Content consumption has changed significantly. Audiences now want everything – news, entertainment, sports and so on – on their own terms. What does this mean for CIOs in media and entertainment? To find out, CIO Dimension spoke with Harmit Singh Malhotra, Chief Technology Officer of NDTV Profit and a tech veteran with over 20 years of experience in broadcasting. 

From leading projects in live news rooms and international sports events to driving advancements in OTT and remote production, Harmit has worked with some of the biggest names in the industry. In this interview, he shares key insights on the industry’s evolution and what lies ahead for CIOs.

You come with over two decades of experience in the broadcast media space, having worked with many of the top brands in the Media industry. Would you like to recall some key moments in this journey?

My journey in broadcast media began in 2003 with Network18, where I was fascinated by the unique opportunities this industry offers to tech leaders. From the very start, I realized there is never a dull moment in this space—it’s a field where creativity and technology converge to create impactful stories and experiences.

During my tenure at Network18, I contributed to several key projects, including the launch of CNBC-Awaaz, IBN-Lokmat, COLORS, and CNBC Bajar. Each of these ventures showcased the power of technology in shaping how audiences consume content.

One of the most exciting projects in my career came in 2013 while working with Star Sports, where we implemented India’s first-ever remote production for international sports events. We wanted to move away from the traditional model of deploying large production crews at global venues. So, we introduced a streamlined workflow: live feeds were transmitted from international venues to a central hub, where commentary was added, and localised broadcasts were produced. This project delivered significant cost savings and maintained the highest production standards, setting a new benchmark for the industry. 

Following this, I worked for leading media organisations such as Republic Media Network and Enterr10. A key achievement during this period was spearheading the launch of Dangal Play’s OTT platform, where I oversaw the entire Tech workflow—from content and delivery to user experience design. This project provided great insights into the world of streaming platforms. 

Currently, I spearhead the technology operations at NDTV Profit, managing all aspects of technical and delivery from our Mumbai hub. This role allows me to continue exploring the potential of technology in media while adapting to the industry’s changing demands.

Tell us a bit more about your role at NDTV Profit and how you navigated the acquisition of BQPrime and its merger with NDTV Profit. 

In my current role at NDTV Profit, I oversee Corporate IT, Broadcast Engineering, and Cybersecurity, ensuring seamless integration across these critical functions. I lead a team responsible for maintaining efficient workflows, real-time content production, and multi-platform content delivery—spanning satellite broadcasting and digital streaming.

A key aspect of my role is managing critical infrastructure, including network systems, security frameworks, and core IT operations, all within a single, integrated team. This ensures cross-functional collaboration, innovation, and agility, allowing us to adapt to evolving industry demands. 

During the acquisition, strategic foresight played a crucial role in guiding our technology choices, ensuring compatibility with NDTV’s existing systems. During our transition and expansion, we prioritized proactive planning and seamless system integration, minimizing disruptions and ensuring a smooth operational flow. Close collaboration between teams allowed us to overcome technological challenges, facilitating a smooth and efficient transition post-merger.

As we continue to evolve, our focus remains on leveraging technology, strengthening cybersecurity frameworks, and enhancing operational efficiencies to position NDTV Profit as a leader in business news broadcasting.

I’m really curious about how content consumption and viewing patterns are evolving, especially post-COVID. Digital has clearly become the go-to medium for many. How do you see these trends shaping up?

The COVID-19 pandemic has led to a big transformation in the way we consume media. Digital platforms emerged as the primary source of entertainment and information during this phase. But I think this shift stayed and paved the way for many key trends that continue to shape the media landscape. Here’re a few that I would like to highlight: 

Streaming services take centre stage: Channel streaming plays a big role in reaching a global audience. By leveraging the power of channel streaming, we can deliver excellent, personalised experiences to a diverse and expansive audience, ensuring our content remains relevant and impactful in the digital age.

The rise of short-form content: Short-form content has become increasingly popular, especially among younger audiences. Platforms like Instagram Reels and YouTube Shorts have revolutionised content consumption with their bite-sized, engaging videos. 

Personalized viewing experiences: Algorithms have become the backbone of personalized viewing experiences. Streaming services and social media platforms use sophisticated algorithms to recommend content based on user preferences. 

OTT platforms and Smart TVs: The integration of internet connectivity into televisions has transformed traditional TV viewing. OTT platforms offer vast content that can be accessed directly through smart TVs. This evolution has blurred the lines between conventional TV and digital streaming.

