Sajith Sivanandan, a Google veteran, has been named executive vice president and head of Disney+ Hotstar, India’s top streaming service, Disney’s International Content, and Operations Group said on August 23.
“I am thrilled to welcome Sajith to our executive team and to head the inventive team at Disney+ Hotstar.” His extensive knowledge of the region, combined with his excellent leadership and commercial management abilities, will substantially benefit Disney+ Hotstar as it enters its next chapter of expansion. Mint reported Walt Disney Chairman Rebecca Campbell as stating.
Sivanandan will be responsible for overseeing Disney+ Hotstar’s overall business operations in India, as well as setting the streaming service’s strategic business goals and outlining a product roadmap for sustained and exponential growth in the coming years. He will also work closely with local leaders in other countries and the Disney+ team in the United States to support the future growth of Disney+ Hotstar, which has grown to become India’s largest streaming service thanks to its unrivaled size, innovation, and diversity of content.
Sivanandan began his professional career in 1996 with Star TV in India, where he handled Channel V’s North India region.
“The opportunity to return home to where my career began and work alongside a very great team to serve Disney+ Hotstar users in India and emerging markets is both a luxury and an honor,” he added.
The decision comes at a difficult time for Disney+ Hotstar, which just lost the streaming rights to one of its greatest draws, the Indian Premier League (IPL) cricket event, to Viacom18.
