Sony Pictures Networks India Names Gaurav Banerjee As New CEO

Sony Pictures Networks India (SPNI) has appointed Gaurav Banerjee from Disney Star as its new chief executive officer, succeeding NP Singh, as per media reports. Singh had announced his decision to step down after a 25-year tenure with Sony last week.

At Disney Star, Banerjee managed content for Hindi entertainment and Disney+ Hotstar, and also served as the business head for Star Bharat, as well as Hindi and English movies, kids & infotainment, and regional (east) channels. 

Banerjee, a former journalist, began his career at Aaj Tak before joining Star News in 2004 as a prime-time anchor and senior producer. In 2005, he played a key role in launching the Bengali news channel Star Ananda.

In 2008, he transitioned to Star India to lead content strategy for the network's regional entertainment channels, contributing to the company's market expansion with the launch of Star Jalsha in Bengal and Star Pravah in Maharashtra. As head of content strategy for Star Plus in 2009, Banerjee was instrumental in revitalising the channel with popular shows like Diya Aur Baati Hum and Sasural Genda Phool, which helped Star Plus regain its leadership position in 2010. He was promoted to general manager of Star Plus in 2013 and later led the Content Studio starting in 2015.

Banerjee holds a master’s degree in filmmaking and TV production from the Mass Communications Research Centre at Jamia Milia Islamia University, Delhi. He completed his undergraduate studies in history at St. Stephen's College, Delhi.