People
Alex Kuruvilla joins the board of Coruscant Tec
Mumbai, India – November 7, 2005 – Coruscant Tec, a leading mobile content and commerce provider announced today that it has nominated Alex Kuruvilla, former Managing Director, MTV Networks India & Executive Vice President MTV Networks Asia, as a non executive member of the Board of Directors of the Company with effect from October 2005.
In the advent of interactive technology, Alex will provide strategic direction & learnings on innovative mobile content solutions into new markets and to create product identities that have a wide reaching impact on the youth of today.
Alex joins Probir Roy, Anand Rajaraman, Venky Harinarayan and Paavan Duggal as a member of the Board of Directors. Probir is a 17 year veteran of the IT & Internet industry having been associated with Govt., Media/Broadcast and New Media buisnesses in leadership positions. Anand Rajaraman and Venky Harinarayan are founding partners of Cambrian Ventures.
Prior to Founding Cambrian in 2000, Anand was Director of Technology at Amazon.com, responsible for technology strategy and advanced technology initiatives. Venky was a General Manager at Amazon.com and helped create Amazon.com’s marketplace business. Paavan Duggal, General Counsel is a practicing advocate in the Supreme Court of India having specialised in the newly emerging field of Cyberlaw & E-Commerce law.
Welcoming Alex Kuruvilla to the Board, Ajay Adiseshann, Managing Director, Coruscant Tec, said “Alex brings with him, the rich experience of creating one of the most successful youth channels in Asia. We welcome his experience and wisdom to the Coruscant Board and feel that his presence will add to the quality of debate and decision making at the Board”.
“The incredible pace at which innovation & growth is happening in the mobile & wireless space makes it an exciting place for me to be involved with. I was very impressed by the Coruscant team’s passion and I am very excited about the breakthrough ideas that they are launching,”said Alex Kuruvilla, commenting on his association with the company.
“Alex brings on Board world class experience in marketing/branding and content. It is a privilege to have such brilliant and innovative minds as members of our Board and brings closure to our Board composition.” said Probir Roy, Founder-Director, Coruscant Tec.
Alex Kuruvilla is well known for making desi cool. With a legacy of a successful 17-year career in advertising, Alex’s last assignment involved spearheading the strategic direction and day-to-day operations of MTV, Nickelodeon (Nick) and VH1 in India and South East Asia.
Alex’s manifold achievements have secured his nomination as the ‘Entrepreneur of the Year’ by Ernst & Young in 2002. Alex has also featured in Business India’s “People To Watch Out For In The New Millennium”. Alex is a regular speaker at industry events organized by FICCI, CII, the Indian School of Business.
About Coruscant Tec
Coruscant Tec, is a leading mobile solutions company focusing on the areas of content and commerce. The company was set up in 2003 in Mumbai. Today, it has offices in Mumbai, Chennai and Palo Alto (USA). The Company has alliances with several leading Indian and International aggregators, telecom operators (telcos), financial networks and banks to bring mobile content and commerce to Indian mobile subscribers. Today, Coruscant Tec has a wide range of SMS, WAP, BREW and JAVA content in the Indian market.
Coruscant Tec offers complete solutions from content supply to content provisioning and content delivery to the consumer’s handset in any part of the world. Its strengths include rich experiences in mobile and wireless domains, in-depth market know-how, proven competence in content development and the ability to provide quality, cost-effective software technology solutions using a wide array of technologies and processes.
Media Contacts
Aruna Singh, The PRactice
Phone: 022 22886104
Email: aruna@the-practice.net
People
BBC appoints Matt Brittin as 18th Director-General
Former Google EMEA president to lead broadcaster from May amid global change
LONDON: The BBC has named Matt Brittin as its 18th Director-General, placing a seasoned technology and media leader at the helm of one of the world’s most influential public broadcasters. He will formally assume the role on 18 May.
Brittin steps into the position after a brief “gap year”, as he described it, returning to the spotlight with a job that, in his own words, was “probably not one either you or I were expecting”. The appointment signals a strategic tilt towards digital expertise at a time when traditional broadcasting continues to evolve at pace.
The new Director-General brings more than 18 years of experience from Google, where he held several senior roles, including President for Europe, the Middle East and Africa. During his tenure, he played a central role in expanding the company’s footprint across Europe and shaping its regional strategy.
More recently, Brittin served as Senior Independent Director at The Guardian, adding boardroom insight from one of Britain’s leading news organisations. His career also spans roles at McKinsey, Trinity Mirror and Sainsbury’s, giving him a broad perspective across media, retail and strategy.
The Director-General position carries dual responsibility as chief executive officer and editor-in-chief, overseeing the BBC’s creative, editorial and operational direction both in the UK and globally. It is a role that demands not just leadership, but a steady editorial compass in an increasingly complex media landscape.
“Now, more than ever, we need a thriving BBC that works for everyone in a complex, uncertain and fast changing world,” Brittin said. He added that the broadcaster remains “an extraordinary, uniquely British asset” with a legacy of innovation in storytelling and technology.
His appointment comes at a moment when public service broadcasters are under pressure to balance tradition with transformation, navigating shifting audience habits, digital disruption and funding debates. Brittin’s blend of Silicon Valley scale and British media sensibility may prove timely.
With “big challenges and big opportunities” ahead, Brittin appears ready to get started. The real test begins in May, when he moves from anticipation to action at Broadcasting House.