Social Media as a news source: Social media platforms have become crucial news sources, especially for younger generations. Platforms like X, Facebook, etc make it ideal for staying updated on current events. However, this has also underscored the importance of authenticity and trust in news consumption, as misinformation can spread rapidly across these channels.

Interactive and immersive content: Today audiences want more engaging experiences. Interactive and immersive content has  thusgained traction. Virtual concerts, online gaming, and live-streaming events offer unique and participatory experiences. The growing popularity of virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) further enhances these interactive elements, creating a more dynamic media landscape.

That’s quite a lot on the plate for a CIO in the media and entertainment space! What are the opportunities and challenges that you see as a tech leader in this industry today? 

Speed and agility are paramount in the digital age. CIOs must prioritize digital-first strategies, ensuring rapid news dissemination across social media platforms. This requires a robust cloud infrastructure to enable real-time content delivery and personalized experiences based on audience preferences and location. Cloud technology, for example, is the cornerstone of our operations. Cloud platforms like AWS and Azure provide the foundation for our entire workflow, from content acquisition and processing to delivery and audience engagement.

One of the key challenges is the complexity of delivering content across multiple platforms and devices whilst maintaining quality and user experience. CIOs must prioritise building scalable infrastructure, including Content Delivery Networks (CDNs). As CDNs distribute content across a network of servers closer to users, it helps in minimizing latency and improving delivery times – making it crucial for modern media organisations.

You mentioned Cloud. Tell us how Cloud is driving some key business use cases for NDTV Profit. 

As a media organization, we are transitioning to a cloud-first approach, leveraging cloud platforms for content delivery, ad insertion, and audience targeting. This allows us to personalise content and ad experiences for viewers in different regions, enhancing the viewer experience and improving ad effectiveness.

We are also exploring edge computing, which brings processing power closer to the network’s edge. This enables faster response times and reduced latency, which is crucial for live streaming and interactive content. I believe cloud and edge computing will play an increasingly vital role in shaping the future of media delivery, enabling us to provide personalized content experiences to audiences worldwide.

What technological advancements do you foresee transforming newsrooms and studios in the coming years?

The media landscape is on the verge of a significant transformation. We are quickly moving away from traditional, cable-dependent workflows to IP-based production, which will efficiently transmit high-quality video signals over high-bandwidth networks. This shift will revolutionize our operations, enhancing flexibility and scalability.

AI is another technology that has the potential to change news production, even though concrete use cases are still emerging. From automated content creation and personalized recommendations to streamlining workflows and enhancing audience engagement, Generative AI will play a big role. I think, all these advancements in technology will help us build a more dynamic and responsive media industry.

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Harness, an AI-native software delivery platform company, has appointed Prashant Verma as the Head of R&D, India Center. 

An IIT Delhi alumnus, Prashant comes with over 24 years of engineering leadership and is renowned for building high-performing engineering teams. He has previously contributed to leading enterprise and consumer product organizations such as i2, Informatica, Goldman Sachs, LinkedIn, Flipkart, Zoomcar, and Traveloka.

In his new role, Prashant will focus on establishing Harness India as a global innovation hub, building a world-class R&D center with top-tier talent, and fostering a tech-first culture where engineers drive innovation and take ownership. He will also enhance collaboration with global teams across the US, Europe, and other regions, while positioning Harness India as a thriving workplace and employer of choice.

Jyoti Bansal, Co-founder and CEO, Harness, “We are thrilled to welcome Prashant Verma as Head of R&D, India. His proven expertise in building and scaling high-performing teams aligns perfectly with our vision for Harness India. Under his leadership, the India Center will play a pivotal role in driving impactful innovation and contributing to our global growth strategy.”

Prashant Verma, Head of R&D India, Harness, said “I am honored to join Harness and lead the R&D India Center. Harness India will be a core driver of the company’s global growth and innovation journey. My vision is to build a world-class R&D hub that empowers engineers to solve complex problems, deliver transformative solutions, and contribute to impactful success.”

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For CIOs and CTOs, AI can automate routine tasks like network monitoring, system maintenance, and cybersecurity, reducing the need for hands-on management. This gives them more time to focus on innovation and developing long-term technology strategies. AI also helps them make data-driven decisions by providing insights from vast amounts of data, which allows companies to anticipate customer needs, improve operations, and create new products or services.

