MAM
Liberty General Insurance appoints Parag Ved as director & CEO designate
Mumbai: Liberty General Insurance, one of the leading general insurance companies in India, has roped in Parag Ved as its director & CEO designate, effective from 20 September. Prior to joining Liberty, he was the president of consumer lines at Tata AIG General Insurance.
In a career that has spanned over 24 distinguished years, Ved has dedicated almost two decades exclusively to the insurance industry, holding senior leadership roles in prestigious organizations including ICICI Lombard General Insurance. Known for his dedication to innovation and excellence and his expertise in managing various strategic channels, Ved has showcased his prowess in the General Insurance industry.
Ved’s trajectory in the insurance sector has showcased his ability to drive sustainable growth by innovating and tailoring products to the unique demands of the Indian market. His tenure with industry stalwarts amply demonstrates his proficiency and efficacy in managing diverse strategic channels. Mr. Ved holds a bachelor’s degree in Electronics Engineering from K.J Somaiya College of Engineering, Mumbai, and a master’s in management from SVKM’s Narsee Monjee Institute of Management Studies (NMIMS).
Welcoming the new director & CEO designate, Liberty Mutual Insurance president – Asia Retail Markets Defne Turkes said, “We are pleased to welcome Parag Ved to Liberty General Insurance. His vast experience and his visionary approach uniquely position him to lead the future of Liberty General Insurance in India. His inclusion not only marks the dawn of an exciting new chapter but also reinforces our unwavering dedication to offering top-tier insurance solutions to our customers. We look forward to his contributions and innovations that will certainly propel the company to newer heights and achieve sustainable profitable growth.”
Commenting on his appointment, Ved said, “Over the last few years Liberty has carved a niche for itself, and it is indeed a privilege to lead the organization, especially in the given interesting times and evolving insurance landscape. As the industry undergoes rapid transformations, my focus will be on harnessing innovation, reinforcing operational efficiency, and optimizing stakeholder engagement. Further, leveraging a data-driven approach would emphasize continually refining and expanding the product offerings to align with customer needs and industry standards. I am looking forward to working closely with the team. Together, I believe we can make a significant contribution towards taking Liberty to new heights. As we progress, the commitment remains unyielding to also align strategies and operations with the regulator’s goal of achieving widespread insurance coverage across the nation by 2047.”
Ved takes on the role following the retirement of Roopam Asthana, who was instrumental in establishing Liberty’s business operations in India. Under Asthana’s visionary leadership for over a decade, the company thrived and has set significant industry benchmarks.
MAM
Sameer Nair shares heartfelt note as he exits Applause Entertainment
After nine years building the streamer’s content engine, one of India’s best-known TV men is moving on
MUMBAI: Sameer Nair is out. The chief executive of Applause Entertainment, the content studio backed by Kumar Mangalam Birla’s media empire, has announced his departure after nearly nine years at the helm, closing the chapter on one of Indian entertainment’s more quietly consequential careers.
Nair, who built Applause from the ground up in its current avatar, oversaw a slate that spanned Indian originals and international adaptations, threading together a hub-and-spoke business model that partnered with streaming platforms, broadcasters and production houses alike. The results were uneven, as they always are in content, but the ambition was not.
In a post on LinkedIn, Nair was generous to his outgoing patron. He thanked Birla for being an “inspirational boss and a great patron of the arts,” and signed off with a cheerful “Au Revoir” and a promise to remain Applause’s biggest cheerleader. Whether that sentiment survives the next chapter remains to be seen.
No successor has been named. Applause Entertainment did not immediately comment.
Nair built the machine. Now someone else has to run it — and in a streaming market that is simultaneously consolidating and convulsing, that is no small ask.
