MAM
CNBC-TV18 to have a distribution head
Mumbai: CNBC-TV18 has hired a head of distribution, ahead of the launch of its Hindi business news channel.
The two channels, however, will continue to be part of the Zee-Turner distribution bouquet. The responsibility of the distribution head will be to liaison with the Zee-Turner team.
Sisir Pillai, who was chief of the film exhibition division in Metalight Productions, has been hired to head the distribution team. He will be reporting to the marketing head and may have a small team.
Walt Disney and NDTV have set up dedicated distribution teams, despite being part of distribution bouquets. The idea is to monitor the distribution growth and placement of the channels.
With cable networks getting choked in bandwidth, new channels are fighting to get carried to consumer homes. One way out is to join an existing bouquet. But as distribution bouquets are becoming larger, channels feel the need of having their own team to provide specific attention. A dedicated distribution team will interact with cable operators on a regular basis to try and push the channels in a crowded environment.
But CNBC-TV18 has no such plans of setting up a dedicated distribution team the way Walt Disney is doing, says chief executive officer Haresh Chawla. “We are not having such plans as Walt Disney. We are launching a new channel. So we have added a distribution head who will form part of the marketing team.”
Brands
Hiili names Sanjay Hemady as country manager India
Media veteran to drive digital decarbonisation push
MUMBAI: Climate tech firm Hiili has announced its entry into India, appointing industry veteran Sanjay Hemady as India country manager to steer its growth in one of the world’s fastest-expanding digital markets.
Hemady, a familiar name across India’s media and consulting circles, will lead Hiili’s India operations from Mumbai. His mandate is clear: help Indian companies measure, manage and reduce the carbon emissions generated by their digital services.
Hiili offers a scientifically validated platform, certified by the UC3M-Santander Big Data Institute, that enables businesses to improve the efficiency of their digital infrastructure while cutting emissions. As organisations race to meet ESG targets, the company positions itself as a practical bridge between climate pledges and measurable action.
“I’m happy to share that I’m starting a new position as country manager, India at Hiili,” Hemady said in a LinkedIn post, adding that the company aims to move beyond broad sustainability promises towards precise, science-based decarbonisation.
Hemady brings more than three decades of experience spanning print, television, radio and digital media. He has previously served as chief executive officer at HIT 95 FM, assistant general manager at CNBC TV18, and held leadership roles at MTV India and The Indian Express, among others. Most recently, he worked as an independent business consultant advising firms across media and technology.
With India’s digital economy expanding at pace, the environmental cost of data, streaming and online services is climbing quietly in the background. Hiili’s bet is that carbon efficiency will soon sit alongside cost efficiency in boardroom conversations.
For Hemady, the move marks a shift from selling airtime and ad inventory to championing climate accountability. If successful, Hiili’s India play could make digital growth not just faster, but cleaner too.
