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Tania Missad takes the helm as EVP, insights & strategy at Sony Pictures
MUMBAI: Hollywood just got a little more data-savvy, and Sony Pictures Entertainment (SPE) is leading the charge. Tania Missad, an industry veteran with a stellar track record spanning Warner Bros, Mattel, J&J, and P&G, has stepped into her new role at Sony Pictures Entertainment as executive vice president – insights, strategy & analytics.
Missad now spearheads the TV production insights & audience strategy teams for US & International TV productions, kids, game shows, and unscripted TV divisions. But this isn’t just another promotion—it’s a game-changing integration of Sony’s data solutions team with its TV production division, putting data, machine learning, and business intelligence at the core of decision-making.
Under Missad’s leadership, her team will leverage advanced analytics, data science, large language models (LLMs), neural networks (NNs), business intelligence visualisation, and data hygiene management. Missad expressed her enthusiasm for the role, stating, “Excited to continue to lead the amazing TV production insights & audience strategy teams for our US & Int’l TV productions, kids, game shows & unscripted TV divisions. This newly expanded remit involves joining our data solutions organisation with our TV Production team, which is a game-changer for audience centricity & data-informed strategy at SPE.”
Missad’s role isn’t confined to one corner of Sony Pictures. She will collaborate with multiple key divisions, including worldwide TV distribution & home entertainment, The Fandom Network, IT, and MPG/Features. This cross-functional integration will ensure Sony’s storytelling strategy aligns with evolving audience behaviour and cutting-edge analytics.
With a career spanning top entertainment and consumer brands, Missad has become a leader in audience insights and data-driven strategy. Before joining Sony, she was at Warner Bros. Discovery as global head of corporate research, managing data science and consumer insights for major franchises like Harry Potter and DC. She previously held leadership roles at Mattel, Johnson & Johnson, and P&G, shaping strategies for brands like Barbie and Neutrogena.
Missad’s strength lies in blending qualitative research, data modelling, and business intelligence. At WarnerMedia, she led insights for HBO Max Kids and Warner Bros. Animation, fusing analytics with storytelling. Now, at Sony, she aims to redefine entertainment through audience-driven, strategic innovation.
NEW DELHI: Hamdard Laboratories gathered a cross-section of India’s achievers in New Delhi on Friday, handing out the Hakeem Abdul Hameed Excellence Awards to figures who have left their mark across healthcare, education, sport, public service and the arts.
The ceremony, attended by minister of state for defence Sanjay Seth and senior officials from the ministry of Ayush, celebrated individuals whose work blends professional success with a sense of public purpose. It was as much a roll call of achievement as it was a reminder that influence is not measured only in profits or podiums, but in people reached and lives improved.
Among the headline awardees was Alakh Pandey, founder and chief executive of PhysicsWallah, recognised for turning affordable digital learning into a mass movement. On the sporting front, Arjuna Awardee and kabaddi player Sakshi Puniya was honoured for her contribution to the game and for pushing women’s participation onto bigger stages.
The cultural spotlight fell on veteran lyricist and poet Santosh Anand, whose songs have echoed across generations of Hindi cinema. At 97, Anand accepted the honour with characteristic humility, reflecting on a life shaped by perseverance and hope.
Healthcare honours spanned both modern and traditional systems. Manoj N. Nesari was recognised for strengthening Ayurveda’s place in national and global health frameworks. Padma shri Mohammed Abdul Waheed was honoured for his research-backed work in Unani medicine, while padma shri Mohsin Wali received recognition for his long-standing contribution to patient-centred care.
Education and social development also featured prominently. Padma shri Zahir Ishaq Kazi was honoured for decades of work in education, while former Meghalaya superintendent of Police T. C. Chacko was recognised for public service. Goonj founder Anshu Gupta received an award for his dignity-centred rural development initiatives, and the Hunar Shakti Foundation was honoured for empowering women and young girls through skill development.
The Lifetime Achievement Award went to former IAS officer Shailaja Chandra for her long career in public healthcare and governance, particularly in the traditional systems under Ayush.
Speaking at the event, Hamdard chairman Abdul Majeed said the awards were a tribute to those who combine excellence with empathy. “These awardees reflect Hakeem Sahib’s belief that healthcare, education and public service must ultimately serve humanity,” he said.
Minister Seth struck a forward-looking note, saying India’s young population gives the country a unique opportunity to become a global destination for learning, health and wellness by 2047.
The ceremony also featured the trailer launch of Unani Ki Kahaani, an upcoming documentary starring actor Jim Sarbh, set to premiere on Discovery on 11 February.
Instituted in memory of Unani scholar and educationist Hakeem Abdul Hameed, the awards have grown into a national platform that celebrates those building a more inclusive and resilient India. For one evening at least, the spotlight was not just on success, but on service with substance.
