Kingshuk Mitra exits JioStar to launch his own venture

Kingshuk Mitra, a veteran leader known for his influential roles in India's advertising and media landscape, has announced his departure from his current leadership position at JioStar. Mitra, who most recently headed ad sales for the sports vertical at Disney and oversaw impact, branded content, agency partnerships, measurement, and licensing for JioStar, is stepping away to launch an independent venture.

Making the announcement on LinkedIn on November 4, 2025, Mitra stated it was "Time to turn the page" and "begin something of my own." He revealed that his new focus will be on an idea that merges his two core interests: creativity and technology. While details remain under wraps, he assured his followers that more information would be shared soon, marking a pivotal pivot from a corporate leadership path to entrepreneurship.

Mitra’s career has been characterised by successfully scaling complex businesses across India and the APAC region. At Disney’s sports vertical, he managed an advertising portfolio exceeding $400 million, encompassing marquee properties like the IPL and ICC tournaments. He is credited with pioneering innovative sponsorship models that fueled record-breaking revenue growth through the integration of digital and TV platforms.

His most recent role at JioStar involved managing a diverse, 150+ member cross-functional team and overseeing an advertising portfolio valued at over $950 million.

Before his tenure with the media conglomerates, Mitra spent years in agency leadership. As APAC COO at GroupM’s EssenceMediacom, he managed over $1.5 billion in APAC billing and delivered a 25% profit CAGR, notably spearheading successful expansion into Greater China and Australia. Earlier, his leadership transformed Maxus Philippines from a struggling unit into one of the region’s fastest-growing agencies, achieving 50% year-over-year revenue growth.

This move signals a significant shift in the market as a top executive transitions from steering massive ad revenue portfolios to building a new entity at the intersection of creative execution and technological innovation.