MAM
Aaj Tak is realigning its revenue structure under Gaurav Verma, while Rahul Shaw drives growth for Stage Aaj Tak
MUMBAI: Curtains up on a leadership shuffle at India Today Group, where Rahul Shaw is stepping into a singular spotlight devoting his full attention to Stage Aaj Tak, the Group’s fast-rising experiential content venture. In doing so, Shaw exits his current roles in the TV and radio businesses to scale what insiders are calling a high-priority growth engine.
As Shaw takes centre stage, Gaurav Verma steps into the wings of Aaj Tak’s revenue operations at least for now. In his interim role, Verma will oversee revenue teams across the South, West, and North regions. The East will continue to be independently steered by Satyaky, while Manisha Solanki and Gunjan Taneja retain command of India Today TV and Good News Today (GNT), respectively.
All of Shaw’s previous direct reports, including Verma, will now report directly to Bhatia. Explaining the rationale behind the reshuffle, Bhatia called it a strategic move to “align our teams for long-term success, foster internal growth opportunities, and intensify our focus on core business priorities.”
In a landscape where content needs to not just inform but immerse, this rejig isn’t just about titles and territories, it’s about building a future-ready playbook. And as this new chapter unfolds, all eyes will be on how Stage Aaj Tak scales new heights under Shaw’s solo spotlight.
Brands
Abhinav Rastogi named global marketing director for YouTube Shopping
Google veteran to scale creator commerce and expand shopping across global markets
SINGAPORE: Abhinav Rastogi has stepped into a new role as global marketing director for YouTube Shopping, marking the latest chapter in a more than decade-long career at Google.
Rastogi, who took on the position in February and is based in Singapore, will lead global marketing for YouTube Shopping, a platform designed to connect creators, viewers and merchants in a single ecosystem. His remit includes expanding the service into new markets and strengthening its positioning as a growth channel for both creators and brands.
In a reflective note on the transition, Rastogi pointed to a simple but powerful idea driving the role. For years, creators have quietly built trust with audiences through consistent and authentic content, and that trust often shapes purchasing decisions. What is changing now, he said, is the infrastructure around that behaviour. YouTube Shopping aims to make it easier for viewers to discover and buy products recommended by creators they already follow.
The scale is already significant. More than half a million creators have joined the programme, with recent expansion into Japan through a partnership with Rakuten signalling further global ambitions.
Rastogi believes the future of shopping on YouTube will be driven by a blend of creators, content and communities. In his view, it is the human voice behind the screen, not just the product, that ultimately builds trust and drives discovery.
Prior to this role, he served as director of marketing, YouTube Asia Pacific, where he led regional marketing across creator engagement, brand building and reputation. During that time, he played a key role in launching and scaling YouTube Shopping across eight markets in the region.
Earlier stints at Google include group product marketing manager, consumer apps, overseeing growth for products such as Search, Maps and Assistant across India and Southeast Asia, and product marketing manager roles spanning consumer apps and YouTube, where he contributed to launches including YouTube Music, YouTube Originals and YouTube Shorts.
Rastogi began his career in consulting with Boston Consulting Group and A.T. Kearney, before moving into the technology sector. He is an alumnus of Indian Institute of Management Calcutta and Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur.
Alongside his corporate role, he is also an active angel investor, backing early-stage startups in consumer technology and electric mobility across India and Southeast Asia.
As he settles into the new role, Rastogi is betting on a future where every video can double up as a storefront, and where commerce feels less like a transaction and more like a recommendation from a trusted voice.
