, strategy, operations, and finance, including fundraising and M&A.   

Gurjeev Singh Kapoor, Head - Distribution and International, Disney Star

Gurjeev Singh Kapoor heads TV Distribution for Disney Star in India and International markets.  He is responsible for expanding the network’s footprint in more than 109 countries, accelerating the distribution agenda for India and International markets, including the UK, Europe, the US, ME, Africa & the APAC region.

Kapoor has spearheaded the transformation of the India distribution business under a pioneering channel retail pricing regime and strengthened the network’s presence across TV homes in the country.

Segmented channel bundles were rolled out under his guidance to enable consumer choice with affordable pricing and attractive packaging options. He has played a significant role in making Sports more accessible to Indian audiences by ensuring mass adoption of the Star Sports portfolio across semi-urban and rural segments, as well as regional languages. He also fronted the efforts for the regional portfolio to gain a strong foothold with a strategic reach advantage across southern and other regional markets. 

A cable and broadcasting industry veteran with more than 25 years in the trade fraternity, Kapoor is credited with innovations and best practices. He has played an instrumental role in digitization; collaborating with broadcasters, DPO partners, regulatory authorities, and other industry stakeholders, to join forces and build a digital highway crucial in curbing piracy and bringing greater transparency to the business.  

Ajit Varghese - Head – Network Advertising Sales, Disney Star

Ajit Varghese is the Head of Network Advertising Sales for Disney Star, overseeing advertising revenues for television and digital businesses. With a strong strategic mindset and a unique combination of creative vision and analytical expertise, Varghese develops innovative advertising solutions that connect with audiences and deliver tangible results for advertisers. 

He has an impressive career in the media industry, having held senior executive positions in various global organizations. He consistently delivered outstanding results and demonstrated his ability to excel in dynamic and rapidly changing environments. Before joining Disney Star, Varghese served as the Chief Commercial Officer at ShareChat and Moj, responsible for driving monetization, leading marketing efforts, and securing content partnerships.  

Krishnan Kutty - Head Business and Content for TV and Digital for South India and Maharashtra

Krishnan Kutty is at the helm of Disney Star's dynamic South and Marathi regional portfolio, overseeing Star Suvarna, Star Maa, Asianet, Vijay TV, Star Pravah, and Disney+ Hotstar Regional Specials. In this capacity, Krishnan spearheads the strategic direction of these regions and portfolios, playing a pivotal role in driving profitability, engagement, and innovation. 

His multifaceted role encompasses diverse responsibilities, including managing the P&L across these five markets, overseeing programming, marketing, and sales efforts, and curating original content for Disney+ Hotstar. Krishnan's vision extends beyond traditional paradigms, focusing on expanding Disney Star's digital footprint and driving subscription and engagement goals in South India for Disney+ Hotstar.

Before joining Star India in 2005, he made significant contributions at Mindshare, NDTV, and Hutch (now Vi). However, he has truly found his home at Star India (now Disney Star), where he has dedicated the past 18 years to various functions. His journey began with Consumer Insight before transitioning to Distribution, where he played pivotal roles in Distribution Strategy and eventually took charge of the entire function. In the last seven years, he has been heading Disney Star's Tamil Business and taking on additional responsibilities across various markets. 

Sajith Sivanandan, Head - Disney+ Hotstar, India

He is the head of Disney+ Hotstar, he drives India's overall strategy, growth, revenue and product operations. He is also responsible for developing the streaming services' strategic business goals and outlining a sustained and exponential development roadmap. Collaborating closely with the Disney+ team across the United States, APAC and EMEA regions, he supports the continued expansion of Disney+ Hotstar, making it India's most extensive streaming service.

He began his career at Star T.V., followed by successful stints at The Gallup Organization and Affle, based in Singapore. He then went on to join Google, where he strongly contributed to growing Google's presence by building its Malaysian operations from the ground up. He eventually ran and managed their operations across Malaysia, Vietnam, the Philippines, and emerging countries. After a 20-year stint in Southeast Asia, he returned home to India and was instrumental in expanding the Google Pay business before joining Disney+ Hotstar in 2022.

