Monica Tata joins HBO as India MD

MUMBAI: Monica Tata has been appointed managing director of HBO India.

Tata joins the home entertainment network with immediate effect. She will be based in Mumbai and report in to HBO Asia CEO Jonathan Spink.

At HBO India, she will be responsible for introducing and developing various initiatives to enhance the company?s offerings in India and its subcontinent, including providing strategic direction and managing partner relationships.

Spink said, ?We are pleased to have Monica join the HBO Asia family. With Monica?s experience in the industry and her familiarity with our brand and channels, she is the ideal candidate to develop and grow HBO?s brand and market share in South Asia."

Tata said, ?I am excited to join the HBO Asia family as I love the brand and this is an exciting opportunity for me."

There are three 24-hour HBO movie channels available to viewers in India ? HBO, the blockbuster movie channel which was launched in 2000, and two premium advertising free movie channels, HBO Defined and HBO Hits, launched earlier this year that showcase the best of Hollywood and Bollywood content in high-definition and standard-definition.

One of HBO?s aims this year will be to build the distribution of the two premium channels. Tata said that as of now they are on two platforms Dish TV and Airtel. "We are negotiating with the other operators."

Tata adds that Shruti Bajpai who was HBO South Asia country manager has relocated to Dubai. "She continues to oversee marketing activities for HBO."

Tata has over 23 years of media experience and was most recently the General Manager, Entertainment Networks, South Asia for Turner International India where she was responsible for steering and overseeing all network initiatives across Turner?s entertainment brand portfolio in South Asia.

Prior to joining Turner she was the senior vice president -
advertising sales, Star India, where she was responsible for
advertising revenue on Star Movies, Star World, Channel [V], National Geographic Channel and the History Channel.