MUMBAI: Mukta Arts limited has announced the appointment of Ravi Gupta as CEO of Mukta Arts with effect from 15 April 2004.

Beside being Mukta Arts' CEO, Gupta will also take up the responsibilities at Mukta Arts and Film City joint venture Whistling Woods as an executive director.

A postgraduate from IIT Bombay and an MBA from JBI, Gupta has moved back recently from London.

Prior to him joining Mukta arts, he has held board positions in companies in the UK, the USA, and Middle East. He has been the founder CEO of B4U and was earlier NFDC's managing director. He was one of the key players for the launch of the Metro Channel and the B4U channels, says a company release

Armed with extensive knowledge of the film production and distribution business globally, besides wide experience of the television business, the release gushes that Gupta will add significant value to the Mukta Arts dynamic team.

Founder member of SRFTII, Gupta has been on the governing board of FTII Pune. According to the release, his valuable insight in the area of knowledge and skill transfer industry and global contacts will help Whistling Woods achieve the status of an internationally reputed learning institution.

Gupta has been closely associated with productions of well-known directors including Satyajit Ray, Mrinal Sen, Shyam Benegal and Mira Nair and has represented India on the Board of Paris based FIAPF and has been on the Board of Los Angeles based IATAS that awards the iEmmy. He has also been the founding managing editor of Cinema in India.

Speaking about his appointment Mukta Arts ltd CMD Subhash Ghai said, "The appointment of Ravi Gupta as CEO- Mukta Arts and ED, WWI, reflects our continued commitment to add professionalism and bring managerial excellence to our businesses. With Ravi's experience in the entertainment and education industry, I am sure Mukta Arts can look forward to accelerating its development into a diversified world-class media company".

"Nobody builds a company by just working for it. When you work with a passion for a vision you believe in, you build a lasting brand. We have a great vision for Mukta Arts and Whistling Woods and I share Subhash Ghai's passion to achieve this vision," says Gupta.