 Sumanta Bose - Business Head – HSM and Content Head Disney+ Hotstar (Hindi)  

As the Business Head for the Hindi-speaking market (HSM), Sumanta Bose is responsible for shaping content, creating iconic characters that resonate with the audience, and driving the growth agenda of various channels and businesses, including Star Plus, Star Bharat, the Hindi & English Movie Cluster, Kids & Infotainment Channels, Utsav, Regional East, Live Entertainment, and Network Business Analytics & Insights. He is also responsible for Disney+ Hotstar Hindi, helping strengthen Disney Star's position in Indian entertainment and overseeing the creation of original series and film acquisitions. 

With a decade at Disney Star, Bose brings invaluable expertise and deep industry knowledge to his role. He is a highly accomplished leader in the Indian entertainment industry, known for his strategic prowess and effective leadership. He joined as a Member of the Broadcasting Content Complaints Council on April 1, 2024, representing Disney Star.

George Cherian, Head – Corporate Communications and Enterprise Social Responsibility, Disney Star

As the Head of Corporate Communications and Enterprise Social Responsibility (ESR), Cherian is a passionate advocate for meaningful impact. He believes in the transformative power of communication to inspire change and has dedicated his career to building and promoting brands that drive positive societal outcomes.

With over 25 years of experience as a financial journalist and communications expert, George has developed deep insights into communication trends and audience behavior, enabling him to craft strategies that engage key stakeholders effectively. His career spans prestigious roles, including Director & Head of Group Communications at Deutsche Bank India and Head of Corporate Communications for Asia Pacific at Barclays.

Viacom18

Kevin Vaz, CEO, Broadcast Entertainment, Viacom18

Kevin Vaz has been the CEO of Broadcast Entertainment at Viacom18 since 2023, overseeing iconic brands like Colors and MTV. With over a decade experience in media and entertainment, Vaz previously worked at The Walt Disney Company India, where he played a key role in driving its success across multiple platforms.

Additionally, he has been appointed as the Chairman of FICCI Media & Entertainment Committee in January 2024.

Alok Jain, President, General Entertainment, Viacom18

Alok Jain serves as President of General Entertainment at Viacom18, a role he assumed in 2023. He is responsible for augmenting Viacom18's general entertainment footprint across Hindi and regional markets. With more than two decades of experience in the media industry, Jain has previously held leadership roles at Star India and Bharat Forge, Hyderabad Industries Ltd and more.

As an IIT Delhi and ISB alumnus, Jain has hands-on experience in strategic, operational, and people leadership across various industries.  

Mahesh Shetty, Head, Network Sales, Viacom18

Mahesh Shetty, Head of Network Sales at Viacom18, has been with the company for over five years. With more than 30 years of experience in media sales, Shetty is responsible for driving revenue across Viacom18’s platforms. Before joining Viacom18, he held senior positions at PepsiCo and Radio Mirchi, where he worked for 11 and 12.5 years respectively. His focus on building strong advertiser relationships and leveraging data-driven strategies has significantly boosted the network's sales and revenue.

Kiran Mani, CEO, Digital, Viacom 18  

Kiran Mani, the CEO at Viacom18, joined the company in 2023. With over three decades of experience in the tech and media sectors, Mani previously worked at Google, where he played a pivotal role in driving digital business strategies. His deep understanding of digital ecosystems and customer-centric approaches is shaping Viacom18’s digital platforms, helping the company stay competitive in the OTT and streaming space.  

Ferzad Palia, Business Head, JioCinema  

Ferzad Palia has been leading JioCinema as its Business Head since 2023. Palia brings over 20 years of experience exclusively with Viacom18.  

Palia has led the growth of the network’s Youth, Music and English Entertainment business, including VH1 and MTV, for the past 16 years. When he launched Voot Select, it already raced to add 1mn+ subscribers within a year.  

His strategic direction has been instrumental in JioCinema’s growth, positioning it as a major player in India’s OTT landscape.  

