MUMBAI: Here’s another stripe he’s adding to the numerous ones he has got during his fascinating career. Disney Star India chairperson and Walt Disney Co Asia Pacific president  Uday Shankar will take over as FICCI president–elect for 2020-21  during the lobbying body’s ninety third AGM on 11, 12, and 14 December 2020. He will succeed Apollo Hospitals managing director Sangeeta Reddy. 

In the process, he will become the first ever media and entertainment industry executive to lead the national chamber . Prior to this he was chairman of FICCI’s media & entertainment committee, apart from being president of the Indian Broadcasting Foundation. 

Uday currently leads Disney’s direct-to-consumer business in over 30 countries and has been behind the tremendous success Star India has achieved in entertainment and sports broadcasting, apart from the streaming service Disney +Hotstar. 

Uday has also been a vociferous advocate of the entertainment and broadcasting sector, speaking out at times against regulation which has slowed down the TV ecosystem. He has been at the forefront of landmark initiatives in television broadcasting, such as self-regulation of content and digitisation of the broadcasting sector. He holds an M. Phil in economic history.