Media firm 21st Century Fox said on Tuesday that it has elevated Star India Chairman and CEO Uday Shankar to the new role of President, 21st Century Fox, Asia, effective immediately.

In his new role, Shankar will lead 21st Century Fox’s (21CF) video businesses across Asia, including Star India and Fox Networks Group, and work closely with 21CF leadership on key strategic initiatives in the region.

He will continue to serve as Chairman and CEO for Star India, comprising over 60 channels across entertainment and sports and eight languages, as well as digital video platform Hotstar.

21st Century Fox Executive Chairman Lachlan Murdoch and CEO James Murdoch said in statement, “Uday’s new role will enhance our strategic focus across all of Asia and enable us to further capture opportunities, building on the transformation Star India has driven in our most important growth market. Under Uday’s leadership, our India business has firmly established itself as a world-class asset with durable businesses across entertainment, sports, satellite distribution and OTT. His strategic vision has put 21CF at the forefront of content and distribution in one of the world’s fastest growing economies, and we are very fortunate to benefit from Uday’s expanded leadership at a global level.”

Zubin Gandevia, President of Fox Networks Group Asia, will continue to oversee video brands across 14 markets and now report to Shankar under this realigned regional structure.

21CF’s film business in Asia will continue to report directly to Stacey Snider, Chairman and CEO of 20th Century Fox Film.

Shankar has been at the helm of Star India since October 2007 and has guided the transformation of Star into a diversified media company, leading initiatives in distribution through Media Pro, movies through Fox Studio, regional television through Asianet, and sports, following 21CF’s (then News Corp) acquisition of its joint venture with ESPN in 2012.

Related Topics
comment COMMENT NOW