Ishan Chatterjee, CBO, JioCinema  

Ishan Chatterjee joined JioCinema as Chief Business Officer in 2024, where he takes charge of overall monetization for JioCinema. In this role, he is responsible for Revenues from Sports, and SMB revenue growth across sports and entertainment.  

With over two decades of experience, including 13 years at Google, Chatterjee has also had a remarkable journey with McKinsey and Hindustan Unilever. He brings extensive expertise in digital advertising and content monetization.  

Piyush Goyal, Chief Operating Officer, IndiaCast Media, TV18/Viacom18 Venture  

Piyush Goyal has served as the COO of IndiaCast Media since 2023, overseeing domestic and international channel distribution and content syndication. With over 20 years of experience, Goyal previously worked with Star TV and Palaash Ventures in various leadership roles.  

Prior to Palaash, he was with Network18 and NDTV spearheading the distribution function.  

He was the member of the core team that launched several news/non news TV channels - NDTV Profit, CNBC Awaaz, History TV18. He is credited with the grand launch of CNN-IBN, which grew to attain the number one position within a span of 6 weeks since its launch.  

Mukesh Mundra, Chief Financial Officer, Viacom 18 

A Chartered Accountant and Certified Financial Analyst (CFA) by qualification, Mukesh oversees the entire finance function, including business finance, financial planning & analysis, statutory and management reporting, revenue and cost assurance, credit & collections, and tax management. 

Mukesh began his career with the Anand Rathi Group, working in the investments team, where he gained valuable insights into financial markets. After two years, he transitioned to the Corporate Finance Division at Grasim Industries Limited, where he acquired hands-on experience in banking, investor relations, and financial reporting.  

Following five years at Grasim, Mukesh joined Idea Cellular Limited just as the company was preparing to go public. During his tenure, he played a key role in Idea’s transformation into India’s third-largest telecom player. He was instrumental in major milestones, including the demerger of the tower business, the acquisition of Spice Communications Limited, and the formation of the Indus Towers Limited JV. In his last role with Idea, he led the finance function for the UP (East) circle.

Hashim Dsouza, SVP & Head of Content Strategy & Acquisitions for Digital Ventures & SVOD, Viacom18    

He is a seasoned media professional with extensive experience in content strategy, creative leadership, and programming. Currently, he leads strategic content acquisitions and drives the growth of digital platforms.   

 His tenure at Viacom18 spans around 20 years, with significant contributions across television and digital entertainment.   

 Prior to his current role, Hashim led the creative and content efforts for the English Cluster at Viacom18, managing brands like VH1, Comedy Central, and Colors Infinity. As SVP & Head from 2017 to 2021 and previously as VP & Head from 2015 to 2017, he focused on curating engaging content and strengthening audience engagement. In earlier roles, he served as AVP & Head of Programming for VH1 & Comedy Central India from 2012 to 2014, and Associate Director & Head of Programming for VH1 India from 2009 to 2012.  

Hashim’s journey with Viacom18 began as a Senior Programming Executive for VH1 India between October 2004 and June 2006 where he contributed to shaping the network’s early programming initiatives.   

Pavithra KR, Revenue Head, Colors, Viacom18

Pavithra started at Colors as Revenue Head on Special Projects in 2011. Then moved on to manage Colors SD & HD with vertical split in markets and currently been heading Revenue for Colors SD for the last 3 years.

She has played a pivotal role in engaging and strengthening relationships with the biggest brands associated with Colors. Pavithra has been building teams and driving revenue for Viacom18’s Hindi Mass Entertainment cluster for over 11 years. 

Bikash Kundu, SVP and Head-Revenue (Regional Networks), Viacom18

He joined Viacom18 in 2007 as VP and Head- Sales & Syndication (Kids Cluster) where he managed Ad Sales & Content Syndication for the Kids Cluster and in 2013 he took on the role of SVP & Head – Revenue (Regional Entertainment) and manages the revenue function for the 14 regional channels of Viacom18 across 6 languages of Kannada, Tamil, Marathi, Gujarati, Bangla & Odia.

