Sameer Pathak appointed President – Pickleball

Sameer Pathak has been appointed as President – Pickleball, based in Delhi. In this role, Sameer will work closely with the Managing Director’s Office, spearheading our foray into the sports domain.

Sameer brings with him over 22 years of diverse leadership experience across the sports and media industries, with a strong track record in building brands, forging partnerships, and delivering large-scale fan engagement, according to a press note.

Most recently, Sameer served as CEO of the Global Chess League at the Mahindra Group, where he conceptualized and launched the world’s first franchise-based international chess league in collaboration with FIDE. Under his leadership, the league saw significant growth in both Indian and global viewership through innovative media tie-ups, marquee player participation, and strong commercial outcomes.

Before that, at Coca-Cola India & Southwest Asia, he held the role of General Manager – Marketing Activation, Operations & Assets, leading sponsorship and activation for global properties such as the FIFA World Cup, Olympics, IPL, and EPL. Notable highlights include successful campaigns around the ICC Cricket World Cup and the FIFA Trophy Tour.

Sameer’s media experience includes his time at Network18 (CNBC Awaaz) as Account Director – Content Marketing, where he led the creation and monetization of branded media properties across television, digital, and on-ground platforms.

He began his professional journey with The Times Group (TimesJobs.com) as a founding team member, contributing to the platform’s early-stage growth across product, operations, and key client management.

Academically, Sameer holds a Master’s in E-Business and Business Administration from the University of Wyoming, and a Bachelor of Engineering from M.S. University, Baroda. He is also an alumnus of The Coca-Cola Company – Harvard University LEAP Program.

We are confident that Sameer’s strategic acumen and deep industry experience will add immense value to our vision for the sports vertical.