Talent tracker of the week: Notable leadership shifts across media, FMCG, and tech

New Delhi: This week’s leadership updates highlight significant appointments and role changes across media, technology, entertainment, FMCG, and marketing sectors. Industry professionals with diverse expertise have taken on new responsibilities, from creative and marketing leadership to revenue and operations oversight. Notable movements include senior roles at Disney, Zee Entertainment, JioStar, Pinterest, Enormous, PHD, and Anmol Industries, reflecting a blend of experience in strategy, digital innovation, and brand development.

Disney ends its 3-year CEO hunt with Josh D’Amaro; Dana Walden named CCO

The Walt Disney Company has appointed Josh D’Amaro, current Chairman of Disney Experiences, as its next Chief Executive Officer, effective March 18, 2026, succeeding Robert Iger. The decision concludes a structured, board-led CEO succession process initiated in 2023, which evaluated both internal and external candidates. D’Amaro oversees Disney’s largest business segment, including 12 theme parks, 57 resort hotels, Disney Cruise Line, Walt Disney Imagineering, and Consumer Products. Simultaneously, Dana Walden, Co-Chair of Disney Entertainment, will become President and Chief Creative Officer, leading creative direction across Disney’s businesses and reporting to D’Amaro.

Sony’s Sandeep Mehrotra joins Z as Chief Operating Officer, Ad revenue

Zee Entertainment Enterprises (ZEEL) has appointed Sandeep Mehrotra as Chief Operating Officer – Advertisement Revenue, effective February 3, 2026. Mehrotra will oversee integrated monetisation across ZEEL’s linear and digital businesses from the Mumbai headquarters, reporting to CEO Punit Goenka. With over 31 years of experience, he joins from Culver Max Entertainment (formerly Sony Pictures Networks India), where he led ad sales for network channels. Laxmi Shetty will continue to lead the ad revenue vertical as Head – Advertisement Revenue, Broadcast & Digital, while Mehrotra will focus on building a converged, scalable ad revenue framework across platforms.

JioStar appoints Stephan Bugaj as SVP of GenAI Content and Technology

JioStar Group has named Emmy Award-winning Stephan Bugaj as Senior Vice-President of GenAI Content & Technology. Bugaj joins from Genvid Entertainment, where he served as Chief Creative Officer and co-developed the Massively Interactive Live Event (MILE) format that blends streaming, gaming, and live audience participation. He brings over 30 years of experience in creative and technology leadership, having held senior roles at DJ2 Entertainment, Pixar Animation Studios, Telltale Games, and Hanson Robotics. At JioStar, Bugaj will focus on AI-native creative pipelines, interactive storytelling, and technology-driven content innovation.

Pratik Dawda joins PHD as Associate Vice President

Pratik Dawda has been appointed Associate Vice President at PHD, effective January 2026, and will be based in Mumbai. Dawda brings nearly a decade of experience in media and digital strategy, having previously held leadership roles at Wavemaker across digital planning, media strategy, and performance marketing. His expertise spans data-driven marketing, audience planning, and integrated media solutions, with experience across agencies and platforms including HT Media and Quikr. At PHD, he will focus on driving data-led planning, performance-oriented campaigns, and integrated media strategies for clients across diverse sectors.

Anmol Industries appoints Abhishek Kumar as Vice President, Marketing

Anmol Industries has named Abhishek Kumar as Vice President, Marketing, where he will lead marketing and brand initiatives across the company’s product portfolio. Kumar brings over 18 years of experience in FMCG marketing, sales, brand management, and go-to-market strategy, having worked with Cargill Foods, 3M India, Godfrey Phillips, Lotus Chocolate Company, and Patanjali Foods. At Anmol, he will focus on strengthening brand presence, aligning marketing with expansion plans, and responding to evolving consumer preferences. 

