GECs
Viacom18’s Soumen Ray joins Bajaj Auto as CFO
MUMBAI: Viacom18 CFO Soumen Ray who joined the organisation as the deputy CFO in 2013 has recently joined Bajaj Auto as the president finance and CFO designate in August 2018.
Ray commenced his journey with Viacom18 during the year 2013 and donned the hat as the deputy CFO, CFO and chief finance and strategy officer. Coming from the B Com background from Kolkata’s St. Xavier’s college, he initiated his career by joining Eveready Industries India Ltd in 1998 as manager-finance.
He also has other laurels to boast of. He qualified as a chartered accountant, made a move at ITC as the commercial manager after a successful stint for about five years at Eveready Industries. Ray then joined Hindustan Unilever Ltd (HUL) as the general manager finance after serving the company for about three years in his previous company. He served for about five years at HUL and then joined Viacom18 as the deputy CFO in 2013.
As per the reports, he will work closely with Kevin Pius D’Sa and is expected to succeed as the president (finance) after D’Sa’s retirement. He will also be a part of Bajaj Auto’s senior leadership team.
MUMBAI: Lights, camera… connection because this time, the game isn’t just about winning, it’s about who’s with you. Sony Pictures Networks India is gearing up to launch a new reality game show, Tum Ho Naa, expanding its unscripted slate with a format that promises both emotion and engagement.
The show will premiere soon on Sony Entertainment Television and stream on Sony LIV, with Rajeev Khandelwal stepping in as host. Known for his measured screen presence and selective choices, Khandelwal’s return to television adds a layer of familiarity and credibility to the upcoming format.
While specific details of the gameplay remain under wraps, the positioning suggests a reality format that leans as much on emotional resonance as it does on competition, an increasingly popular blend in Indian television, where audiences are gravitating towards content that offers both stakes and storytelling.
Khandelwal, reflecting on his return, noted that his choices have often been guided by instinct rather than convention, describing Tum Ho Naa as a project that feels “close to the heart”. His association also signals Sony’s continued focus on anchoring new formats with recognisable faces who bring both relatability and depth.
The launch comes at a time when broadcasters are doubling down on original non-fiction formats to drive appointment viewing, even as digital platforms expand parallel reach. By placing the show across both linear television and OTT, Sony appears to be aiming for a dual-audience strategy capturing traditional viewers while engaging digital-first consumers.
As the countdown to premiere begins, Tum Ho Naa positions itself not just as another game show, but as a reminder that sometimes, the biggest prize on screen isn’t the jackpot, it’s the journey shared along the way.
