News Headline
CNN Worldwide appoints Rani Raad as president, CNN commercial
MUMBAI: CNN Worldwide has appointed Rani Raad as president, CNN commercial, in a new global position to broaden the company’s new business streams and increase the value that CNN provides to commercial partners around the world.
By centralizing the management and strategy of its commercial activity in one operation, CNN is creating a more integrated, agile and global approach to the way it assesses market needs, develops solutions and works with partners.
To achieve this and ensure that CNN is best positioned to continue its commercial success into the decade, Raad will work closely with WarnerMedia Sales and International on its CNN advertising and distribution activity, lead international business through CNN International Commercial, optimize CNN Worldwide’s directly controlled revenue operations and maximize the commercial potential of development of new products.
Effective immediately, Raad reports directly to Jeff Zucker, Chairman, WarnerMedia News and Sports & President, CNN Worldwide.
“There has never been a more important time to be strategic and purposeful about revenue generation across the platforms of CNN Worldwide,” said Zucker. “By aligning Rani and his team more closely with the rest of the CNN organization, there is no doubt it will make a big difference in our ability to find new ways of doing business and enhanced opportunities for our clients around the world.”
Raad, a CNN veteran of 22 years, started his career at the company in New York before holding a number of senior international roles with CNN and WarnerMedia. In 2013, Raad combined all business operations of CNN’s properties outside of the United States within the division CNN International Commercial (CNNIC), including advertising, sponsorship, content sales & licensing, out of home, marketing and audiences & data. Since then, as president of CNNIC Raad has developed the business by introducing a cross-platform and data-led strategy with increased digital capabilities, tailored for a wide range of client and market needs across over 200 countries and territories.
Raad said: “I don’t think I have ever seen a time when CNN has been so influential, both in the US and internationally. An era of structural change in the media market, the increased demand for verified news and the economic impact of Covid-19 is fundamentally changing the way we need to work with our business partners. With our premium brand, sophisticated solutions and worldwide reach, it’s now more important than ever before that our business partners, wherever they are, have greater and faster access to CNN’s full suite of global capabilities.”
NEW DELHI: Hamdard Laboratories gathered a cross-section of India’s achievers in New Delhi on Friday, handing out the Hakeem Abdul Hameed Excellence Awards to figures who have left their mark across healthcare, education, sport, public service and the arts.
The ceremony, attended by minister of state for defence Sanjay Seth and senior officials from the ministry of Ayush, celebrated individuals whose work blends professional success with a sense of public purpose. It was as much a roll call of achievement as it was a reminder that influence is not measured only in profits or podiums, but in people reached and lives improved.
Among the headline awardees was Alakh Pandey, founder and chief executive of PhysicsWallah, recognised for turning affordable digital learning into a mass movement. On the sporting front, Arjuna Awardee and kabaddi player Sakshi Puniya was honoured for her contribution to the game and for pushing women’s participation onto bigger stages.
The cultural spotlight fell on veteran lyricist and poet Santosh Anand, whose songs have echoed across generations of Hindi cinema. At 97, Anand accepted the honour with characteristic humility, reflecting on a life shaped by perseverance and hope.
Healthcare honours spanned both modern and traditional systems. Manoj N. Nesari was recognised for strengthening Ayurveda’s place in national and global health frameworks. Padma shri Mohammed Abdul Waheed was honoured for his research-backed work in Unani medicine, while padma shri Mohsin Wali received recognition for his long-standing contribution to patient-centred care.
Education and social development also featured prominently. Padma shri Zahir Ishaq Kazi was honoured for decades of work in education, while former Meghalaya superintendent of Police T. C. Chacko was recognised for public service. Goonj founder Anshu Gupta received an award for his dignity-centred rural development initiatives, and the Hunar Shakti Foundation was honoured for empowering women and young girls through skill development.
The Lifetime Achievement Award went to former IAS officer Shailaja Chandra for her long career in public healthcare and governance, particularly in the traditional systems under Ayush.
Speaking at the event, Hamdard chairman Abdul Majeed said the awards were a tribute to those who combine excellence with empathy. “These awardees reflect Hakeem Sahib’s belief that healthcare, education and public service must ultimately serve humanity,” he said.
Minister Seth struck a forward-looking note, saying India’s young population gives the country a unique opportunity to become a global destination for learning, health and wellness by 2047.
The ceremony also featured the trailer launch of Unani Ki Kahaani, an upcoming documentary starring actor Jim Sarbh, set to premiere on Discovery on 11 February.
Instituted in memory of Unani scholar and educationist Hakeem Abdul Hameed, the awards have grown into a national platform that celebrates those building a more inclusive and resilient India. For one evening at least, the spotlight was not just on success, but on service with substance.
