Brands
Saregama names Vinay Pillai CEO of Pocket Aces, Aditi Shrivastava moves to board
Pillai will take charge from October 1 as Shrivastava shifts to a strategic role
MUMBAI: Saregama is changing the face at the top of Pocket Aces, with Vinay Pillai set to take over as chief executive officer from October 1, 2026.
The leadership transition will see Aditi Shrivastava, co-founder, managing director and chief executive officer of Pocket Aces, step away from executive leadership and move to a strategic position on the company’s board of directors.
Shrivastava has served as CEO since 2021 and helped build Pocket Aces into a prominent digital entertainment company, with brands including FilterCopy, Dice Media and Clout. Her tenure also culminated in Saregama’s acquisition of Pocket Aces in 2023.
Pillai, currently chief business officer at Pocket Aces, has been with the company for six years. He initially led the creator management business Clout before taking on his current role, where he has been responsible for driving the company’s broader business operations.
His elevation reflects Saregama’s focus on developing leadership internally as Pocket Aces enters its next phase of growth.
Pillai is a graduate of Columbia University and has previously worked with Booz Allen Hamilton. He also founded streaming startup Dekkho, bringing a mix of consulting and entrepreneurial experience to his new role.
Pocket Aces has played a significant role in India’s digital entertainment landscape, particularly across short-form content, web series and creator management. Its portfolio includes creator-led brands that have built large audiences among younger Indian consumers.
Under the new leadership, the company will continue developing content through its direct-to-consumer and creator channels, while working with advertisers and streaming platforms. It will also remain an important marketing arm for Saregama’s new and catalogue music.
The transition marks a planned handover rather than a change in direction, with Shrivastava moving into a strategic board role while Pillai takes the operational reins as Pocket Aces looks to scale its digital entertainment and creator businesses further.
