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Who is Akhil Mehra? The new head of commercial at Sony Pictures Networks India
Media veteran with 20 plus years to steer Spni’s future-facing growth
MUMBAI: Sony Pictures Networks India has appointed Akhil Mehra as its new head of commercial, marking a strategic move to strengthen its revenue architecture across platforms and markets.
Based in Mumbai, Mehra will drive commercial initiatives spanning digital, linear television, technology, sports, marketing and content across Hindi and regional portfolios. His mandate is clear: build future-ready commercial models that match the pace of India’s evolving media landscape.
A commercial strategist with over two decades of experience, Mehra has quietly shaped some of the country’s most influential broadcast and streaming businesses. Before joining Sony, he spent nearly 19 years at Star TV Network and its digital arm Disney+ Hotstar, holding a series of senior leadership roles across commercial, procurement and compliance functions.
At Star, he rose through the ranks from senior manager to vice president, eventually serving as director, commercial and procurement at Jiostar India. He led media rights negotiations, content acquisition strategies and complex budgeting frameworks across Hindi and English channel portfolios. From managing Hindi cinema pipelines to pricing analytics and intellectual property strategy, Mehra’s career has been built at the intersection of content and commerce.
His stint as vice president and commercial head at Hotstar was particularly formative. He was instrumental in setting up commercial processes, building teams and negotiating content, technology and marketing contracts at a time when streaming in India was still finding its feet.
In 2025, Mehra briefly stepped into the creative arena as a freelance content creator and producer, collaborating on Hindi cinema and South Indian film projects with a focus on commercially viable storytelling. The move added a storyteller’s lens to his dealmaker’s toolkit.
Earlier in his career, he sharpened his commercial instincts in the insurance sector with roles at Tata AIG General Insurance Company Limited, Cholamandalam MS General Insurance Co. Ltd. and Iffco Tokio General Insurance Co. Ltd., where he worked across underwriting, retail strategy and corporate growth.
At Sony Pictures Networks India, Mehra now steps into a role that demands both numbers and nuance. With broadcast economics under pressure and digital monetisation evolving by the day, the network is betting on a leader who understands that content may be king, but commerce keeps the kingdom running.
For Mehra, it is less a new chapter and more a natural sequel. And this time, he is steering the business from the front row.
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Tech Mahindra names Jeetu Anandani VP & country head – enterprise & strategic accounts
Veteran tech leader to drive enterprise growth across Australia and New Zealand
MELBOURNE: Jeetu Anandani has stepped into a larger leadership role at Tech Mahindra, taking charge as vice president and country head for enterprise and strategic growth across Australia and New Zealand.
Based in Melbourne, Anandani will steer the company’s enterprise portfolio in the ANZ region, focusing on expanding business across high-growth sectors such as retail, energy and utilities, health insurance and logistics. The move signals Tech Mahindra’s intent to deepen its presence in one of the world’s most competitive enterprise technology markets.
In his new role, Anandani will lead growth initiatives, build strategic partnerships and strengthen relationships with key stakeholders across industries. His mandate also includes accelerating business development efforts in sectors such as manufacturing, travel and logistics while helping clients navigate digital transformation and AI-led change.
The promotion caps a steady rise within Tech Mahindra. Anandani most recently served as communications, media and entertainment head for BPS across the Asia Pacific and Japan region, where he worked on expanding enterprise deals and strategic partnerships. Before that, he held the role of account director, managing key client relationships and delivery programmes.
Prior to joining Tech Mahindra in 2020, Anandani spent nearly eight years at Telstra as country manager in Mumbai, overseeing operational growth and partnerships. His earlier career includes leadership stints at Tata Consultancy Services, Vodafone and JPMorgan Chase.
With more than two decades of experience across telecom, banking and IT services, Anandani now takes the helm of Tech Mahindra’s enterprise push in ANZ, a region where demand for AI, digital transformation and large-scale technology partnerships continues to gather pace.
