Summary
Overview
Work History
Education
Skills
Websites
Hobbies and Interests
Awards
Qualification Summary
Timeline
Generic
Sanjay Raina

Sanjay Raina

Dubai

Summary

Award-winning professional with extensive experience in Media and Entertainment operations. Proven track record in stakeholder management, team leadership, and P&L oversight. Successfully mobilized resources to enhance operational efficiency and profitability across diverse markets including India, Southeast Asia, and the Middle East. Strong communicator with a strategic business perspective.

Overview

33
33
years of professional experience

Work History

General Manager

Erbil Media City
Erbil
01.2024 - Current
  • Company Overview: Erbil Media City, based in Erbil (Iraq) is a multi-dimensional and upcoming Media City that shall provide world class facilities to regional and international media and entertainment companies wishing to set up offices in newer regions of Middle East
  • Erbil Media City, based in Erbil (Iraq) is a multi-dimensional and upcoming Media City that shall provide world class facilities to regional and international media and entertainment companies wishing to set up offices in newer regions of Middle East

Media and Business Development Consultant

Abu Dhabi Film Commission
Abu Dhabi
01.2020 - 01.2024
  • Strategic plans for Film shoots, Bollywood & Hollywood productions to shoot in Abu Dhabi including Feature Films, TV Series, Web series, Reality shows etc.
  • Stake holder Management - Board, Production houses, Local content producers, freelancer strategy
  • Large outreach to Indian market through road shows, film festivals, PR and Communications
  • Strategic plan development on attracting companies with Investments in ADFC/2454
  • Advisory role on creating Entertainment infrastructure in Abu Dhabi namely Sound stages, Post production, VR etc
  • Advising on new strategic tenants for the YAS Media facility

General Manager & Senior Vice President- Middle East, North Africa & Pakistan

FOX NETWORKS GROUP
Dubai
08.2013 - 01.2020
  • Profitability targets, programming, content acquisition, broadcast operations, human resources, marketing, on-air promotions, and technology and broadcast operations.
  • Supervised a team of 90 members overseeing P&L operations, delivered year on year targeted EBITDA.
  • Managed broadcast operations, satellite planning, technology capex, and playout and delivery.
  • Implemented OTT and Branded Subscription video on demand.
  • Created a viable pay tv business with focus on pay linear channels as well as Free to Air Factual brand - National Geographic Abu Dhabi.
  • Turned around a loss-making business into a consistently positive EBITDA business.
  • Increased linear channel business from 5 to 18 via differentiated product strategy.
  • Developed and Monetized National Geographic digital assets across Middle East.
  • Created a Branded content team that delivered large value to business bottom line.
  • Created a robust Ad sales business for Fox Networks.
  • Managing International HQ relations, Regional Office relations, Government relations.
  • Launched streaming platform, Fox+ in South East Asia markets and Fox+ Branded SVOD in MENA.

Chief Operating Officer - MENA & Pakistan

TEN SPORTS
Dubai
03.2011 - 07.2013
  • Monitoring P&L, managing international affiliate and Ad Sales revenues, network promotions.
  • Headed a team of 140 employees within the facility at Dubai.
  • Business Relations with most of the cricket boards, Soccer leagues etc.
  • Operational head for markets namely Pakistan, Middle East, North America, Sri Lanka, Maldives, South East Asia, Asia Pacific, Europe, and Sub-Saharan Africa.
  • International Syndication and Ad Sales revenue - over 100 million USD.
  • Developed Pakistan market as the largest revenue vertical for the sports business.
  • 10 sports channels playout around the world centralized from Dubai Central facility.
  • Board level interactions, Cross functional teams, International Platform management.

SVP - Marketing, Customer Marketing

ASTRO TELEVISION
07.2009 - 02.2011
  • Company Overview: (PAY TV platform)
  • Brand head and custodian for Chinese, Malay, and Indian segments of D2C business.
  • Launched High Definition Television channels in Malaysia under the brand name Astro B.yond.
  • Churn Management & Loyalty, Content planning, New Linear channel Introductions.
  • Platform Marketing and Communication initiatives.
  • (PAY TV platform)

Senior Vice President, Brand Strategy & Consumer Insights

ASTRO TELEVISION
01.2007 - 06.2009
  • Company Overview: (PAY TV platform)
  • Conceptualized and Delivered 10 local language channels to the group both in Indonesia and Malaysia using consumer insights.
  • Brand planning, Ad sales planning using research tools.
  • (PAY TV platform)

Business Head - Astro Television

ASTRO TELEVISION
Jakarta
05.2006 - 12.2006
  • Company Overview: (PAY TV platform)
  • Directed all aspects of TV Channel operations for two major countries, Indonesia and Malaysia.
  • Supervised a team of 45 young professionals from diversified backgrounds across both countries.
  • Leveraged experience and skills while managing programming, innovation, interactivity, marketing, research, communications, advertising, media planning, and promotional events.
  • Launched Astro Ceria, a kid's channel in Indonesia and Malaysia.
  • (PAY TV platform)

General Manager - Marketing

TIMES GLOBAL BROADCASTING CO. LIMITED
Mumbai
07.2004 - 04.2006
  • Launched Times Now, the English Language News Channel, that became India's No 1 English News Channel.
  • Headed a team of 15 executives.
  • Developed plans for marketing, communications, Advertising, Ad sales marketing.

