MUMBAI: Network18 has appointed seasoned digital entrepreneur Angad Bhatia as chief executive of Firstpost and its freshly minted creator-focused venture, Creator18.

Bhatia, who founded and scaled the influential men's lifestyle platform MensXP before its acquisition by Times Internet, brings over 15 years of digital media expertise to the role where he'll steer India's international news brand while simultaneously building a creator network across Network18's digital properties.

His appointment marks a strategic push by the media conglomerate to capitalise on the booming creator economy while strengthening its news credentials.

The digital veteran most recently served as chief executive of India Lifestyle Network and spearheaded brand and marketing growth initiatives at Mensa Brands. His career has spanned content, technology and digital commerce, including the development of influential digital-first consumer brands such as iDiva and Hypp.

Industry observers note Bhatia's reputation for identifying growth adjacencies and applying entrepreneurial thinking to established media businesses – precisely the toolkit Network18 appears keen to harness as traditional and social media boundaries continue to blur.

"Bhatia represents the new breed of media executive who understands both content creation and commercial models in the digital sphere," said a media analyst at a leading consultancy firm. "His experience with MensXP demonstrated he can build audiences while driving commercial success."

In his new role, Bhatia will report directly to Rahul Joshi, managing director and group editor-in-chief of Network18, as he attempts to bring fresh thinking and audience growth to the organisation's digital portfolio.