Bennett Coleman & Co. Ltd. (The Times of India Group) has appointed Seshadri Shankaran as General Manager, strengthening its leadership bench as the media giant sharpens its focus on digital growth, monetisation, and data-led transformation.Shankaran brings deep expertise across pricing strategy, business models, growth, and digital marketing, with prior leadership roles at GroupM, Disney Star, and Times Internet placing him at the intersection of media, advertising, and platform economics.This isn’t just a senior appointment.It’s a strategic move to future-proof media growth.
Why This Appointment Matters
The media industry is undergoing structural change:
- Advertising models are fragmenting
- Subscription and hybrid monetisation are rising
- Pricing intelligence is becoming a competitive advantage
By appointing a leader with cross-ecosystem experience spanning agency, publisher, and platform environments, The Times of India Group is signalling a clear priority:
Sustainable media growth will be driven by smarter monetisation, not just larger audiences.
Experience Built for Modern Media
Across his previous roles, Shankaran has focused on:
- Designing scalable pricing and revenue strategies
- Building digital-first business models
- Driving data-led decision-making
- Aligning growth with long-term monetisation
At GroupM, he worked closely with advertisers and agencies on value creation.
At Disney Star, he operated within premium content and broadcast economics.
At Times Internet, he helped scale digital platforms inside one of India’s largest media ecosystems.
This blend of perspectives is increasingly rare—and highly relevant.
Monetisation in a Digital-First World
As audience behaviour shifts to mobile, video, and platforms, media companies face a critical challenge:
How do you monetise attention without eroding trust or experience?
Shankaran’s background positions him to address:
- Yield optimisation across digital inventory
- Pricing strategy for premium and performance media
- Data-driven packaging of content and audiences
- New revenue streams beyond traditional advertising
For legacy media brands, this kind of leadership is essential to stay competitive against global tech platforms.
The Bigger Picture: Media Gets Smarter About Revenue
This appointment reflects a broader industry trend:
- Media companies are prioritising commercial intelligence
- Growth roles are merging with monetisation roles
- Data, pricing, and strategy are becoming core leadership functions
In an environment where reach is abundant but revenue quality matters, execution at the business-model level is key.Seshadri Shankaran’s appointment as General Manager at Bennett Coleman & Co. Ltd. signals a clear focus on scalable growth, pricing power, and digital monetisation excellence.
It reinforces that:
- Media transformation is as much commercial as it is editorial
- Leadership depth drives sustainable growth
- The future of media belongs to those who master both content and commerce
- This isn’t just about managing a business.It’s about rebuilding media economics for the digital age.
 has appointed Seshadri Shankaran as General Manager){kind=link}