Zee shareholders approve appointment of Divya Karani and Saurav Adhikari to board

Mumbai: Shareholders of Zee Entertainment Enterprises Ltd. (ZEEL) on Monday approved the appointment of Divya Karani as an Independent Director and Saurav Adhikari as a Non-Executive Director on the company’s Board. The approval was secured via a remote e-voting Postal Ballot process.

The company said the result reflects shareholders’ confidence in Zee’s Board and its ability to deliver value creation and build a robust growth trajectory for the future. 

Zee’s management emphasised that the Board has been focused on strengthening its governance framework and enhancing guidance to management through the induction of members with diverse expertise.

“The approval from the shareholders was secured through a remote e-voting Postal Ballot process that concluded today. The approval reflects the shareholders’ confidence in the Board and the Company’s abilities to enhance value-creation and build a robust growth trajectory for the future,” Zee said in a statement.

As part of Zee’s ongoing strategy, the Board composition is being expanded to include highly experienced professionals from a variety of sectors. 

The company said the addition of Karani and Adhikari will enable the Board to provide “well-rounded guidance on all aspects to the management team, in order to ensure effective execution of the strategic growth plan.”

Karani, a veteran of the media and advertising sector, brings more than three decades of experience. 

She previously served as CEO of Dentsu Media, South Asia, where she led the agency for over 12 years. Currently, Karani is Chairperson and Executive Director at Kulfi Collective, a modern media network operating at the intersection of content, commerce, and culture.

Adhikari also brings over thirty years of experience across technology, FMCG, and consumer durables, with significant expertise in operations, general management, and investment. His leadership roles have spanned HCL, Unilever, and PepsiCo, among others. 

He is currently Founder & Senior Partner at Indus Tech Edge Fund I, a growth fund focused on globalizing India’s technology ecosystem, and serves as a technology advisor and investor across sectors including AI-based fintech, healthcare, analytics, IoT, and logistics.

R. Gopalan, Chairman of Zee Entertainment Enterprises Ltd., commented on the appointments: “We are grateful to the shareholders for recognizing the value that Karani and Adhikari will bring to the Board. Their sharp business acumen, coupled with their creative expertise from respective sectors, will only strengthen the Board’s directional guidance to the management team as the Company progresses towards the targeted aspirations. We remain committed towards fortifying the Company and maximizing shareholder value, through all our decisions.”

The company said the appointments form a key part of Zee’s strategic ambitions as it aims to win in an evolving business landscape.

“As the Company progresses swiftly towards achieving its targeted aspirations for a robust future, the addition of Ms. Karani and Mr. Adhikari will further enhance the Board’s strategic guidance to the management, enabling the team to win in an evolving business landscape,” the statement added.