Uday will conquer whatever he takes on: Shashi Sinha

Uday Shankar’s exit as President of The Walt Disney Company (APAC) and Chairman of Star & Disney India, has created a lot of buzz in the world of media and entertainment.

exchange4media reached out to the who’s who of the industry for their thoughts on the big development.

Shashi Sinha, Chief Executive Officer, IPG Media described Shankar as someone who was never afraid of taking big, bold bets. “Uday is a very dynamic and gutsy personality. He has taken the big, bold bets in global corporations, something that very few can pull off,” Sinha said.

Recounting the bold bets Shankar has taken through this career, scaling great heights, he added, “First he knocked off with Saas bhi kabhi bahu thi. From there on, he only continued creating iconic shows like the Kiran Bedi show. Satyameva Jayate featuring Aamir Khan was another landmark thing of picking up causes and showcasing them. And then, IPL was another big, bold bet. In a business which is cut-throat, to stick around for so long and take such bold bets, leading the industry says a thing or two about his capabilities,” Sinha remarked.

He also noted Shankar’s immense contribution to the industry as the President of IBF and an active board member to industry initiatives. “Uday has done a lot for the industry. When he was at IBF, he took up so many initiatives for the industry and put the fraternity first,” Sinha observed.

He continued, “Also the way he built up Hotstar, who would have thought that Hotstar would have become so big when it was launched? The fact here is that to see the future so quickly and put the money where your mouth is a testament of how gutsy he is.”

Furthermore, Sinha expounded on Shankar’s solid values. “Uday is someone with such strong values. Industry people know him as a loyal friend who stands by you. I would say, he will conquer whatever he takes on.”