Disney APAC boss Shankar to step down

Uday Shankar, president of The Walt Disney Company Asia Pacific and chairman of Star and Disney India, is set to step down from the company at the end of this year.

Uday Shankar

Over the next three months, Shankar will work with Rebecca Campbell, chairman of Disney’s direct-to-consumer and international unit, to identify his successor to ensure a smooth transition, the Mouse House said.

Shankar has been in his current roles since February 2019. He was previously president of 21st Century Fox for Asia and chairman and CEO of Star India. Star India came under the Disney umbrella when Disney bought its parent company, 21st Century Fox, last year.

Shankar took over the leadership of Star India in 2007 and Disney credited him with transforming the Star business into “one of the largest and most successful media companies in Asia.”

The Mouse House also praised the exec for playing “a significant role in revolutionising the media landscape of the region with a great team, audacious strategy and meticulous execution.”

Shankar previously served as CEO and editor of Star News, which was the first 24-hour news channel in India. He was also the editor and news director at TV Today Group, where he spearheaded the launch of Hindi news channel Aaj Tak in 2000 and Headlines Today, an English-language news channel, in 2003.

A former president of the Indian Broadcasting Federation, Shankar is currently senior VP of the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry and is in line to take over as its next president.

Campbell said of Shankar: “With the successful launch of Disney+ throughout the region, he has helped put The Walt Disney Company in a commanding position in this dynamic and incredibly strategic part of the world.

“His vast experience and expertise have been invaluable in bringing together a strong, cohesive APAC leadership team to chart a path forward for our streaming businesses in the region and beyond.”

Commenting on his decision to step down, Shankar said: “As I look back on this journey, I take pride in having set ambitious goals in my professional career and achieving all that we set out to do.

“For some time now, I have been contemplating the question of how I give back to the country, community and the industry that have given me so much. The best way to express my gratitude to all of them will be to support and mentor a new generation of entrepreneurs as they set out to create transformational solutions that will have a positive impact on countless lives. I intend to partner with global investors and pioneers to achieve this.”