Life OK's Pratik Seal set to head STAR Utsav

Launched in 2004, STAR Utsav will have a business head for the first time since its launch.

Pratik Seal, head, marketing, Life OK, STAR's second rung GEC, will move out of the channel to join STAR Utsav, the Hindi GEC offering of the group launched in 2004. The channel will have a business head in Seal, arguably for the first time since its launch.

STAR Utsav was launched as a free-to-air channel with the only aim of increasing reach in the smaller cities and towns. It telecasts older shows of Star Plus and a few repeats of its existing shows, and no fresh programming. But, with a new head, original programming and a different business model can be expected.

There are chances that the channel may turn into a paid channel once the original programming is in place and sampled by viewers.

Seal joined Life OK in 2012 from Micromax, where he was head, marketing. Seal is armed with 14 years of experience. He started his career in 1998 as an account executive with Basic4 Advertising. After spending two years with the company, he moved to Ties2Family.com as assistant manager, marketing and then to FCB Ulka as senior account executive.

After spending about two years with the agency, Seal joined Lowe as senior brand services manager and within three years, went on to become senior brand services director.