iWorld
Silly Monks appoints C Ratnakar Rao as non-executive chairman
MUMBAI: Hyderabad-based digital media entertainment company Silly Monks Entertainment Ltd has expanded its board of directors with the appointment of independent director and chairman C Ratnakar Rao.
C Ratnakar Rao, a graduate in economics (Delhi and Osmania Universities) and management education programme – (IIM-Ahmedabad), brings invaluable experience in the domestic and international markets in the areas of media and advertising spanning over 25 years, having worked with leading Indian and international advertising agency networks (RK Swamy/BBDO and DDB Worldwide) – India, middle east, north Africa and European markets.
He was a faculty at Institute of Management Technology (Ghaziabad’s Hyderabad campus) and has served as a member of the academic council in Osmania University’s department of communication and journalism. He also served as president of The Advertising Club of Hyderabad for four terms at different stages.
Silly Monks MD Sanjay Reddy said: “He is highly regarded in his respective fields and I look forward to deriving the maximum out of his vast experience to help Silly Monks catapult to the next level.”
“COVID-19 times have helped us learn a lot, with increased revenues during the adversities we look forward to a leaner and a smarter organisation while praying for an early cure for this pandemic.”
Ratnakar Rao added, “The future of media and entertainment is perhaps one of the most fascinating stories unfolding in the world today. I cannot be more excited than being part of an industry that is driven by passionate innovation and creativity. Silly Monks has been occupying a vital position in this space and I’m quite delighted by the opportunity to be associated with an energetic and promising organization like Silly Monks. It’s a great honour and I look forward to seeing the organization making remarkable progress as we take ambitious strides.”
Ratnakar has been associated with marketing communication activities of major international brands including Sony, Almarai Dairy, Clorox Corporation, Henkel Germany, General Motors Corporation and Landmark Retail Group. He was also associated with the advertising of many leading brands not limiting to Hyderabad Industries, Coromandel Fertilisers, Vizag Steel, Margadarsi Group, Continental Coffee, Furniture World Group, Birla Shakti Cement, Apollo Hospitals, Care Hospitals, Ratnadeep Retail and many more.
iWorld
Netflix cuts jobs in product division amid restructuring
Layoffs hit creative studio unit as leadership and strategy shifts unfold.
MUMBAI: The streaming wars may be fought on screen, but the latest plot twist is unfolding behind the scenes. Netflix has reportedly begun laying off several dozen employees from its product division as part of an internal reorganisation, according to a report by Variety. The cuts are believed to have primarily affected the company’s creative studio unit, which works on marketing assets such as in app trailers, promotional visuals and live experience content for the streaming platform.
The company has not disclosed the exact number of employees impacted.
According to the report, the layoffs were not tied to employee performance. Instead, the restructuring eliminated certain roles while other employees were reassigned to different teams within the organisation.
The roles affected are understood to include designers, producers and creative specialists responsible for marketing and brand experience initiatives.
The job cuts come as Netflix adjusts its leadership structure and reshapes its product and creative teams. Last month, Elizabeth Stone was promoted from chief technology officer to chief product and technology officer, giving her oversight of product, engineering and data operations across the company.
Earlier, in December 2025, Netflix also appointed Martin Rose as head of creative for global brand and partnerships, a move seen as part of a broader restructuring of the company’s brand and product functions.
Despite the layoffs, Netflix remains one of the largest employers in the streaming sector. The company is estimated to employ around 16,000 people globally, with roughly 70 percent of its workforce based in the United States and Canada. In 2023, the company reported approximately 13,000 employees, indicating that its headcount had grown significantly before the latest restructuring.
The workforce changes arrive at a time when Netflix is navigating a shifting financial and strategic landscape in the global entertainment industry.
The streaming giant recently secured $2.8 billion in additional cash after receiving a breakup fee from Paramount Skydance following its withdrawal from a deal involving Warner Bros. Discovery.
Speaking to Bloomberg, Netflix co chief executive Ted Sarandos explained that the company had evaluated multiple scenarios during the negotiations but chose not to match the competing offer once it learned that a higher bid had been submitted.
Netflix had capped its offer at $27.75 per share and ultimately stepped back rather than pursue Paramount’s $111 billion acquisition deal, which included a personal guarantee.
Sarandos also cautioned that the financing structure behind the Paramount Skydance transaction could have ripple effects across the entertainment industry.
According to him, the debt heavy deal could trigger significant cost cutting, with David Ellison, chief executive of Paramount Skydance, expected to eliminate about $16 billion in costs and potentially cut thousands of jobs as part of the integration process.
For Netflix, the current restructuring appears to be part of a broader attempt to streamline operations while continuing to invest in product, technology and global content even as the streaming industry enters a new phase of consolidation and financial discipline.
