MUMBAI: When general manager Sameer Gogate put in his papers at BBC Studios, it was not clear why and where he was headed. Why would someone give up a plum secure job working with the Beeb which many an executive joins with a retirement plan in mind?

That clarity came in mid-this week, when whispers started that he was actually heading back to his alma mater – Viacom18 – now called JioStar, followed the merger  with Disney Star India. 

But what would he be doing there, was the question? Isn’t the company extremely top heavy with so many bosses that not even department executives know who is reporting to whom and who has the responsibility for a particular function?

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That clarity too came when Gogate’s responsibility was leaked. He would be in charge of the business of Colors, Viacom18’s star channel.  In his new role, Gogate will report to Alok Jain, head of cluster entertainment at JioStar.

For the record, Gogate joining Viacom18 is like returning home for him  as he was once deeply embedded in its ecosystem. He was director of commercial and syndication, overseeing content syndication, film acquisitions, and co-productions for Viacom18 Motion Pictures and he also had a position at Colors, where  he managed music and format licensing, talent management, and group commercial strategy a few years ago.

Gogate brings a wealth of experience from his time at BBC Studios, where he played a pivotal role since 2019 in producing local adaptations of popular BBC formats, including multiple seasons of Criminal Justice and Jhalak Dikhhla Jaa (Dancing with the Stars). He also oversaw the creation of original series such as Highway Love, Ishq in the Air, School of Lies, and Tujhpe Main Fida. Among his recent successes was the IMDb top-ten hit, The Shekhar Suman Show.

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Prior to BBC Studios, Gogate worked at Vuclip as Head of Monetisation, Commercial, and Distribution, where he managed revenue operations and key content partnerships. He also held senior roles at Eros International Media, Endemol India, Viacom18, and EY. 

Meanwhile, following Gogate’s departure, BBC Studios India has announced an interim leadership arrangement. Deepa Nair, head of business and legal affairs, and Sachin Mahajan, head of finance, will jointly oversee the production team in India. Stanley Fernandes will continue leading the channels & streaming and content sales divisions for India and South Asia. The company has yet to announce a permanent successor for Gogate.

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