Brands
Bacardi Nh7 Weekender 11 goes virtual
NEW DELHI: OML and Bacardi are all set to go virtual with the Bacardi NH7 Weekender festival this December. The 11th edition of the multi-genre, multi-city music festival will be held virtually on 5 and 6 December 2020 and can be streamed by fans across the country.
The two-day digital edition will feature an eclectic line-up of musicians. The festival will be streaming all three stages simultaneously — the Bacardi Stage, The Dewar's Stage and Breezer Vivid Stage — clocking 16+ hours of music by local artists and international talent.
This time around, fans will be able to host virtual parties during the stream, play games, take pictures in a virtual photo-booth, and join live parties along with artists and fans.
Adding to the engagement factor of the digital festival experience, the tickets for this year’s edition comes with exciting perks – from the opportunity to pre-buy into next year’s edition of the festival at a reduced price, as well as thoughtfully-curated memorabilia.
OML CEO Gunjan Arya said: “The Bacardi Nh7 Weekender has brought artists and fans together for over a decade and through the unique virtual festival experience, this is what our objective is this year as well. Bacardi’s support and Insider’s support has been instrumental in designing a highly immersive and interactive platform for this edition of the festival, which we’re extremely excited to unveil to fans of music everywhere. The festival will feature its signature programming mix of international and Indian indie musicians, and give fans to enjoy this unique experience together – albeit online.”
Insider.in founder and CEO Shreyas Sriniviasan said: “Over the years, the festival has brought people together to experience music with their favourite artists. It’s only natural that we continue to enable the same community experience, not just with the artists, but also with each other, this time digitally.”
"While bringing back the Weekender state of mind, we wanted to ensure utmost safety for all our artists and audiences," said Brand Bacardi India and south-east Asia senior brand manager Sameeksha Uniyal.
Brands
JioHotstar EVP, head subscriptions (SVOD) and media Piyush Kothari exits
Streaming executive signs off after 6.5-year run across DisneyStar and JioStar
MUMBAI: Piyush Kothari, EVP and head subscriptions (SVOD) and media at JioHotstar, has stepped down from his role, bringing the curtain down on a 6.5-year stint spanning the DisneyStar and JioStar eras.
Kothari shared the update in a note reflecting on what he called a “transformative” phase for the media industry and a personal journey through the fast-evolving world of streaming and sports entertainment.
“The last few years have been transformative for the media industry and experiencing this journey up close over the past 6.5 years with DisneyStar and now JioStar has been a thriller,” he wrote, thanking colleagues and collaborators who shaped his time in the business.
Kothari joined JioHotstar in November 2024 as EVP, head subscriptions (svod) and media, where he oversaw subscription revenues and subscriber growth for the platform’s svod business.
Before that, he spent over five years at The Walt Disney Company in a series of leadership roles. His last position there was head of product, growth, partnerships and international expansion for Disney+ Hotstar, where he led efforts to scale subscription revenues across direct to consumer and partnership channels. The role also involved overseeing the service’s standalone businesses in markets such as Singapore, Canada and the UK.
Earlier, he served as lead, corporate office and strategic projects, working across the company’s entertainment, sports and streaming businesses. He also headed business operations at Mashal Sports, the entity behind the Pro Kabaddi League, where he helped steer the league through key commercial milestones including a five year broadcast and streaming media rights deal.
Alongside his operational roles, Kothari also served as nominee director on the board of Mashal Sports and was a director on the board of Novi Digital, the company that operates Hotstar.
Before entering the media and entertainment space, Kothari held senior roles across consulting, fintech and conglomerates. He worked with Welspun Group as head, group executive office, with Aditya Birla Group as joint president and business head, digital, analytics and strategy at Aditya Birla Idea Payments Bank, and earlier served as vice president in the chairman’s office at the group.
His career also includes stints at Accenture as principal, Accenture Strategy, and earlier at Shell in channel development and sales.
Reflecting on his time in the media sector, Kothari said he leaves with a lasting belief in India’s subscription economy. He also joked about picking up a new affection along the way.
“Carrying with me love for kabaddi, a deep belief in the potential of the subscriptions business in India, and fond memories and friendships,” he wrote, adding that he is now “onward to the next chapter”.
