According to reports, Sajith Sivanandan, the head of Disney’s Hotstar streaming app in India, has resigned as the company accelerates its business integration following the $8.5 billion merger with Reliance’s media assets. His departure comes just days after an internal decision to stream all live sporting events of the merged entity, including the popular Indian Premier League (IPL), on Disney’s Hotstar app instead of Reliance’s JioCinema.
Before becoming the CEO of Disney+ Hotstar, Sivanandan has worked in the technology and digital payments sectors. He held various roles at Google, including managing director for Google Pay and the Next Billion Users initiative in Asia Pacific. His responsibilities extended to managing operations in Malaysia, Vietnam, and the Philippines, where he contributed to the company’s growth. Sivanandan also founded Google’s operations in Malaysia and worked in market development and consumer insight. His earlier experience includes serving as an associate partner at Gallup, focusing on commercial partnerships and user research.
As the merger unfolds, the combined assets will include more than 100 TV channels and two streaming platforms, intensifying competition with Sony, Netflix, and Amazon Prime. JioCinema, led by Kiran Mani, another former Google executive, holds the rights to lucrative content such as IPL cricket, the Winter Olympics, and Indian Super League football, while Hotstar maintains rights to International Cricket Council tournaments and English Premier League soccer.
