K Madhavan Appointed India President of The Walt Disney Company and Star
by EVENTFAQS Bureau Industry Watch | April 15, 2021 | News
K Madhavan The Walt Disney Star Sports Hotstar Rebecca Campbell
Rebecca Campbell, Chairman, International Operations and Direct-to-consumer, The Walt Disney company, announced the appointment of K Madhavan (KM) as the new President of The Walt Disney Company India and Star India on 13 April 2021.
Uday Shankar, who was President, The Walt Disney Company APAC and Chairman, Star and Disney India, exited the group on 31 December 2020.
In the new role, Madhavan will drive the strategy and growth of the company in India with responsibility for Disney, Star and Hotstar businesses and operations spanning entertainment, sports and regional channels, and direct-to-consumer. This includes oversight of channel distribution and advertising sales, as well as the local content production business.
“For the past several months, I have had the pleasure of working directly with KM and have seen firsthand how he has adeptly managed our India business, which has been and will continue to be critical to our global and regional strategy. A skilled leader with an extensive background in media, KM has taken our vast Star networks and local content production businesses to new heights despite continued industry evolution and significant challenges due to the pandemic," said Campbell.
Madhavan said, “I am very proud to have the opportunity to lead the incredibly talented and passionate team we have in India, and to further build upon our strong portfolio of channels and high-quality programming that is a favorite with viewers across the region. We have an exciting journey ahead of us. I am committed to continuing to move our business forward, working more closely together with colleagues across Disney to enhance our global and regional offerings.”
Since 2019, Madhavan served as Country Manager of Star and Disney India, overseeing the company’s television and studios business in India. Madhavan currently serves as President of the Indian Broadcasting Foundation (IBF) and as chairman of the National Committee of Media & Entertainment CII (Confederation of Indian Industry).
In the new role, he will drive the strategy and growth of the company in India with responsibility for Disney, Star and Hotstar businesses and operations.