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Nigel Robbins may take over as interim head of MTV India
With Alex Kuruvilla putting in his papers, Robbins, who is the managing director of MTV Networks Australia, is tipped to be taking over the reins of Indian operations
Nigel Robbins, managing director, MTV Networks Australia, may be brought in as an interim head for MTV India, say informed sources. This, they add, is only a temporary arrangement until an Indian head is appointed.
The exact date as to when Robbins will take charge is still unclear. What's clear is, he will continue to report directly to Frank Brown, Asia Head, MTV Networks.
MTV India's search for a head has become necessary since MTV India managing director Alex Kuruvilla has resigned, after a seven year long innings. He was the man behind experimental initiatives such as MTV ‘Youth Icon’, ‘Bakra’, ‘Roadies’ and the soap ‘Kitni Mast Hain Zindagi’.
Before Kuruvilla decided to quit, MTV had been on the look-out for a Chief Operating Officer in India, who would have reported to Kuruvilla and help him in the smooth running of the India operations. However, the channel was not able to spot the second-runner, despite its repeated attempts of seeking the right candidate.
Robbins seems to be the right man for the job as he is no stranger to the Asian media scene. Prior to his assignment in Australia, he was the president (Creative & Content) for MTV Japan and CEO of MTV Group, Japan.
He developed the MTV Japan channel from scratch, taking it from the planning stages to a thriving business entity that outperformed its chief competitors in terms of ratings success and revenue growth.
He has spent more than 18 years in the media scene, his experience spanning television, Web, and print media. Within the MTV network, he has held positions in places across Hong Kong, New York, Singapore and Tokyo.
agencyfaqs! has also learnt that MTV India’s current director - ad sales Vineet Puri is being deputed on an international assignment to MTV Networks, Indonesia. His mandate in Indonesia would to spearhead the sales activity in the region and promote a greater influx of revenues. © 2005 agencyfaqs!