Viacom18 rejigs management

Viacom18 has upped a key exec and shuffled various others in an organisational rejig.

The TV18 and Viacom joint venture runs a host of channels in India including the popular Colors service.

The changes see Raj Nayak (left) upped to COO, putting him across the group’s Hindi, Youth, Music and English Entertainment offerings.

Ferzad Palia, head – youth, music & English entertainment lands an expanded role with two new businesses added to her purview: the branded content Brand Studio unit and original programming division MTV Music Project.

She already oversees the MTV, MTV Beats, Colors Infinity, Comedy Central & Vh1 nets.

Anuj Poddar gets a new role overseeing expansion outside the main metropolitan areas as head – rural business.

Saugato Bhowmik, Head – Viacom18 Consumer Products & Integrated Network Solutions will continue to drive the efforts towards building homegrown experiential IPs and a robust consumer products business.

Palia and Poddar will both report to Raj Nayak.

The changes come as Viacoom restructures and repositions its US and international business under the leadership of Bob Bakish.

Other key execs in the Indian operation include

Nina Elavia Jaipuria, who is head of the group’s kids nets, Gaurav Ghandi, who runs digital, and Ajit Andhare, who runs motion pictures. All of these execs will continue to report to Sudhanshu Vats (right), group CEO, Viacom18.

“Today, Viacom18 has five diverse lines of business – in addition to a core broadcast offering it now has a strong presence in digital, filmed and live entertainment along with a fast-growing licensing and merchandising operation,” Vats said.

“None of this would have been possible without our most valuable asset – our team. This new structure will power us as we enter our next growth phase.”