MAM
Amit Shankar joins Hashtag Orange as co-founder & CCO
Mumbai: Digital advertising agency Hashtag Orange on Tuesday announced the appointment of Amit Shankar as its co-founder and chief creative officer.
Shankar moves on from Famous Innovations, where he served as the head of creative at the agency’s Gurugram office.
In a career spanning over 25 years, Shankar has won multiple accolades such as metal at Cannes, One Show, AdFest, Spikes Asia, Effies and Abbies. His work has also featured often in Luerzer’s Archive.
“Amit is a brand in himself, and we are thrilled to have him sail the ship for our creative department,” Hashtag Orange founder Mukesh Vij said. “Hashtag Orange is richer in its talents to have such a decorated creative soul be a part of the journey ahead. We look forward to making a big bang shortly.”
Shankar’s advertising journey includes tenures at agencies like Publicis, J Walter Thompson, Contract and Grey (including Trikaya). Among the marquee brands he has actively contributed to and helped build, are Microsoft, Windows XP, Domino’ Pizza, NIIT, Honda, Hyundai, General Motors, Monte Carlo, Pernod Ricard, Pedigree, GlaxoSmithKline, Procter & Gamble, Hero MotoCorp, Times of India, Nestle, ITC, India Today, Government of India, Whirlpool, SpiceJet, Hindustan Times, Montecarlo and Revlon, according to the agency.
“The best thing about advertising is that it unfolds a whole new chapter for you, every time you look forward to breaking the continuum,” commented Amit Shankar. “Being a technology-driven agency, Hashtag Orange offers a rich playfield for ideas that ride on tech. The creative energy here is irresistible and infectious, and I look forward to adding more vigour to it. The time is to un-learn and learn much more; I see lots of experiments, innovations and some sharp work on the cards.”
Brands
ZEEL transfers syndication business, invests Rs 505 crore in IP push
Restructuring, stake buy and FCCB moves signal sharper content strategy
MUMBAI: In the content economy, owning the story is half the battle monetising it is the real game, and Zee Entertainment Enterprises is doubling down on both. The company has approved the transfer of its syndication and content licensing business to its wholly owned subsidiary ZI-IPR Enterprises, alongside an investment of Rs 505 crore aimed at strengthening its play in content intellectual property (IP) acquisition, management and monetisation. The move, effective April 1, 2026, will see the business transferred on a slump sale basis at book value, including all associated assets, liabilities and commercial rights effectively consolidating IP operations under a more focused structure.
At its core, the restructuring signals a strategic shift. As content consumption increasingly fragments across digital and global platforms, the value of IP lies not just in creation but in how efficiently it can be distributed, repackaged and monetised across markets. By housing its syndication engine within ZI-IPR Enterprises, ZEEL appears to be building a more agile and scalable ecosystem, one that can better extract value from its vast content library while adapting to evolving distribution models.
But the company’s ambitions are not limited to restructuring. ZEEL has also approved an investment of up to Rs 20.09 crore in Culture of Real Experiences (CORE), acquiring a 51 per cent stake in the entity. The move expands its footprint into the broader creative and experiential space, suggesting a push beyond traditional broadcasting into areas where content, culture and immersive experiences intersect.
At the same time, ZEEL has moved to tidy up its financials, approving the redemption of $23.9 million in outstanding foreign currency convertible bonds (FCCBs) and cancelling an unused $215.1 million commitment. The twin steps are expected to ease pressure on its treasury, freeing up capital and improving financial flexibility as the company invests more aggressively in its IP strategy.
Taken together, the decisions reflect a company in recalibration mode streamlining legacy structures, sharpening its focus on content ownership, and exploring new avenues for growth. In a market where the lines between television, streaming and experiential entertainment are increasingly blurred, ZEEL’s latest moves suggest it is not just creating content, but building a system to make that content travel further and pay better.
