MAM
4AM Worldwide makes new senior hires
Mumbai: 4AM Worldwide, a digital first integrated brand solutions agency, has announced key additions to its leadership team. Jonathan Sreekumaran has been appointed as chief business officer, and Siddhartha Sahni as chief client and strategy officer. With an unwavering focus on creativity, strategic thinking, and digital marketing, 4AM has become a trusted partner for clients. The new appointments align with the agency’s commitment to continuous growth, expansion, and delivering exceptional results for its diverse clientele.
Sreekumaran is a dynamic and results-driven professional who has built strong relationships with some of the industry’s leading brands. His previous mandates have spanned Leadership, Business Development, and Digital Transformation roles at The Glitch, Brandmovers India, Isobar, and Dentsu Webchutney. In his new role as chief business officer, Jonathan will be responsible for overseeing overall business operations, driving client growth, and building a cohesive team that rests well and enjoys doing great work, while fostering long-term partnerships.
A seasoned marketing strategist, Sahni possesses a deep understanding of consumer behaviour and market trends with a proven track record in driving brand growth and developing innovative marketing strategies. He has worked with India’s leading agencies, networks and brands across Mumbai, Delhi NCR, and Kolkata. He has conceptualised, managed, and delivered engaging, measurable, and award-winning Digital and Brand marketing campaigns, for brands such as Google, Harley Davidson, Jeep, Adidas, McDonalds, Emirates, Volkswagen, Airtel, Warner Bros, Lonely Planet, Panasonic, Nerolac, ITC, among many other brands and institutions across verticals and industries solving real Marketing and Business problems. In his new role as chief client and strategy officer, Siddhartha will lead the agency’s strategic initiatives and drive data-driven insights to help clients achieve their business goals.
Speaking on the leadership appointments, 4AM Worldwide COO Meenakshi Aggarwal-Gupta said, “At 4AM Worldwide, our focus has always been on fostering a culture of creativity, collaboration, and excellence, ensuring continued success for our clients and people. As we embark on a new chapter of growth and success, we are delighted to bring on board Jonathan and Siddhartha whose collective expertise, creativity, and passion will be invaluable as we continue to elevate our work and drive exceptional outcomes for our clients. With their fresh perspectives, strong industry insights and connections, and alignment with the agency’s vision and goals, our new leaders will play a pivotal role in shaping the future of 4AM and driving the next phase of growth. Exciting times lie ahead!”
Commenting on his new role, Sreekumaran said, “I am incredibly excited to be a part of such a dynamic and passionate team at 4AM Worldwide. I look forward to leveraging my expertise in driving business growth and delivering exceptional results for clients. Together, we will continue to push the boundaries of what is possible in the advertising industry and create transformative campaigns that make a lasting impact on our clients and their audiences.”
Talking about his appointment, Sahni commented, “4AM Worldwide is uniquely positioned to provide clients with comprehensive marketing and branding strategies in today’s digital age. The agency is on an exciting growth trajectory, and I am thrilled to be part of their journey. I am excited to help reshape the independent integrated network to one that is future ready, has passion, a purpose, and profitability for its people and its partners.”
4AM believes in pushing boundaries, challenging the status quo, and providing unparalleled strategic guidance and innovative solutions tailored to clients’ unique needs. The agency has successfully built numerous brands across diverse categories, from naming and identity design to managing integrated campaigns across TV, print, outdoor, radio, digital, and events. The company’s portfolio includes clients from various sectors including BFSI, Film and Media, Government and PSU, Education, Real Estate, Construction Materials to E-commerce.
The new appointments make 4AM well poised to meet the evolving needs of the industry while reinforcing the agency’s commitment to cultivating top talent.
Digital
Content India 2026 opens with a copro pitch, a spice evangelist and a £10,000 prize for Indian storytelling
Dish TV and C21Media’s three-day summit puts seven ambitious projects before an international jury, and two walk away with serious development money
MUMBAI: India’s content industry gathered in Mumbai this March for Content India 2026, a three-day summit organised by Dish TV in partnership with C21Media, and it wasted no time making a statement. The event opened with a Copro Pitch that put seven scripted and unscripted television concepts before an international panel of judges, and by the end of it, two projects had walked away with £10,000 each in marketing prize money from C21Media to support development and international promotion.
The jury, comprising Frank Spotnitz, Fiona Campbell, Rashmi Bajpai, Bal Samra and Rachel Glaister, evaluated a shortlist that ranged from a dark Mumbai comedy-drama about mental health (Dirty Minds, created by Sundar Aaron) to a Delhi coming-of-age mystery (Djinn Patrol, by Neha Sharma and Kilian Irwin), a techno-thriller about a teenage gaming prodigy (Kanpur X Satori, by Suchita Bhatia), an investigative crime drama blending mythology and modern thriller (The Age of Kali, by Shivani Bhatija), a documentary on India’s spice heritage (The Masala Quest, hosted by Sarina Kamini), a documentary on competitive gaming (Respawn: India’s Esports Revolution, by George Mangala Thomas and Sangram Mawari), and a reality-horror competition merging gaming and immersive fear (Scary Goose, by Samar Iqbal).
The session was hosted by Mayank Shekhar.
The two winners were Djinn Patrol, backed by Miura Kite, formerly of Participant Media and known for Chinatown and Keep Sweet: Pray & Obey, with Jaya Entertainment, producers of Real Kashmir Football Club, also attached; and The Masala Quest, created and hosted by Sarina Kamini, an Indian-Australian cook, author and self-described “spice evangelist.”
The summit also unveiled the Content India Trends Report, whose findings made for bracing reading. Daoud Jackson, senior analyst at OMDIA, set the tone: “By 2030, online video in India will nearly double the revenue of traditional TV, becoming the main driver of growth.” He noted that in 2025, India produced a quarter of all YouTube videos globally, overtaking the United States, while Indians collectively spend 117 years daily on YouTube and 72 years on Instagram. Traditional subscription TV is declining as free TV and connected TV gain ground, forcing broadcasters to innovate. “AI-generated content is just 2 per cent of engagement,” Jackson added, “highlighting the dominance of high-quality human content. The key for Indian media companies is scaling while monetising effectively from day one.”
Hannah Walsh, principal analyst at Ampere Analysis, added hard numbers to the picture. India produced over 24,000 titles in January 2026 alone, with 19,000 available internationally. The country now accounts for 12 per cent of Asia-Pacific content spend, up from 8 per cent in 2021, outpacing both Japan and China. Key exporters include JioStar, Zee Entertainment, Sony India, Amazon and Netflix, delivering over 7,500 Indian-produced titles abroad each year. The top importing markets are Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Egypt, the United States and the Philippines. Scripted content dominates globally at 88 per cent, with crime dramas and children’s and family titles performing particularly strongly.
Manoj Dobhal, chief executive and executive director of Dish TV India, framed the summit’s ambition squarely. “Stories don’t need translation. They need a platform, discovery, and reach, local or global,” he said. “India produces more movies than any country, our streaming platforms compete globally, and our tech and creators win international awards. Yet fragmentation slows growth. Producers, platforms, and tech move in different lanes. We need shared spaces, collaboration, and an ecosystem where ideas, technology, and people meet. That is why we built Content India.”
The data, the pitches and the prize money all pointed to the same conclusion: India is not waiting for the world to discover its stories. It is building the infrastructure to sell them.
