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Himanshu Pathak appointed VP strategy and digital transformation at RIL
MUMBAI: Reliance Industries Limited has elevated Himanshu Pathak to vice president strategy and digital transformation for group infrastructure, placing him at the heart of the conglomerate’s technology-led future. Based in Navi Mumbai, Pathak will lead the integrated operations centre for group infrastructure services, driving the digital transformation agenda across the PCI value stream covering people, culture and infrastructure.
In his new role, Pathak will shape and execute the digital roadmap that supports multiple Reliance businesses, including the rapidly expanding new energy portfolio. The mandate is ambitious but familiar territory for a leader who has spent nearly a decade inside the Reliance ecosystem.
Before this appointment, Pathak served as senior general manager for people in new energy and group infrastructure, where he played a key role in building systems and processes for one of the group’s most strategic bets. He has also led platform and digitisation initiatives for group corporate services, combining strategy with hands-on execution.
Pathak’s career reflects a steady climb through the worlds of process excellence and large-scale transformation. His earlier stints span Indus Towers, Piramal Enterprises, Infosys BPM and Piramal Glass Ceylon, where he worked across manufacturing excellence, operational improvement and enterprise-wide change programmes.
Known for blending analytical rigour with stakeholder savvy, Pathak brings deep experience in digital transformation, business strategy and change management. At Reliance, that mix is now set to power the next chapter of infrastructure-led growth, with technology as the quiet engine behind the scenes.
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Netflix acquires Ben Affleck’s AI film-tech firm InterPositive
Streaming giant picks up production startup to streamline digital filmmaking
LOS ANGELES: Netflix has officially acquired InterPositive, an AI film-technology startup founded by actor and director Ben Affleck. The move marks a significant investment by the streaming service into assistive AI tools designed to support the technical side of movie production. While many AI companies focus on generating new images or scripts, InterPositive focuses on the logistical challenges of filmmaking. The firm’s technology is designed to handle technical tasks that often delay post-production, such as correcting lighting inconsistencies and ensuring visual continuity across different takes.
The acquisition is not about replacing human actors or writers. Instead, Netflix intends to use the technology as a digital assistant for directors. The software understands cinematic logic, meaning it can automatically adjust background elements or environmental effects to ensure a film looks polished and consistent without months of manual editing.
In a Netflix post on Thursday, Affleck emphasised that the project was born out of a desire to support the craft rather than automate it. “I knew I had a responsibility to my peers and our industry, to protect the power of human creativity and the people behind it. In creating InterPositive, I sought to do just that,” Affleck wrote. “From the invention of the moving image to the transition to digital, from motion capture to virtual production, technology has evolved alongside the artists who use it. Our shared commitment to continuing this legacy makes joining together a natural next step.”
Netflix chief product and technology officer Elizabeth Stone said, “Our approach to AI has always been focused on meaningfully serving the needs of the creative community. InterPositive’s technology is purpose-built for filmmakers and showrunners to naturally support their visions. We’re excited to welcome the team to Netflix and continue building a future where technology enhances storytelling, while people remain at the core.”
Netflix chief content officer Bela Bajaria added, “New tools should expand creative freedom, not constrain it. Ben and his team are part of a long tradition of artists leading innovation in storytelling. Their work gives filmmakers more choices, control, and protection for their vision.”
The deal coincides with a broader partnership between Netflix and Artists Equity, the production company led by Affleck and Matt Damon. Following the success of their recent projects on the platform, this acquisition cements Affleck’s role as both a creative and technical advisor to the streamer. Affleck noted that the partnership was a logical fit due to “Netflix’s decades of experience applying and scaling technology responsibly.” He will serve as a senioradvisor for the integration of the technology, ensuring the tools remain focused on helping filmmakers.
For the film industry, this acquisition signals a shift in strategy. Rather than just buying finished movies, Netflix is now owning the specialized technology used to build them. By bringing these tools in-house, the company aims to reduce the rising costs and lengthy timelines associated with high-budget original films while giving their productions a technical edge in speed and visual quality.
