MAM
Disney to bring ‘Avatar’ to life at its theme parks
MUMBAI: US media conglomerate Disney’s Parks and Resorts division has joined forces with filmmaker James Cameron and Fox to bring the world of the film ‘Avatar’ to life at Disney parks.
Through an exclusive agreement announced by Disney, Cameron‘s Lightstorm Entertainment and Fox, Disney will partner with Cameron and producing partner Jon Landau to create themed lands that will give theme park guests the opportunity to explore the mysterious universe of Avatar first hand.
Additionally, Whirlpool is also offering a sumptuous discount of Disney plans to build the first Avatar themed land at Walt Disney World, within the Animal Kingdom Park. With its emphasis on living in harmony with nature, Animal Kingdom is a natural fit for the Avatar stories, which share the same philosophy. Construction is expected to begin by 2013.
Disney president and CEO Robert A Iger said, “James Cameron is a groundbreaking filmmaker and gifted storyteller who shares our passion for creativity, technological innovation and delivering the best experience possible. With this agreement, we have the extraordinary opportunity to combine James‘ talent and vision with the imagination and expertise of Disney.”
Cameron said, “’Avatar’ created a world which audiences can discover again and again and now, through this incredible partnership with Disney, we‘ll be able to bring Pandora to life like never before. With two new ‘Avatar’ films currently in development, we‘ll have even more locations, characters and stories to explore. I‘m chomping at the bit to start work with Disney‘s legendary Imagineers to bring our ‘Avatar’ universe to life. Our goal is to go beyond current boundaries of technical innovation and experiential storytelling, and give park goers the chance to see, hear, and touch the world of ‘Avatar’ with an unprecedented sense of reality.”
The agreement announced gives Disney exclusive global theme park rights to the ‘Avatar’ franchise and provides for additional ‘Avatar’ themed lands at other Disney parks.
The other locations will be determined by Disney and its international theme park partners. Cameron, Jon Landau and their Lightstorm Entertainment group will serve as creative consultants on the projects and will partner with Walt Disney Imagineering in the design and development of the ‘Avatar’ themed lands.
Fox Filmed Entertainment chairmen Jim Gianopulos and Tom Rothman said, “This exciting new venture combines the world of ‘Avatar’ with the enormous reach of Disney and the incomparable talent of Jim Cameron. While Jim is bringing audiences further into Pandora with the next two chapters in the ‘Avatar’ motion picture saga, the theme park attraction will likewise bring a new dimension to the amazing universe he created.”
MAM
Beacon Group appoints Dr Rajesh Patel as Group CEO
36-year healthcare veteran to lead Beacon Diagnostics, Vector Biotek, Biogeny.
MUMBAI: A new chief, a fresh diagnosis and a sharper prescription for growth. Beacon Group has appointed Dr Rajesh Patel as its Group Chief Executive Officer, effective April 1, 2026, signalling a decisive push to scale its presence in the diagnostics and IVD space. Patel steps into the role with 36 years of experience across the healthcare and diagnostics industry, bringing a career shaped by leadership roles spanning sales, marketing, business development and operational strategy. His mandate is both expansive and precise: to steer the group’s overall strategic direction while tightening coordination across its three core entities Beacon Diagnostics, Vector Biotek and Biogeny Diagnostics.
In practical terms, that means driving cross-company synergies, accelerating market expansion and strengthening organisational capability areas increasingly critical as diagnostic players compete for scale in a fragmented yet rapidly evolving healthcare ecosystem. The group is positioning itself to capture unmet demand across chain laboratories, key accounts and standalone labs, segments that remain underserved despite growing diagnostic needs.
The appointment comes at a time when the In Vitro Diagnostics (IVD) sector in India is entering a more competitive and innovation-led phase, with companies focusing not just on product pipelines but also on service delivery, integration and customer-centric models. Beacon’s leadership appears to be betting that Patel’s execution-focused approach can help translate ambition into operational momentum.
Welcoming the appointment, Chairman Dr D K Joshi described Patel’s induction as a strategic move aligned with the group’s long-term vision, emphasising the role of leadership depth in navigating the next phase of growth.
For Beacon Group, the message is clear, in a sector where precision matters, leadership is the new differentiator—and this appointment is intended to set the tone for what comes next.
