Could Ravi Ahuja be the man to lead SPNI?
Industry insiders also believe that a fresh person outside Sony could be hired for the CEO's role and that Ravi Ahuja may do a holding job till a new CEO is found
The Managing Director and CEO of Sony Pictures Network India, NP Singh announced on Friday that he has asked the organisation to find his successor as he shared his plans to move on.
"Today, I have a significant update to share. After nearly 44 years in my career, including a rewarding 25-year tenure at SPNI, I have decided to move on from my role as MD and CEO. Having reached many significant milestones with our team, I am now ready to focus on social change and shift from operational roles to advisory ones,” said Singh in a statement.
He also added that he will continue to lead SPNI until the organisation finds the right person to take over. “We have begun a structured succession planning process for my successor and hope to have exciting news to share in the near future. Finding the right fit is our top priority,” he said.
Many in the industry believe that the man to lead Sony in India could be Ravi Ahuja, the Chairman of Global Television Studios and President & Chief Operating Officer of Sony Pictures Entertainment (SPE).
With extensive experience at big media organisations like Sony Pictures Entertainment, Fox Network, Virgin Entertainment Group and Disney, Ahuja may be the right man to take over from NP Singh, according to many in the industry.
Ahuja is at the helm of all production businesses for Sony Pictures Television (SPT), including U.S. and international productions, SPT – Nonfiction, SPT – Kids, Game Shows, and the studio’s India business. He also manages everyday operations of SPE along with SPE Chairman and CEO, Tony Vinciquerra.
Ahuja has led many M&A ventures, including the acquisitions of nonfiction entertainment company Industrial Media, leading UK production company Bad Wolf and VFX company, Pixomondo, as well as the sale of GSN Mobile Games to Scopely.
Before joining Sony in March 2021, Ahuja was President of Business Operations and CFO of Walt Disney Television, which included the ABC Network, ABC News, ABC Owned Stations, Disney Channel, Disney Television Studios, Freeform, FX, Hulu Originals and National Geographic. He played a key role in merging Disney/ABC Television and Fox Networks after Disney’s acquisition of Fox in early 2019.
Prior to that, Ahuja was the CFO of Fox Networks Group, overseeing finance, strategy and business development for Twentieth Century Fox Television, Fox Broadcasting, Fox Cable Networks, Fox Sports, National Geographic and Fox Networks Europe and Africa, Latin America and Asia.
During his time there, Ahuja spurred many of the company’s growth initiatives in streaming and new technology.
He helped to guide the company’s Hulu joint venture for over a decade and spearheaded investments in Roku, Draft Kings and many others. Additionally, Ahuja led the acquisitions of National Geographic Partners, Yankees Entertainment & Sports Network and Sports Time Ohio. Ahuja is currently on the Board of Directors of Roku, Inc.
Before joining Fox in 2007, Ahuja served as CFO for Virgin Entertainment Group, Inc. Prior to that, he worked at McKinsey & Company and in investment banking.
He has undergraduate and MBA degrees from The Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania and recently joined the Wharton Undergraduate Executive Board.
There is also a thinking that there will be a fresh person as a CEO and the hunt is on. At best Ravi Ahuja may be in the interim and do a holding job till a new CEO is found, say some insiders.
