iWorld
Amuz Distribution announces format licensing deal at MIPCOM with We Make Productions
Mumbai: Amuz Distribution’s Alex Avon, VP of global distribution announced a celebrity entertainment format license deal with We Make Productions for France and Belgium. In Lieu of Flowers, is a primetime hit in Quebec on ICI Radio-Canada Télé. The original producer is Zone 3 in Canada.
In Lieu of Flowers is an irreverent show that laughs in the face of death. Based on the Celebrity Roast concept, each episode features a guest star who must bear witness to the totality of his or her life on stage through a flurry of comic numbers and a variety of sketches, as if they were attending their own hilarious mock funeral.
Avon stated: “Amuz Distribution is delighted to partner with Bouchra Réjani and her studio, We Make Productions for the fantastically funny and heart-warming entertainment format of In Lieu of Flowers. It has been a long-running favourite in Quebec, and we are excited to see the localized version in Belgium and France.”
We Make founder and producer Bouchra Rejani added “We are excited to take In Lieu of Flowers and make it our own for France and Belgium. Alexandre Avon and Amuz Distribution are amazing partners, and we appreciate them bringing us this funny proven format which audiences will truly enjoy.”
Gaming
Roblox appoints Sunil Rao as India managing director to drive growth
Former AWS leader to lead creator ecosystem, partnerships and local strategy
MUMBAI: Roblox has appointed Sunil Rao as managing director for India, as the company looks to deepen its footprint in one of its fastest-growing markets.
Rao, who will join in May, will serve as the senior-most representative for Roblox in India, leading local strategy, partnerships and day-to-day operations. His mandate includes strengthening the platform’s presence, supporting the creator ecosystem and aligning India’s market needs with global priorities.
A key focus area will be nurturing India’s growing community of developers and creators, enabling local studios to leverage Roblox’s tools for scaling and monetisation. Globally, the platform’s creator community earned over $1.5 billion in 2025, underlining the economic potential of user-generated content ecosystems.
“Roblox is at the forefront of enabling a new generation of creators and games. India’s scale, creativity, and entrepreneurial energy present a massive opportunity,” said Rao. “I’m excited to build a vibrant and inclusive ecosystem that empowers developers and creators across the country. Ensuring child safety and aligning closely with India’s regulatory framework will be among my top priorities.”
Welcoming the appointment, Roblox vice president international Zhen Fang said India represents a high-potential market for the company. “Sunil brings deep expertise in building operations across diverse markets, and his passion for community-centric platforms makes him the ideal leader to drive our next chapter of growth in the country.”
Rao brings over two decades of experience across technology platforms, venture capital and developer ecosystems. He was previously part of the leadership team at Amazon Web Services, where he led strategy and corporate business development across Asia-Pacific and Japan. He also served as a partner at Lightspeed Venture Partners, working closely with startups and founders.
Earlier in his career, Rao played a key role in building developer ecosystems at Symbian, Nokia and Google, contributing to the growth of major mobile and internet platforms.
With India’s large youth population and rapidly evolving digital landscape, Roblox’s latest leadership move signals a sharper focus on long-term growth, local relevance and creator-led innovation in the market.
