Walt Disney Company APAC President Uday Shankar to step down

Uday Shankar

Uday Shankar, the president of Walt Disney Company APAC and Chairman, Star & Disney India, will resign from his position effective as of December 31. Shankar will remain with Disney’s direct-to-consumer and international segment until the end of 2020 to find his successor and ensure a smooth transition.

“I want to thank Uday for his leadership and dedication to our APAC business. With the successful launch of Disney+ throughout the region, he has helped put The Walt Disney Company in a commanding position in this dynamic and incredibly strategic part of the world. His vast experience and expertise have been invaluable in bringing together a strong, cohesive APAC leadership team to chart a path forward for our streaming businesses in the region and beyond,” Rebecca Campbell, chairman of Disney’s Direct-to-Consumer and International segment said.

Shankar, who has been the president of the Walt Disney Company APAC and chairman, Star and Disney India since February 2019, said, “I have always believed in the power of creativity and cutting-edge technology to create a better world and consider myself incredibly fortunate to have had the opportunity to do so at Star, 21CF and now at The Walt Disney Company. As I look back on this journey, I take pride in having set ambitious goals in my professional career and achieving all that we set out to do.

“For some time now, I have been contemplating the question of how I give back to the country, community, and the industry that have given me so much. I think the best way to express my gratitude to all of them will be to support and mentor a new generation of entrepreneurs as they set out to create transformational solutions that will have a positive impact on countless lives. I intend to partner with global investors and pioneers to achieve this,” Shankar added.

Shankar was previously the President of 21st Century Fox Asia and the CEO and editor of Star News. He also supervised the launch of the Star India’s video streaming platform Hotstar. Shankar was also the news director at TV Today Group, where he supervised the launch of Aaj Tak in 2000 and Headlines Today in 2003.