MAM
Sania Fazal joins JioStar as creative director – brand solutions
Veteran from Viacom18 to lead content partnerships across Colors, Star Plus and JioHotstar.
MUMBAI: Sania Fazal just swapped one spotlight for a bigger stage because when you’re this good at branded storytelling, the next act needs more screens. JioStar has appointed Sania Fazal as creative director for brand solutions, content partnerships & branded content, the company confirmed on 24 February 2026. In her new role based in Mumbai, Fazal will spearhead content integrations and branded narrative work across television and digital platforms targeting the Hindi-speaking market (HSM). Her mandate includes forging strategic partnerships with Colors, Star Plus and JioHotstar, building innovative ad products, creating integration ecosystems, mentoring her team, and crafting frameworks that balance cultural resonance with measurable business growth.
Fazal brings over nine years of experience from Viacom18 Media Private Limited, where she rose to senior manager for brand solutions & partnerships. There she led large-scale branded integrations and content partnerships across flagship shows including Bigg Boss, Khatron Ke Khiladi and Laughter Chefs work that earned recognition at Goafest, ET Sharks and the Indian Digital Marketing Awards.
Before Viacom18 she worked on customised brand solutions at HT Media Ltd across marquee properties, and had a brief stint at Mitkat Advisory Services. Her career has consistently focused on blending creativity with commercial impact in high-visibility entertainment formats.
The move places Fazal at the helm of JioStar’s branded content push as the merged entity sharpens its edge in television and streaming. For an industry where partnerships can make or break a show’s buzz, her appointment feels like the perfect plot twist bringing proven storytelling chops to a portfolio hungry for fresh, culturally sharp integrations. Whether it’s scripting the next viral moment or mentoring the team behind it, Fazal’s arrival signals JioStar is ready to turn every ad break into appointment viewing.
Brands
ZEEL transfers syndication business, invests Rs 505 crore in IP push
Restructuring, stake buy and FCCB moves signal sharper content strategy
MUMBAI: In the content economy, owning the story is half the battle monetising it is the real game, and Zee Entertainment Enterprises is doubling down on both. The company has approved the transfer of its syndication and content licensing business to its wholly owned subsidiary ZI-IPR Enterprises, alongside an investment of Rs 505 crore aimed at strengthening its play in content intellectual property (IP) acquisition, management and monetisation. The move, effective April 1, 2026, will see the business transferred on a slump sale basis at book value, including all associated assets, liabilities and commercial rights effectively consolidating IP operations under a more focused structure.
At its core, the restructuring signals a strategic shift. As content consumption increasingly fragments across digital and global platforms, the value of IP lies not just in creation but in how efficiently it can be distributed, repackaged and monetised across markets. By housing its syndication engine within ZI-IPR Enterprises, ZEEL appears to be building a more agile and scalable ecosystem, one that can better extract value from its vast content library while adapting to evolving distribution models.
But the company’s ambitions are not limited to restructuring. ZEEL has also approved an investment of up to Rs 20.09 crore in Culture of Real Experiences (CORE), acquiring a 51 per cent stake in the entity. The move expands its footprint into the broader creative and experiential space, suggesting a push beyond traditional broadcasting into areas where content, culture and immersive experiences intersect.
At the same time, ZEEL has moved to tidy up its financials, approving the redemption of $23.9 million in outstanding foreign currency convertible bonds (FCCBs) and cancelling an unused $215.1 million commitment. The twin steps are expected to ease pressure on its treasury, freeing up capital and improving financial flexibility as the company invests more aggressively in its IP strategy.
Taken together, the decisions reflect a company in recalibration mode streamlining legacy structures, sharpening its focus on content ownership, and exploring new avenues for growth. In a market where the lines between television, streaming and experiential entertainment are increasingly blurred, ZEEL’s latest moves suggest it is not just creating content, but building a system to make that content travel further and pay better.