However, AI also presents new challenges. CIOs and CTOs will need to navigate ethical concerns around AI, such as data privacy and the impact of automation on jobs. They’ll also need to continuously update their skills to keep up with rapidly advancing AI technologies.

Moreover, AI is driving the need for strong collaboration between CIOs/CTOs and other departments like human resources, marketing, and finance. For instance, AI systems that monitor employee performance or improve customer experience require cross-functional alignment. This means CIOs and CTOs must become more integrated with the business side, ensuring that AI initiatives are aligned with overall company goals.

As companies continue to adopt AI-driven solutions, the demand for CIOs and CTOs who understand both technology and business strategy will grow. Embracing this shift will help them not only lead but also innovate in today’s competitive landscape. Those who stay ahead will be the driving force behind their organization’s success.

References:

• Forbes: How AI is Reshaping the Role of the CIO
• Gartner: Gartner Says Three-Fourths of CIO Job Description Will Be Rewritten by 2024

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Securonix, Inc. announced that Kash Shaikh has been appointed President and Chief Executive Officer and member of its Board of Directors, effective immediately.

Kash succeeds Nayaki Nayyar who has been serving as the CEO of the security vendor since December 2022. Nayaki has decided to step down and focus the next phase of her career on public Board service, the company said in a press release. 

Kash is a seasoned enterprise technology Executive with Fortune 50 experience and has a record of driving profitable growth across Software, SaaS, and AI Infrastructure markets. 

He has over 30 years of experience of fostering business transformation and delivering innovative technology solutions for global enterprise organizations. He most recently served as President and CEO of Virtana, a leading hybrid-cloud infrastructure observability solutions provider.

Prior to Virtana, Shaikh served as Global Vice President and General Manager for Dell’s Enterprise Solutions Unit. Shaikh has also held leadership and executive positions at Ruckus Wireless, Hewlett Packard, Cisco, and Nortel Networks.

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Indian CEOs place great importance on AI governance, with a significant 71% believing that trusted AI is impossible without effective AI governance in organizations. A global study of 3,000 CEOs conducted by IBM Institute for Business Value, in cooperation with Oxford Economics, reveals a number of interesting aspects about workforce, culture and governance challenges faced by Indian CEOs while navigating AI journeys. 

According to the study, 75% Indian CEO respondents say governance for generative AI must be established as solutions are designed, rather than after they are deployed. At the same time, the study also noted a contrast in actual adoption of AI governance policies with only 42% Indian CEO respondents saying they have good generative AI governance in place today.

The survey also highlights other key challenges around workforce. 75% of Indian CEO respondents say that inspiring their team with a common vision produces better outcomes than providing precise standards and targets. Yet 31% acknowledge that their employees don’t fully understand how strategic decisions impact them.

Sandip Patel, Managing Director, IBM India & South Asia said, “As Indian CEOs navigate AI-led transformations within their organizations, they recognize the need for AI guardrails so that they derive real business value responsibly for growth and competitive success. However, our study reveals a gap between their intention and actual implementation. This scenario highlights the complexity of implementing AI governance, hence making a strong case for partnering with trusted experts to develop and execute effective practices and policies.”

Other key study findings include:

People and skills are at the heart of successful generative AI adoption

• 71% of Indian CEOs surveyed say that succeeding with AI will depend more on people’s adoption than the technology itself
• 49% of Indian CEO respondents says they are hiring for Gen AI roles that didn’t exist last year
• CEOs surveyed from India say 34% of their workforce will require retraining and reskilling over the next three years – up from just 6% globally in 2021

Indian CEOs recognize it takes a cultural shift to successfully scale AI, but face organizational collaboration and adoption challenges.

• 70% of Indian CEOs surveyed say their organization’s success is directly tied to the quality of collaboration between finance and technology, yet nearly half (48%) say competition among their C-Suite executives sometimes impedes collaboration.
• Nearly half (48%) of those surveyed from India acknowledge that cultural change is more important to becoming a data-driven organization than overcoming technical challenges.
• 58% of Indian CEO respondents say they are pushing their organization to adopt generative AI more quickly than some people are comfortable with

Customer experience and product & service innovation are top priorities, regulatory constraints might be hindering long-term progress

• Indian CEOs surveyed ranked customer experience and product & service innovation as their highest priorities for the next three years
• 59% of respondents say they are willing to sacrifice operational efficiency for greater innovation.
• However, nearly half (48%) of Indian CEOs surveyed point to regulatory constraints as their top barrier to innovation.
• Today, only 32% of the Indian CEO respondents are primarily funding their generative AI investments with net new IT spend, with the remaining 68% reducing other technology spend.

