Amazon taps Voot’s Akash Banerji to head marketing of central mobile biz development unit

MUMBAI: Amazon India has hired Akash Banerji, currently business head of advertising video platform of Voot, the Viacom18-owned OTT service, as head of marketing for the central mobile business development unit.

Banerji, who has put in his papers at Voot, is expected to join Amazon in mid-September.

The central unit works across Amazon's different businesses - Prime, Prime Video, Music and Kindle and the multiple strategic distribution partners, including with the telecom operators.

In his new role, Banerji will be responsible for fostering synergies with partners and creating new product expansion strategies with an aim to drive subscription numbers and revenues, a source said.

Banerji has been with Viacom18 for five years. He had joined the company from Star India to head marketing and partnership at Voot and was subsequently promoted to business head of AVOD platform of Voot.

At Star India, where he served for almost seven years, Banerji was heading marketing for Hotstar, including its launch.

Viacom8 has seen a slew of high-level exits lately, including MD and Group CEO Sudhanshu Vats, who quit to join Essel Propack.

Many in the industry feel the exits are ahead of Viacom18’s merger with rival Sony Pictures Networks India (SPN).

ET first reported that the two companies are in talks for a possible merger with SPN holding a majority stake.