In his experience of 23 years, he has worked with organisations such as Sahara One Media, UTV-Disney, Satyam Infoway, India.com, Enterprise Nexus & Bennett Coleman.

K Aravamudhan, Head of Public Policy at Viacom18 Media

He joined Viacom18 as Head of Public Policy in July 2023.

Prior to this, during his over 17-year stint at Disney Star from 2006 to 2023, he played a key role in getting all the approvals within the stipulated timelines for the business units to achieve their targets which includes migration of its channels from Hong Kong to India; launch of HD channels for the first time in India, regulatory approvals merger of ESPN with Star India; launch of Pro-Kabaddi League, which transformed India’s ancient sport of kabaddi and the launch of OTT platform Hotstar.

At the industry level he works closely with the policy makers and industry stakeholders for the phase-wise implementation of the Digital Addressable System (DAS);  introduction of self-regulatory mechanisms for both linear and OTT platforms; Statutory recognition to BCCC’s code and introduction of the stakeholder driven audience measurement system, BARC; Uplinking & Downlinking Guidelines of 2011 and 2022; Ease of Doing Business in the Broadcasting Sector; Infrastructure Status to the Broadcasting Sector; Sharing of infrastructure and its impact on the broadcasting sector; Sports Act Amendment; TRAI’s Tariff Orders (NTO 1, 2 and 3); Continued use of foreign satellites by Indian broadcasters in the absence of adequate capacity in ISRO owned satellites; Removal of WPC’s bit rate for utilisation of transponder capacity by Indian broadcasters; Ensure availability of guard band for the broadcasting sector; amongst others.

Sushant Sreeram, Chief Marketing Officer, Viacom18

Sreeram joined Viacom18 to take on the role of CMO at JioCinema in September this year. Prior to this, he was with Prime Video India for over six years where he served in various roles like Head-Customer & Brand Marketing, Director-Marketing, Director & Head- SVOD Business and in April this year he was promoted as Country Director before he moved on in September.

As the SVOD business leader, he was entrusted with building the SVOD business through the acquisition, growth, and engagement of subscribers across B2B and B2C segments.

Prior to joining Amazon, Sreeram led marketing for Xiaomi in India. He also had stints at HolidayIQ.com, eBay, Inkfruit.com, and Hindustan Unilever.

Bikram Duggal, Head - Studios, Disney Star

Bikram Duggal is responsible for driving the Studios business, which encompasses all global releases from the iconic brands Disney, Pixar, Marvel, Lucasfilm, 20^th Century Studios, and Searchlight Pictures, along with local productions through Fox Star Studios.

In this role, he is responsible for the marketing and distribution of the global movie releases in the country and he also leads the charge for the local productions on the creative, marketing, and distribution strategies. Under his leadership, with a sharp focus on consumer, creativity, and localization, the Studio business has grown exponentially. Bikram has been instrumental in the local success of blockbusters like Marvel Studios’ Avengers: Endgame (the No.1 movie across India in 2019), Avengers: Infinity War, Thor Ragnarok, and Black Panther, and Disney titles including The Lion King, Frozen 2, which set new benchmarks in the film industry. He is now looking forward to creating similar successes through local productions, and building them into big movie franchises.

In his previous role, Bikram was leading marketing and distribution for the Studios business. Before that he was spearheading the corporate strategy and business development functions for Disney India. Bikram has also led the marketing and digital efforts for the Media Networks business, and supported creative functions in building Disney’s linear TV business in India.

Mihir Rale, Chief Regional Counsel, Disney Star

Mihir Rale oversees legal and regulatory affairs for Disney Star/Disney Star India.

Mihir has been practising law for nearly two decades across both contentious and non-contentious issues. Since joining Star India as a Manager in 2009, Mihir has played an instrumental role in the growth of the company. In 2019, he was promoted as the India lead for the company. At Star India, he has set up the Media Pro joint venture, acquire the ESPN stake in the ESPN Star Sports joint venture as well as setting up the joint ventures for the company’s football and Kabaddi initiatives. He has been deeply involved in high-stakes acquisition of sports rights such as IPL, BCCI, and ICC as well as the launch of Disney+ Hotstar in India.

