Brands
Manoj Kohli joins Adobe International Advisory Board to steer AI shift
Former Airtel CEO to guide global clients through digital and AI transformation
NEW DELHI: Manoj Kohli, former India head of SoftBank and ex-CEO of Bharti Airtel, has joined the Adobe International Advisory Board, signalling Adobe’s continued push to help businesses navigate the fast-evolving AI landscape.
The advisory board, set up in 2021, brings together global leaders to guide organisations through technological and strategic change. Kohli’s appointment adds nearly five decades of leadership experience spanning telecom, technology, renewable energy and digital innovation.
Currently chairman and managing partner at MK Knowledge LLP, Kohli advises CEOs and founders across Asia Pacific, the Middle East and the United States. He is also actively involved in mentoring and teaching leadership at global business schools.
Speaking on the appointment, Manoj Kohli said, “I’m delighted to join the Adobe International Advisory Board to work with customers at this pivotal time when AI is rapidly transforming how customers discover and engage with brands, and reshaping how enterprises operate and create value. Adobe has consistently enabled organisations to enhance creativity and productivity, and orchestrate personalised experiences to drive growth. I look forward to contributing my perspective and working closely with fellow leaders to help shape their next era of growth.”
Welcoming him to the board, Adobe president JAPAC Ben Goodman said, “India is one of the fastest-growing digital markets in the world, and organisations are increasingly looking to AI and digital experience technologies to drive innovation and growth. Manoj’s extensive leadership experience and strong focus on excellence and integrity will be invaluable for our customers as they navigate complexity, unlock new growth opportunities, and deliver exceptional experiences at scale.”
Kohli previously led SoftBank’s India operations, overseeing more than $15 billion in investments across high-growth companies such as Ola, OYO, Zomato, Lenskart, Meesho, Flipkart, Swiggy and Delhivery. His tenure at Bharti Airtel saw the telecom giant expand from two million to over 400 million customers, cementing its position as a global player.
With digital transformation accelerating across industries, Adobe is betting on seasoned leaders like Kohli to help clients translate strategy into sustained growth. His appointment underscores a broader trend where experience meets innovation, as companies look to balance legacy strengths with future-ready thinking.
Brands
UK’s OnlyFans seeks US investor at $3bn valuation after owner’s death
The adult video platform is seeking stability after the death of its billionaire owner
LONDON: OnlyFans is looking for a new partner. The London-based adult video platform is in advanced talks to sell a minority stake of less than 20 per cent to Architect Capital, a San Francisco-based investment firm, in a deal that would value the business at more than $3bn (£2.2bn).
The move is driven by an urgent need for stability. Leonid Radvinsky, the Ukrainian-American billionaire who owned OnlyFans, died of cancer last month at the age of 43, leaving the future of one of Britain’s most profitable privately held businesses suddenly uncertain.
The choice of Architect Capital is not arbitrary. The firm has deep expertise in financial services, which aligns neatly with OnlyFans’ ambitions to offer banking products to its creators, many of whom have long struggled to access basic financial services because of the nature of their work.
The numbers behind OnlyFans are, by any measure, staggering. The platform posted revenues of $1.4bn in the year to 30th November 2024, with a pre-tax profit of $684m, up four per cent on the prior year. Payments to creators totalled $7.2bn over the same period, a rise of nearly ten per cent. Radvinsky personally collected $701m in dividends from the business in 2024 alone, on top of more than $1bn in such payments he had already received. The platform, run through its parent company Felix International, hosts 4.6m creator accounts, with performers keeping 80 per cent of subscription proceeds and the platform pocketing the remaining 20 per cent. It has 377m fan accounts in total.
The current minority stake talks represent a notable scaling back of ambitions. In January, OnlyFans was reported to be in discussions with Architect about selling a majority stake of 60 per cent. Before that, the company had explored a sale to a consortium led by Forest Road Company, a Los Angeles-based investment firm. Neither deal materialised.
OnlyFans has built an enormously lucrative business on content that mainstream finance has long refused to touch. Now, with its owner gone and a $3bn valuation on the table, it is looking for the kind of respectable institutional backing that might finally persuade the banks to take its calls.
