iWorld
ZEE5 India appoints Rajeev Dhal as chief revenue officer
MUMBAI: ZEE5, the digital entertainment destination launched by Zee Entertainment Enterprises Limited (ZEEL), has appointed Rajeev Dhal as chief revenue officer in order to bolster its advertising sales and operations vertical.
Rajeev will succeed Taranjeet Singh who was a key member in setting up the advertisement revenue stream and played an instrumental role in framing the architecture of the industry-first Ad Stack. During his tenure, he has helped build and drive the sales and sales support teams of ZEE5 India.
In this role, Rajeev will report to ZEE5 India CEO Tarun Katial. This appointment demonstrates company’s commitment to invest in its leadership talent to foster continued growth, especially in the realm of digital revenue.
ZEE5 India CEO Tarun Katial, said: “The strength of our business and the momentum experienced in the last two years of our existence have made us a leader in the video streaming space. From delivering bespoke content in 12 Indian languages to being available across the spectrum of devices to launching new product offerings within the ZEE5 app, we have truly made ourselves ubiquitous and consumer’s go-to entertainment super-app. With Rajeev’s appointment, we are confident that with his extensive amount of experience and his inclusive leadership skills, he will be able to guide the Ad Sales and Operations function to the next stage of our growth in India, and we’re excited to have him on the team.”
He further added, “In Taranjeet, we had a man with undying passion to contribute to the overall ad sales business and simultaneously, adding value to the brands which were advertising on our platform. His relentless efforts in putting together the ad-suite model, an industry-first, have encouraged brands to leverage the massive reach of our platform to reach out to audiences across the country. On behalf of the entire team at ZEE5, I thank him for his valuable contribution and wish him all the best.”
Rajeev has worked in the leadership position across a wide range of media and consumer internet companies in his career spanning more than two decades. Most recently, he was responsible for the revenue function at “SHAREit” – world’s largest p2p content sharing app.
As the CRO of “SHAREit” he has established teams and revenue across India, South East Asia, Middle East and Africa. Prior to that, he was heading monetization at “Dailyhunt” where besides establishing a strong revenue function he has also built awareness and demand for Indic language advertising across all leading brands and agencies. In the last 13 years he has led four start-ups from scratch to scalable revenue models.
In his new role, Rajeev will be responsible for achieving and delivering the revenue growth through Advertising Sales and Operations for ZEE5 India.
He is an alumnus of MICA, Ahmedabad in communication and media studies.
iWorld
Warner Chappell Music launches India ops, Jay Mehta to lead unit
WMG shifts to direct model, unifying publishing and recorded music
MUMBAI: Warner Chappell Music has officially launched direct operations in India, marking a strategic shift by parent Warner Music Group to deepen its presence in one of the world’s fastest-growing music markets.
The move replaces the company’s earlier sub-publishing model with a full-fledged, on-ground operation, aimed at giving Indian songwriters stronger access to global networks, rights management tools, and creative infrastructure.
To lead the push, Jay Mehta has been handed an expanded mandate. Already serving as managing director of Warner Music India, Mehta will now oversee both recorded music and publishing across India and neighbouring South Asian markets, effectively bringing the two sides of the business under one roof.
The unified structure is designed to streamline how artists and songwriters work with the company, offering a more integrated ecosystem that spans compositions, recordings, and global distribution.
Warner Music Group managing director, recorded music and publishing, India and SAARC Jay Mehta said, “India’s songwriters are world-class, constantly redefining genres and pushing creative boundaries. By establishing a direct footprint for Warner Chappell, we’re bridging the gap between local brilliance and global opportunity.”
The timing is no coincidence. According to CISAC, creator collections in India jumped 42 per cent year-on-year to Rs 7 billion in 2024, while IFPI ranks India as the 15th largest recorded music market globally. At the same time, the industry is undergoing a structural shift, with independent and non-film music gaining ground over traditional Bollywood soundtracks.
Warner’s bet is that a direct presence will help it capture this changing dynamic. The company is also offering India-based creators access to its proprietary tools, including AI-powered royalty matching systems and real-time analytics platforms, aimed at improving transparency and earnings visibility.
Warner Chappell Music co-chair and CEO Guy Moot said the move is about shaping a publishing ecosystem that “works for creators and ensures their music is heard, protected, and rewarded everywhere.”
Meanwhile, Warner Music Group CEO Robert Kyncl underlined India’s importance to the company’s global strategy, noting that the new structure creates a “unified powerhouse” for both creators and audiences.
With local studios, global reach, and tighter integration across its business lines, Warner is clearly doubling down on India. And as streaming habits evolve and independent music rises, the company is positioning itself to be not just a participant, but a key architect of the country’s next music chapter.
