Anindita Sarkar
Media

Bhaskar Das joins Zee News as group CEO, cluster

He will drive revenue for all news channels of the cluster, including Zee News, Zee Business, Zee 24 Taas (Marathi) and 24 Ghanta (Bengali). Overseeing digital initiatives of the channels will also be a part of his mandate.

Zee News Ltd (ZNL) has roped in Bhaskar Das, former president and principal secretary to the managing director at Bennett, Coleman & Co. Ltd (BCCL), as group chief executive officer (CEO) for the overall news cluster.

According to sources close to the development, Das will be responsible for driving up the revenue of all news channels from the cluster that includes channels such as Zee News, Zee Business, Zee 24 Taas (Marathi) and 24 Ghanta (Bengali). His will also lead the digital initiatives of the channels.

Bhaskar Das joins Zee News as group CEO, cluster
It is pertinent to note here that despite several attempts, ZNL and Das remained unavailable for comments at the time of filing this report.

In early October, Das ended his 32-year stint with The Times of India Group. He joined The Times of India Group in 1980 as a management trainee, wherein he received multi-location, multi-brand exposure. He was made the head of the Response department in Ahmedabad in 1981 even before he could complete his probation period as a management trainee.

Two years later, he took over as sales head of the Eastern Region in Kolkata and, in 1986, became the profit centre head for the east region. In 1990, Das was appointed as the profit centre head of Gujarat and took over as director of the western zone of Response (ad sales) in 1995.

In 2005, Das was named the executive president of BCCL. His mandate was to maximise the company's volume and value market share by ensuring quality service to business constituents and driving value innovations.

Das has also been the brand custodian of The Economic Times. He was involved in the overall management of The Economic Times including content, pricing, promotion and distribution, with the mandate to enhance the commercial health of the brand.

Meanwhile, apart from being integrally involved in the broad strategic direction of BCCL, he was also a board member of Zoom Entertainment Network, Times Guaranty, Optimal Media Solutions, World Wide Media (a BCCL-BBC joint venture company marketing the group's magazines) and Vijayanad Printers (a recent acquisition of BCCL).

Das completed post graduation in International Relations from Jadavpur University in 1977. He then completed Master's degree in Business Administration (marketing specialisation) from Kolkata University in 1979.

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