Walt Disney consolidates all digital biz in India; Vishal Gondal & Samir Bangara to co-head DisneyUTV Digital

Media giant The Walt Disney Company is consolidating all its digital media properties across platforms and content under a new entity in India called DisneyUTV Digital, which would be co-headed by Vishal Gondal and Samir Bangara. Gondal is the founder & chief executive of Indiagames while Bangara, previously COO of Indiagames, was redesignated as managing director (digital) for The Walt Disney Company India in April this year.

The duo will lead the new entity, which will house digital business of Disney, UTV and its gaming subsidiary Indiagames.

"All content and brands from Disney, Marvel, UTV, Bindass, as well as original content and games, will now be developed and managed by DisneyUTV Digital," the company said on Thursday.

The consolidated business will include all mobile, video, audio, broadband, ITV, games and online initiatives, with a combined audience reach of an estimated over 300 million people in India.

Last year, Disney had offered to buy out UTV Software completely and had completed the transaction sometime back that delisted the company. Earlier, Vishal Gondal had sold his minority stake in Indiagames to UTV Software even as he remained at the helm of affairs at the country's largest game development firm.

(Edited by Prem Udayabhanu)