MAM
Network18 names Sanjay Dua CEO of News Media Network
MUMBAI: Network18 has named IBN Media Operations COO and head Sanjay Dua as CEO of the Network18 News Media Network.
The News Media Network will play the role of a centralised sales agency and will work closely with the channel teams and be aligned with the P&L goals of each of the channels.
In his new role, Dua will lead the group’s specialised client facing sales division which manages the advertising sales interests of its five news channels.
Dua will spearhead the company’s efforts towards consolidating and optimising revenue growth across its news channels – CNBC-TV18, CNBC Awaaz, CNN-IBN, IBN7 and IBN-Lokmat.
He will lead the strategic focus on enhancing revenue effectiveness through innovative and scaled up network wide media solutions and an expansion in client categories and yields.
Additionally, he will also oversee sales for the soon-to-be-launched network of channels from AETN18, Network18’s recently announced JV with A&E Television Networks. Earlier, Dua was specifically responsible for identifying and capitalising on sales growth opportunities at the IBN general news channels of the group.
While the News Media Network will continue to reflect the group’s focus on individual news brands via dedicated teams and sales leaders aligned to each channel, it will now bring together all the leading news assets to exploit opportunities in the evolving competitive environment.
Network18 Group COO B.Saikumar commented, “We believe that the market is evolving rapidly, throwing up unique opportunities. Sanjay’s mandate is to leverage the strengths of the news network even while retaining unwavering focus on each individual channel brand. Sanjay brings with him enviable leadership and depth of experience and will drive and innovation to maximize revenues.”
Dua added, “I believe that the news space in India is poised for a new phase of expansion and as market leader, with the highest share of influential audiences Network18 is best placed to lead it. We believe substantial opportunities exist to achieve this by collaborating and synergizing across our news network to deliver sustained value to our clients and partners. Network 18 presently has the country’s best sales talent across levels and I look forward to working with all the teams and sales leaders to achieve our ambitious revenue goals.’
Dua has over 20 years of corporate experience, of which the last 15 years have been in media and entertainment. In the past, Dua has led sales strategy for the leading media brands across a gamut of genres including sports (ESPN), GECs (Sahara) and English entertainment (Hallmark).
Prior to joining Network18, Dua led national sales at the Zee News network, apart from stints at Walt Disney and Bennett & Coleman.
Network18 had recently made key CEO appointments across its channels. Ajay Chacko was made president of AETN18, while Anil Uniyal was named CEO of CNBC-TV18 and CNBC Awaaz. CNN-IBN got a CEO in Dilip Venkatraman.
Brands
Faber-Castell India appoints Sunaina Haldar as director – marketing
With stints at Tata, SleepyCat and ADF Foods under her belt, Haldar is primed to redraw Faber-Castell’s brand story
MUMBAI: Faber-Castell India has poached Sunaina Haldar from ADF Foods, appointing her director – marketing as the German stationery brand looks to muscle up in a category that is rapidly reinventing itself around creativity and self-expression.
Haldar hit the ground running. “My first couple of weeks have been incredibly energising, understanding consumers, visiting markets, engaging with retailers and immersing myself into the world of Faber-Castell Group,” she said.
She arrives with considerable firepower. At ADF Foods, Haldar ran marketing across India and international markets for a portfolio spanning Ashoka, Aeroplane, Camel and ADF Soul. Before that, she was vice-president – marketing at direct-to-consumer mattress brand SleepyCat, where she helmed brand, content and performance marketing. Her résumé also includes a stint leading marketing, new product development and CRM for Tata SmartFoodz at Tata Consumer Products, no small proving ground.
Between corporate roles, Haldar also operated as a fractional CMO for early-stage startups, building marketing strategy and operational structures from scratch, a signal that she knows how to move fast with limited resources.
With 18 years straddling FMCG, D2C and the startup world, Haldar now takes the reins at a brand that has long owned the classroom but is clearly hungry for the living room. In a stationery market where the pencil has become a lifestyle statement, Faber-Castell has picked someone who knows exactly how to sell that story.
