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Tom Jacomb takes charge as DNEG president, animation division
Mumbai: Animation and VFX studio DNEG on Wednesday announced the promotion of Tom Jacomb as president of the animation division.
Previously serving as managing director, Jacomb helped launch the feature animation division at DNEG in 2014. Based in London, he has guided the growth of the team to more than 500 employees across DNEG’s animation studios in London, Los Angeles, Montréal, and Mumbai.
“In his new role as president, Jacomb will oversee further worldwide investment and expansion of DNEG Animation, including expansion into Vancouver and the creation of up to 100 new animation roles in the city,” said the company in a statement.
Jacomb’s promotion is effective concurrently with the appointment of five new senior members of DNEG Animation’s team and the studio’s expanding slate of new feature film and episodic animation productions.
Freddy Chaleur and Yancy Lindquist have joined DNEG Animation’s team of VFX supervisors, which includes Philippe Denis, Archie Donato, and Taylor Moll; animation director Jay Boose joined the team’s animation leadership group, which includes Kapil Sharma, Troy Saliba, and Dave Lowry – all led by Ted Ty. The new hires are rounded out by the head of look development Sonja Burchard and producer Audrey Ford.
“Jacomb’s promotion and the onboarding of five new senior members of his team support our ambition for DNEG Animation to become one of the best and most highly regarded animation studios in the world,” said DNEG CEO Namit Malhotra. “Jacomb will continue to build a superlative global team and build upon the great successes.”
“DNEG has long been known for its creative pedigree in visual effects, and I am incredibly proud of the opportunity to lead our amazing team and prove that DNEG can also excel in delivering the highest-quality animation projects,” said Tom Jacomb. “The team’s talents and hard work get the credit for our growth and the incredible projects that we are embarking on. Looking to the future, I am very pleased to welcome our new senior crew members, who will bolster DNEG Animation’s global capabilities with even more creativity, experience, and expertise.”
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Piyush Thakur steps down as Inshorts’ chief revenue officer
Former vice president and cro says exit marks a new chapter after close to a decade of building revenue and partnerships at Inshorts Group.
NOIDA: Piyush Thakur has stepped away from Inshorts Group after nearly 10 years with the company, marking the end of a long tenure that culminated in his role as chief revenue officer.
In a farewell note, Thakur said he was “turning a new page” after almost a decade at Inshorts, calling it one of the hardest professional decisions he has made. He added that his exit was not driven by uncertainty about the future, but by reflection on a long association with the company.
Thakur joined Inshorts in October 2016 as vice president and spent around seven years in the role before being elevated to chief revenue officer in April 2024, a position he held until April 2026.
He said his tenure was defined by “thousands of mornings, late nights, product debates and breakthrough moments”, as the company evolved into a large-scale digital news platform used by millions.
In his note, Thakur emphasised that Inshorts’ growth was a collective effort across teams, adding that engineers, designers, sales teams and customer support staff all contributed to building the platform. He said the company’s success was not the result of individuals but of “everyone who stayed, passed through, and left their mark”.
Before Inshorts, Thakur worked across several digital media and business development roles. At ESPN, he served as senior regional manager from October 2015 to October 2016, focusing on growth initiatives, strategic opportunities and video distribution.
At Times Internet, he worked for nearly three years, including as head of business development from April 2015 to September 2015 and chief manager from January 2013 to March 2015. His responsibilities included monetisation of mobile platforms, managing media and developer partnerships, and driving revenue across digital properties such as The Times of India and The Economic Times.
Earlier, he worked at Brandmovers as head of business development from June 2012 to June 2013, handling digital, mobile and social media marketing solutions, client development and strategic consulting. During this period, he also worked on advertising revenue, brand strategy and CRM-based solutions.
At Inshorts, Thakur’s role focused on revenue strategy, mobile and media partnerships, and growth initiatives across platforms. His profile highlights experience in mobile product management, digital business models, partner ecosystems and revenue expansion in high-growth environments.
