Chennai, 16th January 2026: Sony Pictures Networks India (SPNI) today announced a leadership realignment as part of a refreshed operating model aimed at advancing its vision to become a content-first, platform-agnostic, multi-lingual entertainment company.
The changes are designed to sharpen end-to-end ownership across content, accelerate cross-platform collaboration across television channels, and Sony LIV. This will enable a more unified approach to monetisation and distribution across linear and digital businesses.
Gaurav Banerjee, MD & CEO, Sony Pictures Networks India:
“As we look ahead to our next phase of growth, we have reviewed our operating model and organisational structure to ensure they best support our goals. We are redefining our content strategy from a largely linear-first to a linear and digital approach that delivers seamless consumer experience across platforms. By empowering our teams with greater ownership and driving deeper collaboration, we will improve focus, agility, and execution across the organisation, while strengthening our customer-centric approach across brand and content.”
As part of the updated operating model, SPNI will empower its content clusters with end-to-end ownership across content strategy, programming, marketing, and on-air promotions (OAP) for both linear and digital platforms:
Nachiket Pantvaidya will lead Sony Entertainment Television (SET), Sony Marathi, and Movie Production.
Ajay Bhalwankar will lead Sony SAB, Movies cluster, FTA, and Infotainment channels.
Rajaraman Sundaram will lead the company’s regional expansion into the South.
Ambesh Tiwari will lead Sony AATH, alongside the Kids business.
SPNI will appoint a new head for its Digital business. The company will share details once the succession plan is finalised. In the interim, Gaurav Banerjee will provide direct oversight of the Digital vertical.
To execute a unified monetisation approach across linear and digital, SPNI will consolidate key revenue streams across ad sales and distribution, sports and international business. This revenue engine will be headed by Rajesh Kaul as Chief Revenue Officer.
Akshay Agrawal has been elevated as Head – Linear Ad Sales.
Makarand Palekar has been elevated as Head – Linear Distribution.
Ranjana Mangla, who currently heads digital ad sales, will additionally handle the company’s YouTube growth strategy.
Manish Aggarwal will lead Sony LIV’s B2B and syndication business.
Akshay Agrawal, Makarand Palekar, Ranjana Mangla, and Manish Aggarwal will report to Kaul in the new operating model.
In other support functions, Gaurav Laghate will lead external relations as Head – Corporate Brand, PR and Corporate Communications, while Administration and Facilities will be aligned to Human Resources, headed by Manu Wadhwa, CHRO.
About Culver Max Entertainment Private Limited (formerly known as Sony Pictures Networks India):
Sony Pictures Networks India (SPNI) is the consumer-facing identity of Culver Max Entertainment Private Limited which is an indirect wholly owned subsidiary of Sony Group Corporation, Japan.
A leading media and entertainment conglomerate, SPNI comprises 28 Premium Channels in both SD and HD formats, including leading Hindi General Entertainment Television Channels – Sony Entertainment Television; Sony SAB and Sony PAL; Marathi General Entertainment Channel – Sony Marathi; Bangla General Entertainment Channel – Sony AATH; Hindi Movie Channels – Sony MAX, Sony MAX 1, Sony MAX 2 and Sony WAH; renowned destination for sports fans – Sony Sports Network comprising Sony Sports Ten 1, Sony Sports Ten 2, Sony Sports Ten 3, Sony Sports Ten 4, Sony Sports Ten 5; Kids Entertainment Channel – Sony YAY!; English Movie Channel – Sony PIX; Factual Entertainment Channel – Sony BBC Earth; Free Ad-Supported Streaming Television (FAST) channel in the US and Canada – Sony KAL; Digital entertainment OTT platform – Sony LIV and the independent production venture for original content and IPs for TV and digital media – Studio NEXT. This Network reaches out to over 700 million viewers in India and is available in over 150 countries.
Recognised as an employer of choice within and outside the media industry, SPNI is a recipient of several awards, including India’s Best Companies to Work For 2021 by the Great Place to Work® Institute, India, Exemplars of Inclusion in AVTAR & Seramount’s Most Inclusive Companies Index 2024 and listed as one of the 100 Best Companies for Women in India for eight consecutive years by AVTAR & Seramount. In recognition of the company’s unique workplace culture and exceptional people practices SPNI won the ET Future Skills 2024 for Best Learning Program Supporting Change Transformation Business Strategy, and the TISS LeapVault CLO Awards 2024 for Best Employee Engagement Program and Best Games Based Learning Program.
SPNI is in its 30th year of operations in India. Besides having overseas subsidiaries, it has a subsidiary MSM-Worldwide Factual Media Private Limited, and an affiliate, Bangla Entertainment Private Limited in India.
For more information, log onto www.sonypicturesnetworks.com
