Ashish Sehgal has been named CEO of Times Network and Chief Growth Officer of Times Media & Entertainment, effective 1 December 2025. With decades of experience at ZEEL and Disney Star, he will drive strategic expansion, unify broadcast and digital revenues, and lead cross-platform growth as Times strengthens its future-ready media strategy.
Ashish Sehgal’s appointment as Chief Executive Officer of Times Network, along with his concurrent elevation as Chief Growth Officer of Times Media & Entertainment effective 1 December 2025, marks a major strategic shift within one of India’s most influential media conglomerates. His dual mandate signals the Times Group’s intent to consolidate leadership across broadcast and digital domains at a moment when the media landscape is undergoing rapid transformation shaped by technology, shifting viewer behaviour, and the blurring of lines between content, platforms, and revenue streams. For Times Network, which operates a broad portfolio of news and entertainment channels, bringing in a leader with deep experience in building integrated revenue ecosystems is a decisive step aimed at future-proofing the organisation.
Sehgal joins Times Network after a distinguished tenure at Zee Entertainment Enterprises Limited (ZEEL), where he spent nearly 20 years shaping the company’s growth trajectory. Most recently serving as ZEEL’s Chief Growth Officer, he oversaw revenue strategy for more than 50 television channels spanning multiple languages and genres. His time at Zee saw him take charge not only of broadcast monetisation but also digital revenue streams, global market expansion, and branded content partnerships — a combination that made him one of the few senior leaders in Indian media capable of looking at the revenue picture holistically across platforms and markets. This experience positions him well to lead Times Network as it redefines its approach to growth in a converged media era where TV, digital and experiential formats coexist in shared consumer journeys.
Before joining ZEEL, Sehgal played a pivotal role at Disney Star, where he spearheaded national broadcast sales and distribution. His contribution to the launch of Star’s flagship channel during a crucial period for the network helped strengthen its footprint and advertising influence. That early exposure to the high-stakes world of national broadcasting, followed by two decades of managing one of India’s largest entertainment networks, gives Sehgal a unique vantage point as he steps into the leadership suite at Times. His grounding in sales, distribution, content monetisation and digital scaling aligns directly with what Times Network now needs as it charts a path for sustainable growth amid industry disruption.
In his new role as CEO of Times Network, Sehgal will be responsible for the strategic direction of the network’s television portfolio, which includes prominent news brands such as Times Now, Mirror Now, ET Now and Times Now Navbharat, as well as entertainment offerings that reach millions of viewers. His remit will include strengthening the network’s editorial and content strategy, revitalising the entertainment portfolio, building distinctive brand identities and ensuring that Times Network retains its leadership position in the English news category while expanding its regional and digital footprint. With competition intensifying from both established broadcasters and digital-first news platforms, his experience in unifying monetisation efforts across TV and streaming at ZEEL is expected to play a critical role in Times Network’s next phase of evolution.
Simultaneously, as Chief Growth Officer of Times Media & Entertainment, Sehgal will take on a wider mandate that extends beyond television. The role places him at the centre of the Times Group’s larger ambition to build cross-platform synergy, create unified growth engines and expand new business verticals. The creation of this role itself signals the Group’s recognition that growth in 2025 and beyond will depend not just on the performance of TV channels or digital platforms individually, but on how these assets work together — sharing insights, creating fluid content ecosystems and offering integrated advertising solutions. Sehgal’s background, built on years of navigating precisely these kinds of transitions, reflects a leadership philosophy rooted in integration, adaptability and innovation.
The media sector in India is at a point of transition where revenue diversification is becoming essential. Traditional advertising models are under pressure due to audience fragmentation, regulatory shifts and the growing dominance of digital video. At the same time, content consumption patterns are rapidly evolving, with younger audiences gravitating toward digital-first platforms, short-form formats and personalised content. Sehgal’s appointment indicates that Times Network is not only acknowledging these shifts but actively preparing to pivot its growth model. His experience handling both broadcast and digital ecosystems positions him to drive a unified revenue architecture and explore emerging opportunities such as connected TV, digital subscriptions, branded content, live events and data-driven content offerings.
Furthermore, Times Network’s ambitions in digital news and streaming require a leader who understands the economics of scale, audience behaviour and platform growth. As digital news consumption rises and more players enter the space, strategy, differentiation and monetisation become critical. Sehgal has worked extensively at the intersection of content and technology, building revenue pathways for both traditional linear networks and digital platforms. At ZEEL, he helped drive digital monetisation across ZEE5 and other digital properties at a time when the Indian OTT market was becoming fiercely competitive. This experience will help him guide Times Network as it adapts its digital news strategy and explores new content formats to meet shifting audience expectations.
One of the biggest challenges for large legacy media houses is finding a balance between traditional strengths and new capabilities. For Times Network, this includes maintaining its leadership in news broadcasting while aggressively growing its digital presence; ensuring strong distribution for its entertainment channels while exploring new revenue lines; and embracing innovation without diluting long-established brand identities. Sehgal’s dual role appears designed to strike this balance — combining operational leadership for TV properties with a forward-looking mandate that encourages experimentation and revenue innovation across the Times Media & Entertainment portfolio.
Industry observers see the appointment as a signal that Times Network is preparing to compete more aggressively in the digital and multi-platform space. With viewers shifting between screens and advertisers demanding integrated solutions, media companies are under pressure to become more agile, more data-driven and more open to partnerships. Sehgal’s history of working across international markets, branded content ecosystems and digital distribution networks suggests he will bring a broader strategic perspective to the Times Group, strengthening its ability to respond to both local and global industry shifts.
His leadership also arrives at a time when the Indian media landscape is evolving structurally. Consolidation, emerging tech-led formats, connected TV growth, rapid expansion of regional markets and the increasing role of AI in content discovery are reshaping how media companies operate. The Times Group’s decision to position Sehgal at the helm during this moment reflects a recognition that deep industry expertise, strong market relationships and the ability to navigate complexity are essential for the next chapter of growth.
As Ashish Sehgal begins his tenure, the expectations are clear: drive integrated growth, accelerate digital evolution, strengthen the network’s multi-platform presence and build future-ready revenue engines. If his track record is any indication, Times Network is poised to enter a new phase of transformation — one marked by sharper strategy, stronger synergy and a more unified approach to growth in a rapidly changing media environment.
