eNews
DNEG receives two nominations for VFX at 94th Academy Awards
Mumbai: The VFX and animation studio DNEG, led by Namit Malhotra, has received two nominations in the ‘Best Visual Effects’ category for the 94th Academy Awards, scheduled for 27 March in Los Angeles. DNEG has been nominated for its work on “Dune” and “No Time to Die.”
“I am very grateful to the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences for these nominations and I am proud to see our teams receiving this well-deserved recognition,” said DNEG chairman and CEO Namit Malhotra. “These nominations validate our high ambitions for DNEG to become the foremost and most highly-regarded VFX and animation company in the world, and to make my country, my India, proud.”
DNEG’s VFX work has previously won six Academy Awards for ‘Best Visual Effects’ including five of the last seven – for “Tenet,” “First Man,” “Blade Runner 2049,” “Ex Machina,” “Interstellar,” and “Inception.”
Earlier this month, DNEG won a BAFTA for its VFX work on “Dune.” Four of the five 2022 BAFTA-nominated films in the ‘Special Visual Effects’ category feature DNEG-led VFX work including “Dune,” “Ghostbusters: Afterlife,” “The Matrix Resurrections,” and “No Time to Die.”
DNEG also received 12 nominations for the 2022 Visual Effects Society (VES) Awards, across six shows – “Dune,” “The Matrix Resurrections,” “No Time to Die,” “Last Night In Soho,” “Venom: Let There Be Carnage” and “Foundation.” The studio picked up seven awards out of 12 nominations.
In the past, DNEG has won seven BAFTA Awards, 18 Visual Effects Society (VES) Awards and three Primetime Emmy Awards.
eNews
Piyush Thakur steps down as Inshorts’ chief revenue officer
Former vice president and cro says exit marks a new chapter after close to a decade of building revenue and partnerships at Inshorts Group.
NOIDA: Piyush Thakur has stepped away from Inshorts Group after nearly 10 years with the company, marking the end of a long tenure that culminated in his role as chief revenue officer.
In a farewell note, Thakur said he was “turning a new page” after almost a decade at Inshorts, calling it one of the hardest professional decisions he has made. He added that his exit was not driven by uncertainty about the future, but by reflection on a long association with the company.
Thakur joined Inshorts in October 2016 as vice president and spent around seven years in the role before being elevated to chief revenue officer in April 2024, a position he held until April 2026.
He said his tenure was defined by “thousands of mornings, late nights, product debates and breakthrough moments”, as the company evolved into a large-scale digital news platform used by millions.
In his note, Thakur emphasised that Inshorts’ growth was a collective effort across teams, adding that engineers, designers, sales teams and customer support staff all contributed to building the platform. He said the company’s success was not the result of individuals but of “everyone who stayed, passed through, and left their mark”.
Before Inshorts, Thakur worked across several digital media and business development roles. At ESPN, he served as senior regional manager from October 2015 to October 2016, focusing on growth initiatives, strategic opportunities and video distribution.
At Times Internet, he worked for nearly three years, including as head of business development from April 2015 to September 2015 and chief manager from January 2013 to March 2015. His responsibilities included monetisation of mobile platforms, managing media and developer partnerships, and driving revenue across digital properties such as The Times of India and The Economic Times.
Earlier, he worked at Brandmovers as head of business development from June 2012 to June 2013, handling digital, mobile and social media marketing solutions, client development and strategic consulting. During this period, he also worked on advertising revenue, brand strategy and CRM-based solutions.
At Inshorts, Thakur’s role focused on revenue strategy, mobile and media partnerships, and growth initiatives across platforms. His profile highlights experience in mobile product management, digital business models, partner ecosystems and revenue expansion in high-growth environments.
