Kids
Mayer, Yudkovitz to head Disney’s corporate strategy group
MUMBAI: US media conglomerate The Walt Disney Company has tapped Kevin Mayer and former TiVo president Marty Yudkovitz for its new corporate strategy, business development and technology group.
Mayer will head the division as its executive VP. He will report to Disney senior executive VP and CFO Tom Staggs.
He was most recently partner and head of the Global Media and Entertainment practice at L.E.K. Consulting. Before that he was chairman and CEO of Clear Channel Interactive and president and CEO of Playboy.com. He is also a former Disney executive, having worked at the Walt Disney Internet Group.
Yudkovitz joins the division as senior VP, reporting to Mayer. He will take a lead role in identifying and executing new business opportunities. He was most recently Tivo president. Earlier he was at NBC in a variety of senior management roles, including NBC Digital Media president.
The group will target emerging businesses new to Disney’s existing portfolio, manage cross-divisional issues and opportunities, and evaluate new technology and business models. The group will also be responsible for aiding in the evaluation of potential acquisition transactions. Staggs said, “The corporate strategy, business development and technology group will play a pivotal role in detecting and analysing key trends impacting our markets. The group will also evaluate high potential new business opportunities that leverage and extend our competitive position”.
Kids
Mukta Arts and Green Gold ink MOU to animate iconic film IPs
Kalicharan, Karz, Hero, Karma, Ram Lakhan to spawn animated shows plus features.
MUMBAI: When classic hindi movie meets animation, the result is a fresh reel of nostalgia with a cartoon twist. Mukta Arts Ltd. and Green Gold Animation have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to collaborate on animated shows and feature films drawn from Mukta Arts’ four-decade treasure trove of iconic IPs. The partnership taps Mukta’s SGM Animation Studio launched in 2025 as its dedicated animation and games arm and Green Gold’s proven track record in building scalable, homegrown franchises. Creative teams from both sides have already kicked off discussions, with the first project currently in development.
The slate will draw inspiration from landmark Mukta films including Kalicharan, Karz, Hero, Karma, Ram Lakhan, Khalnayak, Saudagar and Iqbal, plus character-led spin-offs from those universes. The aim is to reimagine these stories for today’s young, global audiences while preserving their emotional core.
Green Gold Animation (home of Chhota Bheem) founder and CEO Rajiv Chilaka said, “This partnership with SGM Studios allows us to apply our experience in building long-lasting animation IPs to a truly iconic film catalogue. Together, we aim to create animated worlds that are rooted in these legendary stories, yet designed to connect with today’s young, global audiences.”
Mukta Arts Ltd. filmmaker and founder Subhash Ghai added, “Mukta Arts has always believed in creating stories with lasting emotional value. Through animation, we are extending our IP into a new medium for the next generation.”
In an industry where timeless tales never go out of fashion, this collaboration promises to bring beloved characters back to life with a modern, animated glow proving that some stories are too good to stay in live-action. Stay tuned for the first animated frame to drop.
