iWorld
Prime Video India content head Vijay Subramaniam steps down
Mumbai: Amazon Prime Video India’s director and head of content Vijay Subramaniam has stepped down, the company confirmed in a statement. Country manager Gaurav Gandhi will take over his responsibilities going forward.
Subramaniam has been associated with the company since 2017.
“Vijay has played a key role in Prime Video’s growth in India in this period. We are grateful to him for his valuable contributions over the last four years,” said Prime Video India in a statement. “In his content leadership role, Vijay helped forge several key creator partnerships as well as laid great focus on expanding our content selection across languages. We wish Vijay the very best for his upcoming endeavours.”
“Director and country manager Gaurav Gandhi will continue to lead Prime Video in India and work across all teams to accelerate Prime Video’s mission to be the most-loved entertainment brand in the country,” it further said.
Subramaniam was previously with The Walt Disney Company, India before he quit as vice president – content and communication. He joined Disney in February 2007 and was responsible for the growth of its youth channel – Bindass. During his career, he has had stints at MTV Networks India, Entertainment Network India, Star TV Network, and Magna Publishing.
He has almost three decades of experience in the media industry across TV, radio, publishing and digital media. His expertise includes content development and creation, programming and branded content, marketing strategy and implementation, revenue optimisation and sustainable growth and team building.
iWorld
Warner Chappell Music launches India ops, Jay Mehta to lead unit
WMG shifts to direct model, unifying publishing and recorded music
MUMBAI: Warner Chappell Music has officially launched direct operations in India, marking a strategic shift by parent Warner Music Group to deepen its presence in one of the world’s fastest-growing music markets.
The move replaces the company’s earlier sub-publishing model with a full-fledged, on-ground operation, aimed at giving Indian songwriters stronger access to global networks, rights management tools, and creative infrastructure.
To lead the push, Jay Mehta has been handed an expanded mandate. Already serving as managing director of Warner Music India, Mehta will now oversee both recorded music and publishing across India and neighbouring South Asian markets, effectively bringing the two sides of the business under one roof.
The unified structure is designed to streamline how artists and songwriters work with the company, offering a more integrated ecosystem that spans compositions, recordings, and global distribution.
Warner Music Group managing director, recorded music and publishing, India and SAARC Jay Mehta said, “India’s songwriters are world-class, constantly redefining genres and pushing creative boundaries. By establishing a direct footprint for Warner Chappell, we’re bridging the gap between local brilliance and global opportunity.”
The timing is no coincidence. According to CISAC, creator collections in India jumped 42 per cent year-on-year to Rs 7 billion in 2024, while IFPI ranks India as the 15th largest recorded music market globally. At the same time, the industry is undergoing a structural shift, with independent and non-film music gaining ground over traditional Bollywood soundtracks.
Warner’s bet is that a direct presence will help it capture this changing dynamic. The company is also offering India-based creators access to its proprietary tools, including AI-powered royalty matching systems and real-time analytics platforms, aimed at improving transparency and earnings visibility.
Warner Chappell Music co-chair and CEO Guy Moot said the move is about shaping a publishing ecosystem that “works for creators and ensures their music is heard, protected, and rewarded everywhere.”
Meanwhile, Warner Music Group CEO Robert Kyncl underlined India’s importance to the company’s global strategy, noting that the new structure creates a “unified powerhouse” for both creators and audiences.
With local studios, global reach, and tighter integration across its business lines, Warner is clearly doubling down on India. And as streaming habits evolve and independent music rises, the company is positioning itself to be not just a participant, but a key architect of the country’s next music chapter.
