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E&Y elevates Farokh Balsara to M&E Practice leader EMEIA region
MUMBAI: The research, audit and consulting major Ernst & Young (E&Y) has promoted Farokh Balsara to the Media & Entertainment (M&E) industry leader for Europe, Middle East, India and Africa (EMEIA) region.
Based in Mumbai, Balsara has been E&Y‘s M&E Practice leader in India for over a decade. In his new role, Balsara will now drive the sector program throughout Europe, Middle East India and Africa. He is the first partner from India to lead a sector at an EMEIA-wide level.
EMEIA area comprises 12 sub-areas – Africa; Belgium and The Netherlands; Commonwealth and Independent States; Central and South-East Europe; Algeria, France and Luxembourg; Financial Services Office; Germany, Switzerland and Austria; India; Mediterranean; Middle East and North Africa; Nordics; UK & Ireland.
E&Y accounts, industries and business development leader – EMEIA Julie Tiegland said, “Over the last several years, he (Balsara) has built what is undoubtedly India‘s leading M&E Practice among all professional services firm, advising both Indian and multinational M&E companies.”
“The appointment is also reflective of the growing importance of the Indian M&E sector on the global landscape and also of the strength of Ernst & Young‘s media and entertainment practice in India. As the M&E sector increasingly converges across boundaries, Farokh‘s knowledge and experience will be deeply valued by our clients across the EMEIA area. M&E is a priority sector for our firm globally and we are seeking to significantly strengthen our M&E market presence across the EMEIA region,” Tiegland added.
Balsara said, “I am looking forward to taking on my new responsibilities as Ernst & Young‘s EMEIA leader for M&E Practice. E&Y is the market leader in working with the M&E industry and we would continue to strengthen our market leadership position. We have a strong M&E industry practice in France, Germany, UK, Italy, Spain, India and the Nordics and with the challenging business environment, our endeavor would be for our clients to benefit from cross coordination of ideas and best practices between developed and emerging markets. In my new role, I am looking forward to working with a strong EMEIA-wide team of professionals to significantly ramp up our Transactions and Advisory practice for M&E and growing the business through the provision of fresh, innovative services to our clients.”
Balsara has over 25 years of experience and has extensively advised several large Indian M&E companies in risk management and in improving the efficiency and effectiveness of key processes.
He is also experienced in performing a variety of market reviews and feasibility studies, and developing entry strategies for multinational M&E companies desiring to establish a business presence in India. In the past, he has also specialised in providing a range of Transaction Support Services (due diligence reviews, Valuation, M&A support, etc.) to multinationals, strategic investors and private equity funds across sector categories including television, films, new media, radio and music, advertising and marketing and print.
E&Y‘s key M&E clients in EMEIA include Bertelsmann, Pearson, Lagardere, Publicis, Technicolor, Reed Elsevier, Vivendi and Axel Springer amongst others.
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.
