iWorld
Streaming service Spuul.com shuffles senior management
MUMBAI: The online streaming service for Indian cinema and TV shows – Spuul.com – has appointed a new CEO in Rajiv Vaidya to strengthen its position across markets, and bring in a focus on brand and ad-sales.
Speaking on the development Spuul’s co-founder and global CEO Subin Subaiah said in a statement: “Spuul has successfully established itself in India as a top of the line content platform and a front runner in the OTT space. With that set, the restructure will allow us to take the business to its next level of engagement with this fast evolving ecosystem. This will include expanding to new markets, generating access to the ballooning digital ad spends and building mutually beneficial partnerships.”
Vaidya joins Spuul from Hughes Networks. He was based in the San Francisco Bay Area, where he headed sales and marketing for US and later for the APAC region. He started his career in advertising with DDB Mudra and went on to head Triton BDDP in India.
Vaidya said: “Within a short span, the brand has garnered a tremendous customer base not only in India but also internationally. With online video consumption gaining popularity in India, I am excited to join the team to further enhance the brand promise amongst advertisers and consumers.”
Along with this appointment, Spuul’s current India-CEO, Prakash Ramchandani will move to the Spuul headquarter office based out of Singapore and assume a global responsibility of chief content officer. His portfolio will also include overseeing international marketing. Ramchandani held management positions across TV networks in India and then out of Sydney where he worked in the DTH space prior to moving to Mumbai to establish Spuul’s Indian subsidiary office.
Taking on the new role, Ramchandani said: “Having been involved with the company since inception and establishing its presence in India has been an extremely rewarding experience. Spuul is a global play and we want to connect with the broader audience base. Content has been the crux of the brand and I look forward to unlocking its value across key markets.”
Broadband
Excitel Broadband names Varun Pasricha as chief executive officer
Former COO steps up to lead broadband firm’s next growth chapter
MUMBAI: Excitel Broadband has elevated its chief operating officer, Varun Pasricha, to the role of chief executive officer, handing the reins to a leader who has already spent nearly eight years shaping the company’s rise.
Pasricha joined Excitel in August 2018 and has since been instrumental in building what he describes as “the most loved broadband brand in the country”. Now, as chief executive officer, he is expected to steer the internet service provider through its next phase of expansion in an increasingly competitive home broadband market.
Before his tenure at Excitel, Pasricha held senior leadership roles at Zomato, where he led sales transformation and served as business head for partner growth across India and the UAE. He oversaw the shift in the company’s advertising model from fixed ad slots to performance driven engagement, migrating more than 7,000 paying clients globally while delivering a 20 per cent upsell on the portfolio.
Earlier, at G4S India, he was senior vice president for strategic business, managing a profit and loss portfolio exceeding Rs 1,000 crore. Over two years, he grew the business by around 50 per cent while improving margins through contract renegotiations and cross selling. He also worked closely with the leadership team as vice president for strategic projects, focusing on corporate strategy, restructuring, and new business launches, including entry into last mile logistics.
His career spans strategy and operations across sectors. At Max Healthcare, he was senior manager for business strategy, working on planning and joint venture rollouts in tier II cities. He co-founded Edventure Online, an education advisory venture aimed at helping students make informed career choices. At Indus Towers, he served as senior business manager in the central strategy team, helping convert the energy vertical from a cost centre into a profit engine.
Pasricha began his career at McKinsey & Company as an analyst, building the consulting toolkit that would underpin his later operating roles.
With a résumé that blends boardroom strategy and frontline execution, Pasricha’s appointment signals continuity with ambition. For Excitel, the message is clear: the company is betting on a leader who already knows where the cables run and where the next connections must be made.
