Haresh Chawla calls it a day at Network 18

Chawla, group CEO with Network 18 has spent around 10 years with the company.

Haresh Chawla, group CEO (chief executive officer), Network18, has put in his papers. He has been with the company since its inception, when it had just two properties -- the business news channel CNBC TV18, and the business portal moneycontrol.com. The company, at the time, had an annual revenue of Rs 15 crore. Under Chawla's leadership, the company's revenue today stands at Rs 2,500 crore.

In an official communiqué, Raghav Bahl, founder and editor, Network18, says, "Chawla is the kind of colleague one can only dream about. He is so utterly honest, committed and focussed on delivering excellence."

Bahl also says that Chawla's greatest achievement is the strong cadre of next-generation leadership that he has created in these years.

Over the next few months, Chawla will work towards a seamless transition of leadership.

Chawla, in an official statement, says that it's a rare opportunity for a professional to be able to set up so many businesses in a lifetime, and he owes it to Bahl, who had faith in him and gave him the opportunity to do so. Chawla will now pursue other interests.

Chawla, who is an IIT Mumbai, as well as an IIM Calcutta alumnus, has previously worked with various start-ups including the HCL Group, where he headed business development for HCL Comnet, ABCL, where he set up the film distribution business, and at The Times of India Group, where he launched the music label Times Music.