Disney’s Uday Shankar has announced he’s stepping down from his position and leaving The Walt Disney Company to pursue an entrepreneurial career where he can “give back to the country, community and the industry that have given me so much.”

What’s Happening:

  • Variety is reporting that Uday Shankar is stepping down from his position as president, The Walt Disney Company Asia Pacific and chairman, Star & Disney India.
  • He will remain with the company until December 31, 2020.
  • Shankar announced the decision for his exit is to pursue an entrepreneurial career.
  • He and Rebecca Campbell, chair of Disney’s direct-to-consumer and international segment, will work together to find his successor.
  • Shankar took his current role with the company in February 2019 and helped to oversee the successful launch of the streaming service Hotstar—now Disney+ Hostar—in India and local regions.
  • Prior to joining Disney, Shankar served as president of 21st Century Fox for Asia and the chair and CEO of Star India helping to make Star one of the most successful media companies in Asia.
  • For Star, he acquired sports broadcasting rights to Indian Premier League Cricket, and many other local sports.
  • Shankar also served as CEO and editor of Star News, and was news director and editor at TV Today Groups where he launched Hindi-language and English news channels.
  • In addition to his corporate business successes, he also serves as senior vice president of the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry.

What They’re Saying:

  • Uday Shankar: “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.”
  • Rebecca Campbell: “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. Uday has been a great friend, colleague and valued counselor to me personally, and I know I speak for all of DTCI when I say he will be greatly missed. At the same time, I understand and respect his desire to make this change. I am extremely grateful that he has agreed to stay on to help ensure a seamless transition.”