Ruling New Markets In South Asia
Always on the lookout for a new challenge, Amrita Pandey, who was earlier vice-president of Studios, Disney India, took up the role of regional head of Media Distribution and Over-The-Top (OTT) video streaming platforms, South Asia, last November. In her new role, apart from overseeing India, she is heading South East Asian regional markets such as Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand, the Philippines and Vietnam.
Since joining Disney, Pandey has made a significant contribution to the business; she is responsible for some of the industry’s biggest theatrical releases in India. Her colleagues feel her deep understanding of Disney’s brands and content portfolio, combined with her extensive experience in marketing and distribution, make her the ideal person to take Disney’s media business to the next level in this region.
Says Archana Datta, former director general of Doordarshan and a TV industry veteran, “Women are now in the media boardrooms and are running the show, largely because of competence, courage and the ability to face any challenge.”
“More women are populating male-dominated industries because of their ability to connect organically and also do things differently,” says Parul Sharma, a communications specialist.
After her bachelor’s in microbiology from Jai Hind College, Pandey studied management, majoring in marketing, at the Sydenham Institute of Management, Mumbai. During campus placement, she was recruited by UTV in 2003 as a management trainee. Her first on screen credit was for UTV’s blockbuster Rang De Basanti in 2006 as project coordinator. Her entry into the company coincided with UTV’s foray into the movie business.
In the last 14 years with Disney, Pandey has held roles across every key discipline within the movie business, from production and marketing to distribution and syndication. In her time with the Studios (Disney), she has worked on over 150 movies across Hindi, English and other regional languages.
