GECs
Ajay Bhalwankar quits ZEEL as Content Head
MUMABI: Almost three years ago in June 2011, Zee Entertainment Enterprises had brought back one of its most cherished employees – Ajay Bhalwankar as the programming head after his short eight-month stint with Multi Screen Media. The news now is that Bhalwankar, who was working as ZEEL’s Content Head (Hindi GECs), has decided to explore opportunities outside the group on his own accord.
Namit Sharma will be coming on board to join the Zee TV programming function as Programming Head.
In the official announcement made by the channel, it is mentioned that Bhalwankar was instrumental in creating path breaking content on Zee TV and also spearheaded the launch of new free-to-air (FTA) channel, Zee Anmol. He has been with the organisation since 1994. Barring a stint with Multi Screen Media, he has been at ZEEL for over 17 years.
“Ajay’s support for ideas, creativity and innovation has been the real strength of his time as content head of Zee TV,” said ZEEL Chief Creative and Content Officer Bharat Ranga. “He gave the team strong creative leadership with the freedom to experiment and he’ll be hard to replace. With regret, we accept his decision and thank Ajay for his valued contribution to the organization. During his stint with the group, Ajay has achieved various milestones and strengthened the position of channel and built a great and dedicated team for the channel. Given his credentials, we are also sure that he will continue to achieve his aspirations and further strengthen his credential in his domain.”
Confirming the news, Bhalwankar said, “It’s been a memorable journey. There is never a perfect time for this type of transition, but now is the right time. It’s a tough decision. The trust reposed in me by ZEEL MD & CEO, Punit Goenka will never be forgotten. I leave ZEEL with renewed respect for television broadcasting and the talented producers of our programs, and with great pride to have worked with an exceptional team who will continue to see success.”
Bhalwankar will handhold Namit during the transition process – in settling down in the organisation and continue to take all programming related decisions as is currently being done. Sharma, with almost 15 years industry experience, was earlier with Wizcraft International as Business Head and Chief Creative Director – Wizcraft Television & Films. Prior to that he has worked as an executive producer with Yash Raj Films; as a creative director with Cinevistaas Ltd; and as a senior executive producer with Sony Entertainment Television.
GECs
ZEEL overhauls sales structure to chase growth across TV and digital platforms
New structure sharpens digital push as viewing habits fragment fast
MUMBAI: Zee Entertainment Enterprises Ltd. is reshuffling its sales playbook as it looks to keep pace with a fast-changing media landscape, where audiences are scattered, screens are multiplying and advertisers are following the data.
According to media reports, the rejig is anchored in the company’s push to build a more integrated, data-led monetisation engine, one that can straddle both traditional television and fast-growing digital platforms with equal ease.
At the heart of the move is a reworked sales architecture designed to deliver cross-platform solutions. With connected TV gaining ground and digital consumption surging, ZEEL is aligning its teams to move quicker, think broader and sell smarter.
The restructuring is being led by chief operating officer, advertisement revenue, Sandeep Mehrotra, at a time when the company says it is seeing tremendous growth. The idea is simple: match the right talent to the right opportunity in a market that is anything but static.
As part of the overhaul, several long-serving executives have been elevated to chief sales officer roles across regions and content clusters. Sanjoy Chatterjee will head the east market, while Gunjarav Nayak takes charge of the west along with high-margin verticals such as hmg, brand works, intellectual properties and digital sales. Rajnish Gupta will oversee bengaluru and chennai markets alongside the kannada and tamil clusters.
In other key moves, Divjyot Dhanda will lead hyderabad and kochi markets and manage zee tv, zee keralam and the telugu cluster. Roshan Vasu Kotian will supervise a diverse portfolio including Zee Marathi, &tv, Zee Punjabi, Zee Anmol, Big Magic and Zee Biskope.
The company is also strengthening its bench, appointing national sales heads across retail, regional clusters, digital and brand solutions. Ankur Kapila’s appointment to lead digital sales signals a sharper push into a segment that continues to outpace traditional formats.
Behind the scenes, dedicated strategy and operations roles have been carved out for both linear and digital businesses. Nitin Shetty, Rajkiran Shrivastav and Priya Nambiar will take on key responsibilities to ensure the new structure runs with precision.
The broader aim is clear. ZEEL wants a bigger slice of advertising budgets that are steadily drifting towards digital and connected TV ecosystems. By integrating its offerings, the company hopes to deepen client relationships while unlocking new revenue streams.
The new structure takes effect immediately, with Mehrotra continuing to report to chief executive officer Punit Goenka and steer the company’s advertising revenue strategy. Senior executive Laxmi Shetty will support the transition, with her revised role expected to be announced soon.
In a market where content is everywhere but attention is scarce, ZEEL’s latest move is less about rearranging the org chart and more about staying in the game.
