Zee Entertainment Appoints Divya Karani as Independent Director

On January 23, the Board of Directors of ZEE Entertainment Enterprises (ZEE) approved the appointment of Ms Divya Karani as an Independent Director based on the recommendations of the Nomination and Remuneration Committee.

Karani has over four decades of rich experience of leading some of the biggest advertising and media agencies across India, South Asia, UK, and Asia Pacific. She earlier led Dentsu Media as the CEO, South Asia, running the agency for more than 12 years and had been the biggest media agency network in the region. Karani serves as Chairperson and Executive Director of Kulfi Collective, a modern media network that builds brands and studios working at the intersection of content, commerce and culture. Since 2019, she has been a member of Jagran Prakashan's Board of Directors, serving as an Independent Director. She has also actively worked on the growth of radio as chairperson of the MRUC Radio Committee and was a member of the Board of Media Research Users Council.

Her appointment is a firm step by the Board to further enhance the strategic guidance being delivered to the management team on a regular basis. Her vast experience and wisdom in the media and advertising landscape will enable the Company to strengthen its capabilities to achieve its targeted aspirations for a robust future.

Speaking on the appointment, R. Gopalan, Chairman, ZEE Entertainment stated, “We are delighted to welcome Ms. Divya Karani on the Company’s Board. Her wealth of expertise across the media sector coupled with a proven track record of successfully delivering customer-centric business solutions, will enable the Company to garner the required guidance as it navigates the path forward to achieve its targeted goals. I am pleased to note the strong mix of industry experts on the Board, which further strengthens our capabilities to mentor the management team in an fast-evolving media landscape. The steps being taken by the Board reflect our commitment towards building a robust corporate governance framework and maximising shareholder value going forward.”

Commenting on the development, Punit Goenka, CEO, ZEE Entertainment Enterprises added, “We are glad to welcome Ms. Divya Karani as an esteemed member on the Company’s Board. The Indian media & entertainment sector is evolving swiftly, making it pertinent to craft innovative business solutions with a lens of fiscal prudence and profitability. We believe Ms. Karani’s deep domain knowledge in advertising and spearheading large-scale agencies, will enable us to effectively navigate the macroeconomic environment and build value-accretive offerings for brands to propel revenue growth for the business.”

Divya Karani, Independent Director, ZEE Entertainment Enterprises expressed, “I am honoured to join the Board of ZEE, a Company that has redefined the entertainment ecosystem for over three decades and harbours a rich legacy with an innovative spirit. As the Company enters its next phase of growth, I believe it remains well-poised to continue growing stronger and capturing more hearts at the intersection of content, technology and creativity. I look forward to being a part of this pioneering Company’s robust growth story by leveraging my expertise and working closely with the Board and the management team to drive long-term success.”

The Board of ZEE comprises a robust composition of stalwarts from different sectors and is ready to provide holistic guidance to the Company in all kinds of aspects to strengthen overall policies and processes of the Company. The Board with rich experience is supported by Mr Gopalan, Chairman having great experience in the economic and financial administration of matters. Ms Deepu Bansal, an Independent Director who has skills relating to compliance, internal audits, risk management and governance. Non-executive Directors of the firm in the domains such as Saurav Adhikari, expertise in technology, FMCG and Consumer durable industries and being a master with the respective streams. Shishir Babubhai Desai-an independent Director specialized in the practice of Law and Financial Matter. Uttam Prakash Agarwal- Independent Director having considerable years of Experience related to tax finance and Statutory Audit. Lastly, Mr P.V Ramana Murthy an independent Director as also a Lawyer, Author and Academic practitioner relating to HR and Organization Development.

The appointment of Karani strengthens the collective expertise of the Board further in the provision of required strategic guidance to the management of the Company across all aspects of business.