VBS 2026
Meet the speakers taking the stage at VBS 2026
Top leaders from broadcast, telecom, digital, sports and advertising will drive conversations on convergence and innovation
Mumbai: VBS 2026 is set to bring together an influential mix of policymakers, broadcast executives, technology leaders, sports strategists and advertising heads as the media industry navigates rapid convergence and technological acceleration.
The event will open with a keynote address by Shri Ashok Kumar Jha, Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI), Principal Advisor (Broadcast & Cable Services), outlining the regulatory and policy direction for the evolving broadcast and cable landscape. The proceedings will be introduced by Anil Wanvari, IndianTelevision.com, Founder and Editor-in-Chief.
The first panel discussion, focused on media distribution networks, will feature Anil Malhotra, Zee Entertainment Enterprises Ltd, Chief Revenue Officer – Affiliate Sales and Head of Public & Regulatory Affairs; Ajit Pratap Singh, Bharti Airtel, Head of Telco Engineering; Nishtha Kapoor, Eutelsat OneWeb, Senior Director; Kunal Bajaj, CloudExtel, Chief Executive Officer and Co-Founder; Shivaji Chatterjee, Hughes Communications India, Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director; and Yatin Gupta, GTPL Hathway Ltd, Senior Vice President – Marketing. The session will be moderated by Sonica Bajaj, KPMG India, Partner – TMT.
A special fireside chat titled “Technology As An Enabler: The 3 As – AI, Analytics & Automation” will feature Vynsley Fernandes, whole-time director at Hinduja Global Solutions & CEO of NXTDIGITAL Media Group, in conversation with Anil Wanvari, Founder and Editor-in-Chief of IndianTelevision.com.
The “Newsroom of Tomorrow” panel will examine the intersection of technology, trust and sustainable media models. Speakers include Govindraj Ethiraj, The Core, Editor; Dr. Nilesh Khare, Sakal Media Group, Chief Operating Officer; Prakaran Tiwari, NDTV Profit, Chief Executive Producer; Manoj Padmanabhan, Amazon Web Services (AWS), Head of Media & Entertainment Business; and Neeraj Mishra, Vizrt, Key Account Manager. The discussion will be moderated by Mayuresh Konnur, CNR (publisher for BBC in India), Bilingual Correspondent.
The conversation around technology-driven production and live broadcasting will include Mukund Acharya, Sony, Chief Technology Officer; Bhaskar Majumdar, Ross Video, General Manager – SAARC; Divyajot Ahluwalia, wTVision and Quidich Innovation Labs, Founder and Director; Megha Gambhir, Stupa Sports Analytics, Chief Executive Officer and Founder; Subodh Aggarwal, TVU Networks, General Manager – South Asia; and Anand Pimprikar, Tata Communications, Head – India & Middle East, Media Enabled Services. The session will be moderated by Rohan Padha, Deloitte, Partner – India.
In the post-lunch segment, Shubha Pai, Google India, Head of Brand Solutions, will deliver a special address titled “Winning 180 Days of Cricket: Game Beyond the Game.”
The session on next-generation sports fan engagement will feature Shishir Gupta, Sony Pictures Networks India, Head of Content Acquisition, Licensing, Programming Strategy and Insights (Sports); Siddharth Raman, Sportz Interactive, Chief Executive Officer; and Jay Ganesan, Amagi, Head of Growth Strategy & Execution – APAC. The discussion will be moderated by Niraj Ruparel, WPP and WPP Media India, Creative Technology Lead.
A fireside chat will spotlight Manoj Dobhal, Dish TV India Ltd, Founder & CEO, offering insights into the evolving DTH and distribution business.
The sports fandom and creator economy discussion will include Binda Dey, Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), Chief Marketing Officer; Piyush Sharma, Content Creator; and Amit Doshi, IVM Podcasts, Founder & Chief Executive Officer. The session will be moderated by Shubha Pai, Google India, Head of Brand Solutions.
The concluding panel on advertising in a converged media ecosystem will bring together Sujay Ray, L’Oréal India, Head – Consumer Experience, Content and Advocacy; Sujay Rachh, Nuvama Group, Chief Marketing Officer; Anooj Shetty, WPP Media, National Head – Growth Account, Advanced TV; Abhinay Bhasin, Dentsu India, Vice President; Sandeep Balani, JioAds, Vice President – Supply Partnerships; Deepak Karnani, CereOne, Founder and Director; and Pratap Jain, Chana Jor, Founder & Chief Executive Officer. The panel will be moderated by Rahul Kapoor, The Trade Desk, Vice President – Partnerships.
With participation spanning regulators, broadcasters, telecom operators, technology providers, sports strategists and brand leaders, VBS 2026 aims to provide a comprehensive view of how India’s media and entertainment ecosystem is evolving across platforms, business models and audience touchpoints.
