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Structural changes at STAR

The idea behind these fresh appointments and reorganisation is to ensure complete integration of various divisions of STAR Network and facilitate the growth of the channel’s new business ventures

Peter Mukerjea of STAR TV India (NTVI) has integrated Entertainment, Corporate, DTH & News divisions which have been functioning as independent units into one consolidated business unit. In the wake of this, the channel has seen a spate of fresh recruitments to senior levels and promotions among its top executives. These senior executives will all hold autonomous charges for their various divisions and operate as Strategic Business Units.

Each of these senior executives will head identified strategic business units across the entire India business.

Direct To Home (DTH) has been integrated with distribution and will comprise urban, rural, and international activity. This will be headed by Arun Mohan, executive vice president. Indira Mansingh, executive vice president, will continue as head of news and current affairs. Jagdish Kumar, who now returns to India, will oversee Human Resources, Legal, BO&E, Administration and New Business Development as executive vice president.

Sameer Nair, senior vice president continues as the head of programming, STAR Plus and STAR Movies. Sumantra Dutta, senior vice president will be responsible for the ad sales and marketing functions for STAR Plus and National Geographic Channel while LS Nayak, senior vice president will be responsible for the other channels viz STAR World, STAR News, Channel [V] and STAR Movies. Shankar Narayan, chief financial officer will direct finance and MIS functions. Yash Khanna will head the corporate PR function and will be the official spokesperson for STAR TV. Mrs Urmilla Gupta, executive director, earlier in charge of DTH will work with the CEO on various investment opportunities and strategic planning.

The idea behind these fresh appointments and reorganisation is to ensure complete integration of various divisions of STAR Network and facilitate the growth of the channel’s new business ventures.

Says Peter Mukerjea, CEO: “I believe with these new operational changes, a brand management structure is being laid to create identities for each channel. Also, television being a hugely dynamic business, the movement of people in entertainment is a function of a changing environment which will enable us to remain competitive and on the edge. It will also imbibe fresh thinking which will be geared towards an out-of-the-box approach. We have some of the best people in business and certainly the best brands so we need to leverage that in every possible way.”