iWorld
SonyLIV business head Uday Sodhi decides to move on
MUMBAI: Uday Sodhi, Business Head of SonyLIV, has decided to move on, after building up the digital business of Sony Pictures Networks (SPN) for almost five years. Uday will now pursue his entrepreneurial passion in the start-up space.
SonyLIV is the pioneer in the OTT space in India. During his stint, Uday was responsible for the introduction of its subscription model, SonyLIV's relaunch and the international launch of SonyLIV subscriptions, among many others. Under his leadership sport tournaments like Euro
2016, FIFA World Cup 2018 and India Australia series 2018 saw phenomenal success in terms of digital viewership.
With Uday's movement, the mantle of SonyLIV will now be shouldered by Danish Khan as the newly appointed business head of SPN's digital business. This will be in addition to Danish's responsibilities as Business Head of Sony Entertainment Television (SET) and Studio NEXT.
In a career spanning over two decades, Danish has successfully managed teams across marketing and programming having worked with Sony MAX, SET and Star Plus in his previous avatars. Under his leadership as business head for SET, the channel has become the #1 Hindi General Entertainment Channel (GEC) in the country. He has brought marquee properties like Kaun Banega Crorepati and The Kapil Sharma Show to SET and created our own IPs with unique shows like Super Dancer and Superstar Singer, which have received widespread recognition across the industry. Danish has also been instrumental in launching and nurturing the Studio NEXT business, armed with the ambition of making SPN a content leader in the M&E industry.
Both, Danish and Uday will work on a transition plan over the next month, in consultation and partnership with relevant stakeholders. Uday's last working day at SPN will be 15 November
2019.
On behalf of everyone at SPN, we wish Uday success in his future endeavours and continued success to Danish in his expanded responsibilities.
e-commerce
American Express to acquire AI startup Hyper to boost automation
Deal targets expense management as AI reshapes corporate spending tools.
MUMBAI: From receipts to robots, the expense sheet is getting a brain upgrade as American Express moves to bring artificial intelligence into the heart of corporate spending. The company has announced plans to acquire Hyper, a relatively young but fast-rising startup founded in 2022 that builds AI-powered agents capable of organising expenses, generating reports, verifying compliance with budgets and policies, and nudging users with timely reminders. The deal, expected to close in the second quarter of 2026, underscores a growing shift among financial institutions to automate traditionally manual, time-heavy workflows.
Hyper counts Sam Altman among its backers, adding a layer of Silicon Valley credibility to the acquisition. While financial details remain undisclosed, the strategic intent is clear: deepen automation capabilities and sharpen American Express’s position in the competitive corporate spending ecosystem.
The two companies are not strangers. They previously collaborated in 2024 on a co-branded credit card product, suggesting that the acquisition is less a cold buy and more an extension of an existing relationship. With this move, American Express is effectively bringing that capability in-house, aiming to embed AI directly into its commercial services stack.
Chief executive Stephen Squeri had already signalled the direction of travel in a recent shareholder letter, describing AI as a “structural shift” in how businesses operate. The Hyper acquisition appears to be a direct response to that shift, particularly in expense management, where processes such as approvals, compliance checks and reporting remain ripe for automation.
Alongside the acquisition, the company is also expanding its product suite. A recently launched business credit card offers cashback and benefits at an annual fee of $295, with another card expected later this year moves that complement its broader push into commercial services.
Taken together, the strategy points to a future where managing expenses may require fewer spreadsheets and more algorithms. For American Express, the bet is simple, if businesses are rethinking how work gets done, the tools that power that work need to evolve just as quickly.
