MSM makes key top management appointments at SET

The new appointments include Danish Khan as EVP & business head for Sony Entertainment Television, and Anup Vishwanathan as SVP & head, marketing.

Multi Screen Media (MSM) has appointed Danish Khan as the EVP & business head for its flagship channel Sony Entertainment Television (SET). Khan, who was earlier programming head of Star Plus, will be replacing Nachiket Pantvaidya.

MSM has also appointed Anup Vishwanathan as SVP & head - marketing, Anshuman Sinha, as SVP & senior creative director and Ritesh Modi as VP & creative director, who will be part of Khan's core team, working along with marketing and creative professionals.

This is part of a key strategic move for SET which airs shows such as 'Indian Idol', 'Kaun Banega Crorepati', 'Bade Acche Lagte Hain', 'Maharana Pratap', 'Itna Karo Na Mujhe Pyar', 'CID' and 'Crime Patrol'.

Khan will be driving the overall business of the channel including its objectives of channel growth, viewership and developing innovative revenue opportunities. Khan has experience in both marketing and creative side of the GEC space, and has earlier spent ten years at MSM in various marketing roles.

In his new role, Vishwanathan will be working closely with Khan to amplify and support efforts towards the growth of SET, and to substantiate the brand equity for the channel, primarily with its viewership base.

During the course of his work across various advertising agencies such as Leo Burnett, Mudra Communications and McCann Erickson, Vishwanathan has earlier serviced the SET portfolio for six years. He moves from Times Network where he was the marketing head of the English movie channel cluster.

Sinha is a content specialist with 17 years of work experience. The channel claims that his forte lies in synergising consumer sentiment with progressive content. He will join forces with Modi in charting a new creative course for SET. Modi, who has 18 years of working life behind him, specialises in non-fiction reality show formats and has a deep understanding of regional markets.

NP Singh, chief executive officer, MSM, says, "Given the rising industry competitiveness coupled with a steady surge of growing audience expectations, innovation has become the key to success and growth. It is imperative that consumer insights dictate a channel's look and feel, as well as programming. The new team is not only seasoned and versatile, but also willing to go the extra mile to ensure that consumer choice becomes the key to new offerings from SET. This new team is committed to writing the next chapter of our growth story and they have my full support."