Factual
Discovery Networks appoints Jay Trindad as senior VP & GM for northeast business
MUMBAI: Discovery Networks Asia Pacific has hired Jay Trindad as senior vice president and general manager for its northeast business. He will be based in Tokyo and will report to Discovery Networks Asia-Pacific managing director and president Arthur Bastings.
“As we inject digital into our DNA, I am thrilled to have someone of Jay’s calibre join our team,” said Bastings. “His expertise in pure-play digital and consumer-centric innovation is invaluable as we evolve and take Discovery to the next stage of growth, particularly in northeast Asia, where we are looking to meaningfully invest and take full advantage of the region’s sophisticated and widespread wireless infrastructure.”
The hire highlights the company’s wide bet on digital as a driver of business in coming years.
At Discovery, he will focus on delivering compelling brand experiences to the millennial audience by redefining Discovery’s suite of products, the company said in a statement.
International president J.B. Perrette in part landed his post thanks to his expertise in digital, having been on the launch team of US VOD platform Hulu. Korean country manager Hee-Man Lee and his team will be folded into the new group, which will also include Japan. Whereas, Discovery’s Japanese chief Louis Boswell, will now lead the cable giant’s southeast Asia operations.
Hoekstra subsequently joined Vice Media to roll out its linear channel, Viceland, across Europe.
Trindad has a varied CV, having worked at search giant Google for ten years, recently leading a push to promote the Google Chrome browser in Asia; translation platform Gengo; and mobile payment gateway Square Inc.
He was most recently VP, digital at McDonald’s Japan, where he led strategy and increased customer engagement through digital initiatives.
MUMBAI: India’s most famous hot seat is about to welcome an unlikely first-timer. For the first time on Hindi general entertainment television, industrialist Kumar Mangalam Birla will appear on Kaun Banega Crorepati, the iconic quiz show hosted by Amitabh Bachchan.
The special episode marks a rare meeting point of boardroom heft and prime-time television, bringing one of India’s most influential business leaders face to face with the country’s most enduring screen legend. It is a crossover that blends intellect, leadership and popular culture, all under KBC’s familiar spotlight.
Birla’s appearance dovetails neatly with the show’s current theme, Jahaan Akal Hai, Wahan Akad Hai, which celebrates the confidence that comes from clarity of thought and knowledge. His presence lends weight to the idea that sharp thinking and conviction are as vital in life as they are in the quiz chair.
In a thoughtful conversation with Bachchan, Birla shared an upbeat view of India’s economic journey, pointing to the nation’s rapid growth and the scale of opportunity opening up across industries and communities. He spoke of momentum, ambition and a future shaped by enterprise and ideas.
The episode is not all serious talk. In lighter moments, Birla confessed his long-standing admiration for Bachchan, calling him his favourite actor and admitting to a touch of nervousness at answering questions in front of the Shahenshah himself. The candour adds a human touch to a man more often seen in headlines than on television sets.
The special episode airs on Monday, 29 December at 9.00 pm on Sony Entertainment Television and Sony LIV.
