Network18 appoints Ajay Chacko COO

Network18 Group has appointed Ajay Chacko, currently president, A+E Networks TV18, as COO.

A+E Networks TV18 is the joint venture between A+E Networks and TV18 which runs History TV18 channel in India.

In his new role, Chacko is expected to support teams across functions leverage the network’s diverse strengths, including creation and management of network-wide properties, informed a Network 18 statement.

Raghav Bahl, founder and editor, Network18, said, “The dynamic nature of the media landscape in India today has necessitated the need to continuously evolve our internal operating environment to align with these changes. We have now embarked on a path of bringing together our various business units in order to successfully ride the opportunity wave and stay focused on returns to shareholders. In Ajay, we entrust the responsibility of strengthening our continued efforts to emerge as ‘one’ strong network.”

B Sai Kumar, group CEO, Network18, added, “We’ve invested in and built a great set of brands across multiple platforms over the last decade. This network today, straddles broadcast, e-commerce, digital content and niche print businesses. In the next phase of Network18, we intend to consolidate the strengths of each of these businesses across the network, extract value through unrelenting focus on internal assets and thereby better our offerings to external constituencies all around. Ajay has been key to the success of some of these businesses and in this new role, he will bring his expertise, foresight, operational and people skills to achieve what we’ve set out to accomplish.” 

Chacko has also been entrusted with being the custodian of ‘Brand Network18’.

Chacko added, “We have been seen to be a diverse and talented set of people running some of the country’s most successful media brands. I hope to be able to supplement Sai’s efforts to help strengthen the collaboration between our various business units and functions with a view to improve financially as well operationally and emerge stronger as one network.”

In his earlier roles at Network18, Chacko has led group businesses like CNBC-TV18, CNBC Awaaz and Forbes India. Prior to joining Network18, he had stints at IL&FS, Sharekhan and The Indian Express Group.