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When Mitali Biswas left her highly fulfilling role at IBM to become the CIO of a leading hospital in Kolkata, she was led solely by her conviction. Four years later, after successfully navigating the COVID-19 crisis which came along rather unexpectedly, she has embraced the role of a CIO with all its virtuosity. 

The secret sauce is her inside-out approach to digital transformation with a firm focus on impactful outcomes. She is the sort of a technology leader who has seen the best of transformation programs globally and yet champions a more grounded approach while crafting a technology roadmap at CK Birla Hospitals. 

In this exclusive video interaction, Mitali takes us through her fascinating journey as a healthcare CIO and how the sector is set to transform itself with the help of AI, IoT, wearables and other technologies. 

The CK Birla group of Hospitals comprises esteemed institutions such as the Calcutta Medical Research Institute (CMRI), a premier multispecialty hospital located in Kolkata, alongside the renowned BM Birla Heart Research Centre in Kolkata and the Rukmani Birla Hospital in Jaipur. With a rich legacy spanning over 50 years, these hospitals have collectively provided care to more than 1.8 million patients.

Mitali believes that AI has the ability to revolutionize the healthcare sector and save more lives. 

“AI has potential to significantly transform the clinical decisions support systems, by helping doctors diagnose faster and more accurately using data. Radiology imaging is emerging as a strong use case today. Imagine AI being used to accelerate the diagnosis process of brain strokes using MRI images – we will be able to save a lot more lives this way,” she says. 

She discussed some key roadblocks to AI adoption in healthcare from an Indian context. “In healthcare, we are dealing with human lives and there must be the trust and evidence that the AI systems are 100 percent right. That’s the reason why acceptance and change management remain the biggest challenges.” 

Mitali also highlights some key challenges in implementing AI in healthcare including the prevalence of manual processes, and the data management & data sharing issues that CIOs face. “It’s important to get the entire ecosystem in the healthcare sector to work together. Government plays a key role here. I think we are heading in the right direction with the help of Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission. Enforcement is the need of the hour,” she underscores.  

Watch the full video to learn more about the emerging use cases of IoT and wearables in healthcare and a lot more interesting insights from Mitali. 

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Executives and engineers at technology companies around the world are optimistic about artificial intelligence and sustainability as broad concepts, but there is uncertainty around the best path forward to advance these initiatives within their companies.

Those revelations emerged from the 2024 Industrial Technology Index from TE Connectivity. For its second annual report on the state of innovation, TE surveyed 1,000 people representing a wide range of industries in China, Germany, India, Japan and the United States.

“TE has devoted significant resources to sustainability and AI, and we know other companies are doing the same. We wanted to learn more about how these two megatrends are affecting the innovation process and, in turn, how innovation is driving them forward,” said CEO Terrence Curtin. “What we found was that the leaders who set a company’s goals and the engineers tasked with meeting these goals still have some work to do to align for success.”

The survey’s results make apparent the disconnect between leaders and engineers when it comes to rolling out artificial intelligence. Three-quarters of executives say that engineers are responsible for driving AI implementation. However, 68% of engineers wish that leadership would lay out a clearer plan for its implementation. When asked to peer into the near future, 79% of both engineers and executives expect their company to invest more in AI training over the next three years.

When responding to questions about sustainable practices at their companies, most engineers revealed a deep passion for the environment. Eighty-seven percent of engineers agree that it is personally important to them to support climate change solutions in their work. This sentiment is so deeply entrenched in the engineering community that 34% said they would leave their job if their company did not provide opportunities to support sustainable initiatives. 

Survey data indicates that executives need to do some more work to instill confidence in their engineering communities, as there is a five-point difference between the groups when asked if they were satisfied with their organization’s sustainability plan.

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AI and data consulting firm 66degrees has appointed Pankaj Chugh as President and Chief Operating Officer. In this role, Chugh will oversee the company’s sales, marketing, alliances, and solutions. 

Chugh most recently served as an Executive Vice President at LTIMindtree where he ran the Retail & Consumer business, scaled some of the largest clients in Tech industry, set up delivery centers in India and US, ran the global Digital Product & Platform Engineering business, and incubated and rapidly expanded the Google Cloud business. Prior to this, at Infosys he ran and grew different industry portfolios across Europe and Americas, and led growth strategy and M&A for Infosys’ Europe and global Hi-Tech and Manufacturing verticals. 

