Uday Shankar to step down as Walt Disney Asia Pacific president to pursue entrepreneurial interests

Global media and entertainment conglomerate The Walt Disney Company on Thursday said Uday Shankar will step down as President of its Asia Pacific (APAC) business and Chairman of Star and Disney India with effect from 31 December, 2020. Shankar has quit to pursue entrepreneurial interests outside the company. “Shankar will step down as President, The Walt Disney Company APAC, and Chairman, Star and Disney India, effective as of 31 December, 2020,” Rebecca Campbell, Chairman of Disney’s Direct-to-Consumer and International segment said in a statement. The company said that over the next three months, Shankar will work closely with Campbell to identify his successor to ensure a smooth transition. Shankar has served as president, The Walt Disney Company APAC and chairman, Star and Disney India since February, 2019. Prior to this, he was the president of 21st Century Fox for Asia and the chairman and CEO of Star India. He is also the senior vice president of FICCI (Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry) and currently in line to take over as its next president, writes Livemint. Disney’s Direct-to-Consumer and International segment includes the company’s direct-to-consumer streaming businesses including Disney+, Hulu, ESPN+ and Disney+ Hotstar, as well as Disney’s international media operations stretching from Europe to Asia to Latin America. (With inputs from Press Trust of India)