Tarun Katial has left as the chief executive officer of ZEE5, the video streaming service operated by Zee Entertainment Enterprises Ltd, individuals familiar with the development said. The ZEE5 team, along with other digital channels, will be headed by Amit Goenka, president – digital businesses and platforms.
“As CEO, ZEE5 India, we want to confirm that Tarun Katial has tendered his resignation. We thank him for his valuable contribution to the growth of ZEE5. His rich experience and expertise in developing a robust digital platform have been invaluable. In all his future endeavors, we wish Tarun the best,” said the company’s spokesperson.
“In line with our recently announced strategic restructuring of the company, Amit Goenka will continue to lead the ZEE5 team, along with other digital platforms, as president, digital businesses and platforms,” the person added.
After being given additional responsibilities at ZEEL, including television and digital content development, Katial was appointed CEO in May 2018 while serving as chief executive officer of Reliance Broadcast Network Ltd (RBNL). ZEEL acquired the Anil Ambani-led Reliance Group’s general entertainment TV broadcasting company in 2016. Two operational TV channels under RBNL were Big Magic and Big Ganga.
In the past, Sony Pictures Entertainment and Star TV Network were affiliated with Katial.
A strategic redesign of the company and several new hires were announced by Zee last month. South Asia will be responsible for leading the integrated revenue and monetization team, said former BCCI CEO Rahul Johri, who was named president, industry, while Punit Misra will take over as president, content, and international markets.
Amit Goenka will be president of digital companies and channels, while the film and music companies will continue to be led by Shariq Patel and Anurag Bedi.
In the international markets, the linear (advertising and distribution) and digital (AVOD/SVOD) teams will be merged into a single team headed by the business revenue leader, who will be responsible for optimizing revenue across all (linear/digital) and revenue stream formats, it added. The business aims to increase sales and drive content monetization with this integrated strategy by optimally capitalizing on the opportunities provided in the international markets.
Given its strategic significance for future growth, the organization has invested significantly in developing its digital ecosystem. Zee will put together all its digital assets under a single umbrella, including ZEE5 (domestic AVOD and SVOD), ZEE5 Global, SugarBox, and digital publishing, to drive greater synergies through technology, data, and expertise, it said.
