Skandha Appoints Director Of Growth And Business Development

Skandha Media Services has appointed Anil Kumar as Director of Growth and Business Development.

Having previously served as Director of SaaS, South Asia at TVU Networks, and India Sales Head at Amagi, Kumar brings a wealth of experience in sales, marketing, and business development with specialist knowledge of OTT workflows, cloud-based playout systems and Ad monetisation. His project portfolio spans a multitude of high profile brands including Warner Bros. Discovery, Viacom18, Samsung TV Plus, IndiaTv and Shemaroo.

As the media and entertainment industry in South Asia continues its digital transformation, Skandha is seizing several market opportunities, including the rise in the development of national and local OTT platforms, the shift in consumer behaviour from subscription-based to free entertainment consumption, and the demand for personalised viewing experiences and localised content through content democratisation.

"All these developments present new revenue opportunities for rights holders, content aggregators and advertisers," said Yogesh Salian, CEO and founder at Skandha Media Services. "Now is an ideal time for us to strengthen our leadership team with an ambitious growth strategist who possesses a proven track record of sales excellence. Anil's innate determination, data-driven decision-making, creative mind, and extensive industry network will be invaluable as we strategically expand our brand presence across South Asia and beyond."

With over seven years of industry experience encompassing engineering, product management, sales, and marketing, Kumar has rapidly progressed through his career. This multifaceted background has provided him with a comprehensive understanding of the development and deployment of broadcast, FAST, and 24/7 channels and events, as well as various Ad monetisation models.

In this newly created role Kumar aims to drive the adoption of Skandha's cutting-edge cloud and on-prem playout services and AI-powered Ad monetisation tools within GECs (General Entertainment Channels) and News platforms while broadening the company's traditional live sports streaming customer base. His immediate priorities are to gather commercial and operational customer insights through direct client engagement, develop new and influential technology partnerships, and expand Skandha's reseller network.

Kumar shares that "Skandha's culture of creativity, strong leadership, and an unwavering focus on customer success,” were the key factors in his decision to take on the new role.

"Skandha has made remarkable inroads in the world of live sports streaming, and is trusted by some of the biggest names in the industry, including Disney+ HotStar, Tata/Sky and Jio Cinema, to deliver first-class playout services for some the world's most popular big ticket events," he observed. "This level of business doesn't come easy - it comes from passion, innovation and consistent reliability. And, with Skandha's investment in the development of AI-powered products and services, I am all the more excited to be a part of this remarkable team and to contribute to the company’s continued growth."

Following completion of a Bachelor of Engineering Degree at the renowned BIT Sindri Engineering College, Kumar earned an MBA at the prestigious Indian Institute of Management Lucknow, where he was voted “The most creative mind’ in campus. Beyond his professional pursuits, Kumar is a dedicated mentor to aspiring young people, sharing his knowledge and experience to help them navigate the world of business. With a passion for English, Hindi and Urdu literature, Kumar is a published author and sketch artist.

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