Discovery names India chief

More changes are afoot at Discovery Networks Asia-Pacific after the channels TV group named a new general manager for its south Asia business.

Brand management specialist Karan Bajaj has been named senior VP and GM for the region, a role that focuses on the fast-growing Indian market.

Rahul Johri vacated the post in February. He remains in a consultant role until the end of the year.

Bajaj will be based in Mumbai, and report to Discovery Networks Asia-Pacific’s managing director and president, Arthur Bastings, who has been overseeing India directly since Johri’s exit.

Having most recently worked at baby specialist Aden and Anais in New York, Bajaj is the second senior hire from outside the TV business for Basting’s Discovery Networks Asia-Pacific this week, coming after McDonald’s Japan digital chief Jay Trinidad was named SVP and GM of northeast Asia.

Bajaj will take up his post on October 17, and focus on “re-formulating Discovery’s product suite in line with accelerating demand for regional and digital offerings”.

He will also look to implement a Discovery-wide initiative to create broader flagship brand and “actively seek out inorganic growth opportunities”.

At Aden and Anais, Bajaj was chief marketing officer, specialising in digital approaches. He has also held senior roles at FMCG giant Kraft, Boston Consulting Group and Procter & Gamble. He is also a published novelist and striving yogi.

“India has quickly become one of Discovery’s top-priority global markets,” said Bastings. “These are exciting times as we strategically step up our investments to take advantage of very dynamic growth in both TV and digital. Karan brings that rare combination of creative flair, a strong instinct for the Indian millennial zeitgeist and a cutting-edge leadership style.”