Minakshi Achan, Head - Brand & Creative Communications, Disney Star

Minakshi is Head of Network Brand & Creative Communications at Disney Star India. In this role, she leads brand strategy, consumer insights and creative communications across the network. Minakshi is also shaping the diversity, equity, inclusion and sustainability agenda for the network brand. 

Minakshi joined Star in 2016. Her essential role in developing the organization's most impactful campaigns has cemented Disney Star's leadership positions in network and channel brands. Noteworthy achievements include spearheading the IPL campaigns, the ICC World Cup campaigns and PKL campaigns for Sports, the Star Plus refresh with 'Rishta Wahi, Baat Nayi,' the impactful 'Sach Mein' NTO (New Tariff Order) campaign, and 'Words of Pride' - a glossary promoting respectful terms for the LGBTQIA+ community, fostering inclusivity in society. She also serves on the Consumer Complaints Council (CCC) of the ASCI. 

She takes immense pride in infusing meaningful agendas with creative flair and firmly believes in the transformative power of collaboration. Minakshi actively cultivates a creative culture and establishes inclusive ecosystems, fostering an environment where teams can deliver their highest potential.

Rishi Gaind, Head – Human Resources, Disney Star

Rishi Gaind is the Head of Human Resources at Disney Star. In this role, he oversees the company’s people function and culture of innovation. As the Head of Human Resources at Disney Star, he is responsible for leading the overall strategy for human resources, talent management, leadership development, diversity, equity & inclusion, and employee engagement spanning across TV, Films, and OTT businesses.

In his stint over 20 years with Star, Rishi has played an instrumental role in growing the talent pool to support aggressive business growth over the years. His work on the employer brand has set Disney Star as an aspirational employer. He has redesigned some of the company’s most thoughtful policies around inclusion, diversity, and employee benefits, and his efforts around institutionalizing comprehensive talent development practices have resulted in higher retention for the company.

Rishi has been a part of the core teams to set up a series of new businesses, including Star Sports and Hotstar. He has played a key role in setting up HR practices, strategy, and talent for Hotstar since the early stages of the business, which is now one of the most downloaded streaming apps in the world in the form of Disney+ Hotstar. 

He joined the Star Network in 2002 as an HR business partner for Star News and grew it from scratch to a diverse and agile 600-member team. Rishi believes in the culture of collaboration and upheld this value even while leading various HR transitions, including integrating the India business of Star with Disney India and during Star’s acquisition of Asianet and MAA TV.

Anil Lale, General Counsel, Viacom18

Anil Lale joined Viacom18 in 2016 as the Senior Vice President and Head of Business & Legal Affairs. In 2019, he was promoted to General Counsel. This marks his second tenure with the company; he first joined in 2010 as Associate Director of Legal Affairs, ultimately rising to the position of AVP-Legal over more than six years. Before his return to Viacom18, Lale worked at Zee Entertainment Enterprises Ltd (ZEEL) from 2014 to 2016.

He has expertise as a media and technology business lawyer with substantial litigation and in-house legal experience in leadership roles.

Smita Puranesh, CHRO, Viacom18 and JioCinema

Smita Puranesh is the CHRO and People Head for Viacom18 (including Sports, Entertainment, Voot, and Jio Cinema) and joined the organization at the end of 2022 at a pivotal time when the business ambitions have significantly scaled up. 

Smita has over two decades of diverse experience and is a multi-disciplinarian professional with multi-industry expertise.

She started her career in sales and marketing and made a mid-career move to HR as a strategic HR Head and Business partner for high-growth organizations.

Her recent assignments as HR Head in India and APAC have focused on building and scaling high-growth media-tech organisations.

She has been the HR Head and part of the founding teams building Hotstar (which now is Disney Plus Hotstar), Netflix India, and HBO Max (APAC). 

(The order of the list follows no particular precedence.)