AD Agencies
Sudeep Subash named CEO of Big Bang Social
MUMBAI: The creator economy in India has a new captain, and he’s no stranger to the high seas of digital marketing. Sudeep Subash has been appointed as the CEO of Big Bang Social, the country’s leading creator economy platform. But wait, there’s more! He will also continue steering the revenue juggernaut at Collective Artists Network as its chief revenue officer. That’s right—two titles, one powerhouse leader, and a whole lot of responsibility. No pressure, Sudeep!
Collective Artists Network, the mothership behind Big Bang Social, made the announcement on 3 March 2024, marking a significant leadership move in the world of influencer marketing and content-driven commerce. Known for his razor-sharp revenue strategies and uncanny ability to make brand-creator collaborations flourish, Subash is all set to shake things up in a market that is already buzzing with potential.
“Sudeep is one of those rare leaders who invests deeply in his teams,” said Collective Artists Network founder & group CEO Vijay Subramaniam. “His knack for scaling businesses, igniting innovation, and fostering collaboration makes him the perfect candidate to propel Big Bang Social to new heights. As brands and advertisers increasingly turn to creators for meaningful collaborations, his vision will be key in expanding our influence and unlocking fresh opportunities in the creator economy.”
With a track record that speaks for itself, Subash isn’t just taking on this role for the business cards (though, let’s be honest, having two fancy job titles is a flex). He’s here to supercharge Big Bang Social’s growth by driving data-backed strategies, deepening brand partnerships, and delivering breakthrough influencer campaigns.
“I am excited to take on this new challenge and further build on the incredible foundation of Big Bang Social,” said Subash, now Big Bang Social CEO and Collective Artists Network CRO. “We are at a pivotal moment where content, culture, and commerce are converging like never before. I look forward to working with our teams, creators, and brand partners to drive meaningful growth and shape the future of this dynamic ecosystem.”
Under Subash’s leadership, Big Bang Social is expected to amplify its impact by fine-tuning brand-creator collaborations, harnessing data-driven insights, and crafting innovative campaigns that define the next frontier of influencer marketing. The Indian creator economy is growing at an explosive pace, and with Subash at the helm, it looks like things are about to get even bigger.
AD Agencies
Abhay Duggal joins JioStar as director of Hindi GEC ad sales
The streaming giant brings in a seasoned revenue hand as the battle for Hindi television advertising heats up
MUMBAI: Abhay Duggal has a new desk, and JioStar has a new weapon. The media and entertainment veteran has joined JioStar as director of entertainment ad sales for Hindi general entertainment channels, adding 17 years of hard-won revenue experience to one of India’s most powerful broadcasting operations.
Duggal is no stranger to big portfolios or bruising markets. Before joining JioStar, he spent a brief stint at Republic World as deputy general manager and north regional head for ad sales. Before that, he put in three years at Enterr10 Television, where he ran the north region for Dangal TV and Dangal 2, two of India’s leading free-to-air Hindi channels. The north alone accounted for more than 50 per cent of total channel revenue on his watch, a number that tends to get attention in any sales meeting.
His longest stint was at Zee Entertainment Enterprises, where he spent over six years rising to associate director of sales. There he commanded the Hindi movies cluster across seven channels, owned more than half of north India’s revenue across flagship properties including Zee TV and &TV, and closed marquee sponsorships across the Indian Premier League, Zee Rishtey Awards and Dance India Dance. He also handled monetisation for the English movies and entertainment cluster and the global news channel WION, a portfolio that would stretch most sales teams twice his size.
Earlier in his career Duggal closed what was then a Rs 3 crore single deal at Reliance Broadcast Network, one of the largest in Indian radio at the time, before that he helped launch and monetise JAINHITS, India’s first HITS-based cable and satellite platform.
His edge, by his own account, lies in marrying data and instinct: translating audience trends, inventory signals and client demands into long-term partnerships built on cost-per-rating-point discipline rather than short-term deal chasing. In a media landscape being reshaped by streaming, fragmented attention and AI-driven advertising, that kind of rigour is increasingly rare and increasingly valuable.
JioStar, which blends the scale of Reliance’s Jio platform with the content firepower of Star, is doubling down on its advertising business at precisely the moment the Hindi GEC market is getting more competitive. Bringing in someone who has spent nearly two decades doing exactly this, across some of India’s most watched channels, is a pointed statement of intent. Duggal has spent his career turning audiences into revenue. JioStar is clearly betting he can do it again, and bigger.
