MAM
Saha takes centre stage as JioStar signs industry heavyweight for SVP role
MUMBAI: If career graphs had box-office openings, Krishnendu Saha’s newest move would be a first-day, first-show sell-out, as the seasoned media strategist steps into his new role as senior vice president at JioStar. The appointment marks a significant talent win for the company, bringing on board one of the industry’s most analytically grounded and regionally fluent leaders.
Saha joins JioStar after a standout two-year stint as business head of Colours Bangla Cluster, Jalsha Movies, Star Kiran, and head of Marketing, Strategy and Insights for Star Jalsha at Disney Star (Nov 2023–Nov 2025). In this role, he steered multi-genre, multi-market portfolios, shaping content strategy, platform positioning and regional growth across West Bengal and Odisha.
Before Disney Star, Saha spent 1 year and 7 months at Viacom18 as senior director, marketing and content/business strategy for Colours Bangla and Colours Bangla Cinema, a phase defined by sharp regional consumer decoding, content optimisation, and brand strengthening across the Bangla cluster.
His earlier milestone-rich journey includes over two years at Sun TV Network, where he led marketing, research & strategy for Sun Bangla, the company’s first foray beyond the South. He also played a central role in establishing the network’s footprint in Maharashtra with the successful launch of Sun Marathi.
Saha’s understanding of regional dynamics runs deep. Between 2019 and 2020, as assistant vice president of research & strategy for Zee’s regional HSM & premium cluster, he helped craft the business plan for Zee Punjabi, the network’s maiden GEC in the region, and Zee Ganga Biskope, a Bhojpuri movie channel. His work spanned consumer insights, content calibration, and strategic planning across brands like Zee Marathi, Zee Yuva, Zee Talkies, Zee Bangla, Zee Bangla Cinema, Zee Sarthak and the premium English cluster.
His longest-running association was with Star India, where he spent nearly five years driving strategy for Star Jalsha, Jalsha Movies, and later Star Plus, contributing to long-term growth roadmaps, programming direction, communication strategy and consumer insights. From analysing show health and audience behaviour to shaping full-channel strategies, his analytical depth became his signature.
Saha’s professional foundation, however, predates media beginning as a senior software engineer in Samsung R&D’s graphics team before pivoting into management through an MBA from FMS Delhi. His academic background includes an M.Tech and B.Tech from IIT Bombay, where he graduated with top-tier SPI scores (9.8 and 10.0) and held leadership roles in NSS and departmental bodies.
Across Disney Star, Viacom18, Sun Network, Zee, and Star, one thread runs consistently through his career, a reputation for data-backed decision-making, regional mastery, and brand-building.
At JioStar, Saha steps into a pivotal leadership position at a time when the network is sharpening its regional strategy and scaling its entertainment footprint. With his track record of launching channels, shaping clusters, decoding diverse markets, and driving business transformation, the appointment signals a clear intent: JioStar is doubling down on expertise to power its next phase of growth.
For an industry where talent is often the true differentiator, this is a move worth watching and perhaps a sign that the next big plot twist in regional broadcasting is just getting written.
Brands
KPMG names Gary Wingrove as global chairman and CEO from October
Record Gmada bids signal rising demand as Rs 1,000 crore bet reshapes Tricity skyline
MUMBAI: KPMG has chosen continuity with a forward tilt. The firm has announced that Gary Wingrove will take over as global chairman and CEO of KPMG International, beginning a four year term from 1 October 2026. Currently serving as global chief operating officer, Wingrove steps into the top role after being nominated by the global board and elected by the global council.
A KPMG veteran with over 25 years at the firm, Wingrove has been closely involved in shaping its recent trajectory. As global COO, he has helped drive the firm’s Collective Strategy, focusing on operational integration, global investments and the steady expansion of the KPMG Delivery Network. He has also been at the forefront of KPMG’s digital push, including the rollout of AI enabled solutions across its global operations.
Before his global role, Wingrove served as CEO of KPMG Australia for nearly a decade, where he led a period of strong growth, almost doubling revenue, profitability and headcount while steering a cultural reset.
He succeeds Bill Thomas, who has led KPMG since 2017 and will work alongside Wingrove over the next six months to ensure a smooth transition.
Thomas leaves behind a firm that looks markedly different from when he took charge. Under his leadership, KPMG’s global revenues have risen by 55 per cent, and its workforce has expanded to more than 276,000 people. He also unified the network of member firms under the Collective Strategy, aligning priorities and strengthening governance.
His tenure saw heavy investment in technology and partnerships, with alliances spanning Microsoft, Google Cloud, SAP, Oracle and ServiceNow. These collaborations, along with platforms like KPMG Clara, have helped the firm scale its AI-led offerings and sharpen its competitive edge.
Beyond growth, Thomas also pushed improvements in audit quality and sustainability. Initiatives such as a multiyear global sustainability strategy and the Our Impact Plan have aimed to embed long term thinking into the firm’s operations and client services.
For Wingrove, the brief is clear but evolving. He has signalled a focus on agility, deep expertise and technology driven solutions as clients navigate an increasingly complex business landscape. He also emphasised KPMG’s identity as a people first organisation, supported by technology and unified through its global network.
The timing of the leadership change comes as KPMG continues to grow, reporting a 5.1 per cent rise in global revenue in FY25, with gains across tax and legal, audit and advisory services. Growth was recorded across all regions, despite a challenging macro environment.
As Wingrove prepares to take charge, the firm appears set on a familiar path with a sharper digital edge. Same playbook, perhaps, but with a renewed focus on speed, scale and smarter solutions.