General Manager - Marketing

HINDUSTAN TIMES LIMITED (HT)
New Delhi
05.1999 - 06.2004
  • Company Overview: English daily Newspaper
  • Strategic and tactical marketing initiatives that accomplished a double-digit readership growth.
  • Focus on Hyper local stories.
  • Relaunched HT in major markets like Delhi & North India, complete makeover including sizing, color pages etc.
  • Launched sub brands like Brunch, Powerjobs, HT Next (targeted at Schools), 2 Minute HT.
  • "Sports as a pull out" - Unique concept that led to enhanced revenue and readership.
  • Developed and Launched Hindi Hindustan, the Hindi language newspaper across India.
  • Strategized and developed HT Leadership Initiative, a global platform of Think tanks, Economists and Politicians.
  • Launched HT in Mumbai, India's most competitive newspaper market Achieved a 32% subscriber penetration.
  • Introduced an all-color edition of HT across 8 top markets.
  • Highly localized events that created large traction for the newspaper category, college festivals, Luxury category events.
  • Launched HT City, the city supplement in New Delhi & Mumbai.
  • English daily Newspaper

Associate Director - Marketing

DISCOVERY CHANNEL
Delhi/Mumbai
08.1997 - 03.1999
  • Successfully launched Animal Planet, available in 25M households overnight.
  • Developed Ad sales supported events on ground that led to monetization.
  • Contributed to the global branding initiative and executed McKinsey's research on Global Television audience behavior.

Marketing Manager

COLUMBIA TRISTAR FILMS
Mumbai
01.1996 - 07.1997
  • Launched English Movies from Walt Disney Stable across Single screen and Multiplexes in India.
  • Designed and launched a national school program to educate kids on animation with large school contact programs.
  • Managed the 35% contribution of the Walt Disney films to the total CTFI turnover in India.

Product Manager

PHILIPS INDIA LIMITED
Delhi/Mumbai/Pune
05.1992 - 12.1995
  • Launched Philishave - Electric shavers in India.
  • Product Manager for Female Epilation and Hair Care Category.
  • Contributed 15% to the turnover with the highest IFO (income from operations) from Personal care division.

Education

Executive Program in Management -

CORNELL UNIVERSITY
01.2023

Bachelor of Electronics Engineering (B.E) -

PUNE UNIVERSITY
01.1992

Master of Business Administration (MBA) - Marketing

PUNE UNIVERSITY
01.1990

Skills

  • Media and entertainment operations
  • Strategic planning and execution
  • EBITDA management
  • Content acquisition and programming
  • Team building and leadership
  • Budgeting and forecasting
  • Stakeholder engagement

Hobbies and Interests

  • Golf
  • Travel
  • Reading
  • Trekking
  • Mountaineering

Awards

  • Broadcast Person of the year Award, 2016, Digital Studio Awards Dubai
  • Broadcast person of the year Award, 2017, Broadcast pro ME, Dubai

Qualification Summary

Award-winning and creative professional with hands-on experience leading a diverse array of operations within Media and Entertainment sector with experience in stake holder management, handling large and diverse teams, EBITDA ownership & P/L management, Project management & Government relationships. Achieved considerable success in effectively mobilizing human, financial, Content and operational resources to streamline existing operations and improve profitability. Articulate communicator with a sharp business mind., Successful stints in Consumer Durables, Theatrical, News Publishing, News Television, Pay TV, Sports Television, Entertainment Television and Free to Air Media, Worked across multi geographies - India, Indonesia, Singapore, Malaysia, Middle East, North Africa & Pakistan, Iraq

Timeline

General Manager

Erbil Media City
01.2024 - Current

Media and Business Development Consultant

Abu Dhabi Film Commission
01.2020 - 01.2024

General Manager & Senior Vice President- Middle East, North Africa & Pakistan

FOX NETWORKS GROUP
08.2013 - 01.2020

Chief Operating Officer - MENA & Pakistan

TEN SPORTS
03.2011 - 07.2013

SVP - Marketing, Customer Marketing

ASTRO TELEVISION
07.2009 - 02.2011

Senior Vice President, Brand Strategy & Consumer Insights

ASTRO TELEVISION
01.2007 - 06.2009

Business Head - Astro Television

ASTRO TELEVISION
05.2006 - 12.2006

General Manager - Marketing

TIMES GLOBAL BROADCASTING CO. LIMITED
07.2004 - 04.2006

General Manager - Marketing

HINDUSTAN TIMES LIMITED (HT)
05.1999 - 06.2004

Associate Director - Marketing

DISCOVERY CHANNEL
08.1997 - 03.1999

Marketing Manager

COLUMBIA TRISTAR FILMS
01.1996 - 07.1997

Product Manager

PHILIPS INDIA LIMITED
05.1992 - 12.1995

Executive Program in Management -

CORNELL UNIVERSITY

Bachelor of Electronics Engineering (B.E) -

PUNE UNIVERSITY

Master of Business Administration (MBA) - Marketing

PUNE UNIVERSITY

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