Gnani.ai appoints Vasuta Agarwal as Chief Revenue Officer

Gnani.ai has named Vasuta Agarwal as Chief Revenue Officer to lead global revenue strategy, enterprise partnerships, and go-to-market initiatives as the company expands internationally from India. Agarwal brings nearly 20 years of experience in digital business and strategy consulting, including over 13 years at InMobi, where she led monetisation across global consumer properties and grew revenues significantly. She has managed large teams, overseen multi-million-dollar P&L responsibilities across APAC, Americas, and EMEA, and held board and advisory roles in multiple organisations.

Eloelo Group promotes Nishant Kumar to CMO role

Eloelo Group has elevated Nishant Kumar to Chief Marketing Officer, following his tenure as Senior Vice-President, Marketing and Revenue. Kumar has been instrumental in building Story TV and driving the company’s growth, leading marketing, revenue, and user acquisition strategies. In his new role, he will oversee marketing operations across the group, focusing on expanding market share, scaling revenue, and strengthening Eloelo’s position in India’s internet ecosystem. Kumar brings prior leadership experience from Flipkart, Ola, and Apollo Hospitals, where he managed growth, marketing, and revenue initiatives.

Pinterest appoints Damian Kim as VP of APAC enterprise sales

Pinterest has named Damian Kim as Vice President of APAC Enterprise Sales, joining at the end of February 2026 to lead the region’s enterprise division. Reporting to Cecile van Steenberge, Kim will focus on expanding strategic partnerships with advertisers and commerce partners across Asia Pacific, including Kao and Panasonic in Japan, and Kia and Flight Centre in Australia. The appointment strengthens Pinterest’s international leadership as over 80% of its users are outside North America. Kim brings two decades of experience in digital, media, and technology sales, having held senior roles at Meta and Microsoft across APAC markets.

Enormous appoints Pankaj Nihalani as Head of Creative, Mumbai

Enormous has named Pankaj Nihalani as Head of Creative in Mumbai, strengthening its leadership in creative operations. Nihalani brings over 16 years of experience across financial services, FMCG, infrastructure, and building materials. He joins from Ogilvy, where he was Executive Creative Director, and has worked with clients including Axis Bank, Rin, Adani, Perfetti, Pidilite, FOGG, and Ambuja Cement. His career spans large-scale brand building, strategic problem-solving, and award-winning campaigns recognised nationally and internationally. 

Kärcher India appoints Puneet Sharma as Managing Director

Kärcher India has named Puneet Sharma as Managing Director of its India operations, effective January 21, 2026. Sharma brings over 30 years of experience in commercial, engineering, and manufacturing-led businesses, having held senior roles with P&L, operations, and multi-location management responsibilities. His previous positions include leadership roles at Konecranes & Demag, Kohler Group, Greaves Cotton, and Cummins India. Sharma holds a bachelor’s in mechanical engineering from Delhi College of Engineering and an MBA from Indiana University.

Bloomingdale Public Relations appoints Ekta Sibal as Communications Lead for South India

Bloomingdale Public Relations has appointed Ekta Sibal as Communications Lead for Southern India to drive regional growth, strengthen client partnerships, and build strategic networks with media, brands, founders, and business leaders. Sibal brings over a decade of experience across Technology, D2C, FMCG, Fintech, and Lifestyle sectors, having worked with startups and Fortune 500 companies including Walmart, Huawei, TikTok, Flipkart, Kapiva, and Josh Talks. Her expertise spans brand storytelling, integrated marketing, crisis communications, and cross-functional team leadership.

Hashtag Orange appoints Jayesh Punjabi as Technology Head

Hashtag Orange has named Jayesh Punjabi as Technology Head, based in Mumbai, to lead the agency’s technology-driven initiatives. Punjabi brings over 11 years of experience in digital transformation, MarTech automation, and AI, having worked with Genpact, EY, and WPP on global brand projects. He will oversee AI-led programmes, automation, and data-driven workflows across marketing and media operations, enhancing efficiency and scalability. His expertise spans machine learning, robotic process automation, and intelligent systems integration. The appointment strengthens Hashtag Orange’s focus on blending technology with creativity to drive operational excellence and strategic impact for clients.