“Pankaj’s expertise in building technology services businesses, scaling global teams, and serving as a key client advisor will serve as a great complement to our talented team, allowing us to continue to scale and better serve our existing accounts,” said Ben Kessler, CEO.” With his arrival at 66degrees, Pankaj immediately adds to three of our 2024 strategic pillars: setting client success as our north star, bringing solutions and accelerators to market, and building our global delivery team.”

Pankaj Chugh said, “Every industry is rapidly becoming a digital-first industry. Cloud, AI and data have created renewed urgency to embrace the disruption. Clients have already been asking 66degrees to help navigate the change, and this is a great opportunity to support them leapfrog. I am very excited to be a part of one of the brightest technology and business minds in the services industry.”

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16 Mar 2024, Pune: Tech Saga 2024, one of the largest congregations of top technology leaders in the country hosted by CIO Klub Pune Chapter, commenced here in Pune today. The summit promises to be a unique platform for CIOs, IT leaders and technology visionaries to come together and chart future pathways for the tech industry in the country. 

The summit opened with a soulful musical treat followed by an auspicious lamp lighting session and Ganesh vandana performance.

With over 160 technology leaders in attendance, the summit had Vice Admiral Raman Puri, PVSM, AVSM, VSM, as its Chief of Honour. Mr. Puri, in his comprehensive speech, emphasized the importance of leadership that stands steady under pressure and why strategic security and self-reliance are critical. 

Anis Pankhania, President, CIO Klub Pune Chapter and Sr. Director & CISO, Capgemini, shared the chapter’s vision and summarized its work in the past year. Umesh Mehta, President, General Body, CIO Klub, gave the audience a rundown of the association’s programs, initiatives and engagements. 

Ashok Jade, Global CIO of Kirlosker Brothers, member of the managing committee of CIO Klub Pune Chpater said, “The ‘K’ in CIO Klub signifies knowledge. We, at CIO Klub, firmly believe that fostering knowledge helps drive innovation within the whole ecosystem. The world of technology is perhaps evolving at breakneck speed today and it’s critical that we, as a community, create a conducive environment for ourselves to embrace change. We hope that Tech Saga 2024 becomes the go-to platform for the CIO community to confidently innovate and transform.” 

The event has an impressive line-up of speakers throughout the day who cover a wide range of topics to give the attendees some valuable takeaways. The summit also hosts Ajinkya Dhariya, Shark Tank fame & Founder/CEO at PadCare Labs. Another key highlight of the event is the fireside chat session between Anita Bhogle, Author & Partner, Prosearch Consultants and Sajith Chakkingal, Head of Global Technology, TMF Group. 

The CIO Klub is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to Chief Information Technology Officers, formed by CIOs and for CIOs, representing diverse industry verticals. With a democratically elected governing body and sixteen chapters worldwide, the CIO Klub is committed to knowledge enhancement, fostering collaboration, and organizing knowledge-sharing sessions. The Pune Chapter, with over 175 active members, continues to lead these initiatives. 

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Global pharma major Lupin announced the appointment of Rakesh Bhardwaj as Chief Information Officer (CIO). He will be based in Mumbai and lead Lupin’s global Information Technology function and spearhead the company’s digital transformation.

Rakesh brings to Lupin rich experience of over three decades in building and managing cutting edge global IT teams and systems for some of the largest enterprises in the world. His last assignment was with Ola as Group Chief Information Officer, where he spearheaded the development of Ola’s Automotive Direct-to-Consumer (D2C) model, significantly impacting India’s electric vehicle (EV) sector by establishing over 900 Omni-channel Experience Centres.

He was also the Global CIO of Cognizant between July 2016 and January 2021, prior to which he has held leadership positions with Micro land, General Electric and BISIL. Rakesh holds a bachelor’s degree in Engineering in Computer Science from Gulbarga University, Karnataka.

Commenting on the appointment, Ramesh Swaminathan, Executive Director, Global CFO and Head – Corporate Affairs, Lupin said, “Information Technology plays a critical role in advancing and expanding our horizons as a global pharmaceutical leader. We are pleased to welcome Rakesh to Lupin, further enhancing our IT foundation. With his expertise, he will drive our efforts in digitalization, process automation, data management and analytics, all of which will reinforce Lupin’s position as a frontrunner in innovation and excellence within the industry.”

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