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Network18 ropes in Sunil Sharma to lead tech transformation
Mumbai: Network18 has announced the appointment of Sunil Sharma as chief product & technology officer.
In his new role, Sharma will lead the group’s convergence and digital technology initiatives, including tech architecture, content, data and monetisation management tools, software and product engineering for all general and business news brands under the group’s umbrella.
He will focus on disruptive technologies such as generative AI to improve processes, develop audiences, localise stories and distribute content efficiently.
Sharma will report to Network18’s managing director Rahul Joshi, and work closely with other leaders to foster a strong tech and product DNA across Network18 brands.
Sharma brings with him over two decades of ‘Big Tech’ experience in software product development across sectors such as telecom, retail, media streaming and EdTech businesses. Prior to joining Network18, Sharma was vice president of engineering at Byju’s, where he spearheaded customer experience and customer support technology initiatives. Before that, he served at Amazon for over seven years, making notable contributions in retail, logistics, and Prime Video.
Rajat Nigam will continue to lead as the Group CTO, spearheading overall broadcast tech efforts, including broadcast IT/infrastructure, technology operations, cyber security, enterprise IT and cloud & infra operations. He will also mentor and guide Sharma.
With some recent appointments, Network18 has marked a departure from regular practices of recruiting talent from the same industry. The group is building its tech strength by roping in resources from diverse sectors such as big tech, startups etc.
In the last few months, the group has made significant progress in unifying its digital and broadcast teams across editorial, business and operations.
As part of this process, the group’s broadcast and digital news operations are being converged, keeping technology at the core of it.
From story planning to content consumption on any and every device, the company’s goal is to deliver a top-class experience and conceptualise solutions that will enrich the story-telling experience, paint a picture of audiences in granular detail and help customers to attain maximum value.
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With 57 per cent single new users, Ashley Madison rebrands as discreet dating platform
Platform says majority of new members now identify as single
INDIA: Ashley Madison is shedding the “married-dating” label that defined it for two decades, repositioning itself as a platform for discreet dating in what it calls the post-social media age.
The rebrand, unveiled in India on 27 February, 2026, marks a structural shift in business model and identity. Once synonymous with married dating, the company now describes itself as the “premier destination for discreet dating” under a new tagline: Where Desire Meets Discretion.
The pivot is data-driven. Internal figures show that 57 per cent of global sign-ups between 1 January and 31 December, 2025 identified as single: a notable departure from the platform’s married core. The company argues that its community has already evolved beyond its original positioning.
“In an age where our lives have been constantly put on public display, privacy has become the new luxury,” said Ashley Madison chief strategy officer Paul Keable. He framed the platform’s offering as “ethical discretion” for singles, separated, divorced and non-monogamous users seeking private connections.
The shift also taps into wider digital fatigue. A global survey conducted by YouGov for Ashley Madison, covering 13,071 adults across Australia, Brazil, Canada, Germany, India, Italy, Mexico, Spain, Switzerland, the UK and the US, found mounting discomfort with hyper-public online lives.
Among dating app users, 30 per cent cited constant swiping and messaging as a source of fatigue, while 24 per cent pointed to pressure to curate public-facing profiles and early personal disclosure. Some 27 per cent said fears of screenshots or information being shared contributed to exhaustion; an equal share cited unwanted attention.
The retreat from oversharing appears broader. According to the survey, 46 per cent of adults actively try to keep most aspects of their life private online. Only 8 per cent feel comfortable sharing most aspects publicly, while 35 per cent say they are becoming more selective about what they disclose.
Ashley Madison is betting that this cultural recalibration towards controlled visibility can be monetised. By doubling down on privacy infrastructure and reframing itself around discretion rather than infidelity, the company is attempting to convert reputational baggage into a premium proposition.
