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MUMBAI:
After steering Multi Screen Media's (Sony Entertainment Television)
growth in India for almost 14 years, CEO Kunal Dasgupta has
resigned, citing personal reasons.
The
announcement was made today by Sony Pictures Television International's
(SPTI) president - international networks Andy Kaplan.
MSM
board chairman Man Jit Singh has taken over as interim CEO.
He will lead the search for a new CEO.
 "Dasgupta
was one of the first people to join what was then our only
channel in India, Sony Entertainment Television, and has played
an instrumental role in growing our channels business to what
it is today," said Kaplan. "Dasgupta has amazing
relationships with India's top directors, producers and actors,
plus close ties to the cricket world. While his experience
and leadership will be greatly missed, we are fortunate that
Multi Screen has strong existing management and the business
is strategically focused."
Dasgupta
is instrumental in building a clutch of channels for MSM including
a hybrid movie, cricket and events channel in Max. MSM also
acquired Sab and has positioned it as a second Hindi general
entertainment channel to flank Set.
Dasgupta
played a key role in the formation of a distribution bouquet,
TheOneAlliance, a joint venture between MSM and Discovery
Communications India that distributes 18 channels throughout
the subcontinent. Apart from MSM channels, TheOneAlliance
also distributes SPTI's AXN and Animax channels, Discovery,
Animal Planet, Discovery Travel & Living, MTV, Nick, VH1,
Aaj Tak, Tez, Headlines Today, NDTV Profit, NDTV 24x7, NDTV
India and from 1 April, it will have Colors.
Dasgupta
leaves Multi Screen with rights to Indian Premier League cricket,
one of the most valuable TV properties in India.
Dasgupta
joined Set before its launch in July 1995 and was one of the
first employees. Prior to joining the company, he held executive
positions at Mattel Toys and later, the DGP group, where he
was a key member of the senior management. He is a member
of numerous industry boards, including the Federation of Indian
Chambers of Commerce and Industry, the Indian chapter of the
International Advertising Association, the Confederation of
Indian Industry, and several others. He is also a member of
the Key Advisory Group to India's Minister of Information
and Broadcasting. He is a fellow of the Indian Institute of
Management, Calcutta.
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