iWorld
Chandan Das joins Mirchi as vice-president for business
MUMBAI: Mirchi has strengthened its commercial leadership with the appointment of Chandan Das as vice-president for business, bringing in a seasoned media sales executive with deep experience across television, digital and regional markets.
Das joins Mirchi after leading digital and TV revenue generation for the south at JioStar, where he was responsible for monetising marquee properties such as Bigg Boss, Hotstar originals, world TV premieres and network-wide inventories.
He was elevated to director in April this year, reflecting his growing remit across platforms and markets.
With over 14 years of experience, Das has built a reputation for scaling revenue, launching high-impact properties and building teams that blend sharp client insight with disciplined execution. His career includes more than a decade at Disney Star, where he held multiple leadership roles spanning the south, east and regional markets, managing portfolios ranging from Rs 60 crore to over Rs 250 crore.
At Disney Star, Das led ad sales for flagship general entertainment and movie channels, headed regional businesses and played a key role in driving growth across Hindi and regional networks. Earlier stints at HT Media and Info Edge further sharpened his grounding in client solutions and revenue-led strategy.
At Mirchi, Das is expected to focus on accelerating business growth, strengthening advertiser partnerships and unlocking new monetisation opportunities across radio, digital and integrated offerings.
As competition intensifies across audio and content platforms, Mirchi’s latest hire signals a clear intent: chase growth aggressively—and sell smarter.
iWorld
Netflix cuts jobs in product division amid restructuring
Layoffs hit creative studio unit as leadership and strategy shifts unfold.
MUMBAI: The streaming wars may be fought on screen, but the latest plot twist is unfolding behind the scenes. Netflix has reportedly begun laying off several dozen employees from its product division as part of an internal reorganisation, according to a report by Variety. The cuts are believed to have primarily affected the company’s creative studio unit, which works on marketing assets such as in app trailers, promotional visuals and live experience content for the streaming platform.
The company has not disclosed the exact number of employees impacted.
According to the report, the layoffs were not tied to employee performance. Instead, the restructuring eliminated certain roles while other employees were reassigned to different teams within the organisation.
The roles affected are understood to include designers, producers and creative specialists responsible for marketing and brand experience initiatives.
The job cuts come as Netflix adjusts its leadership structure and reshapes its product and creative teams. Last month, Elizabeth Stone was promoted from chief technology officer to chief product and technology officer, giving her oversight of product, engineering and data operations across the company.
Earlier, in December 2025, Netflix also appointed Martin Rose as head of creative for global brand and partnerships, a move seen as part of a broader restructuring of the company’s brand and product functions.
Despite the layoffs, Netflix remains one of the largest employers in the streaming sector. The company is estimated to employ around 16,000 people globally, with roughly 70 percent of its workforce based in the United States and Canada. In 2023, the company reported approximately 13,000 employees, indicating that its headcount had grown significantly before the latest restructuring.
The workforce changes arrive at a time when Netflix is navigating a shifting financial and strategic landscape in the global entertainment industry.
The streaming giant recently secured $2.8 billion in additional cash after receiving a breakup fee from Paramount Skydance following its withdrawal from a deal involving Warner Bros. Discovery.
Speaking to Bloomberg, Netflix co chief executive Ted Sarandos explained that the company had evaluated multiple scenarios during the negotiations but chose not to match the competing offer once it learned that a higher bid had been submitted.
Netflix had capped its offer at $27.75 per share and ultimately stepped back rather than pursue Paramount’s $111 billion acquisition deal, which included a personal guarantee.
Sarandos also cautioned that the financing structure behind the Paramount Skydance transaction could have ripple effects across the entertainment industry.
According to him, the debt heavy deal could trigger significant cost cutting, with David Ellison, chief executive of Paramount Skydance, expected to eliminate about $16 billion in costs and potentially cut thousands of jobs as part of the integration process.
For Netflix, the current restructuring appears to be part of a broader attempt to streamline operations while continuing to invest in product, technology and global content even as the streaming industry enters a new phase of consolidation and financial discipline.
