JioCinema appoints YouTube’s Ishan Chatterjee as chief business officer | Mint

JioCinema, the video streaming platform owned by Mukesh Ambani’s Reliance Indsutries Ltd, has appointed Ishan Chatterjee as its new chief business officer, signalling the platform’s continued push to scale up its digital offerings.

Chatterjee, who was previously managing director at YouTube India, is tasked with overseeing JioCinema’s overall monetization strategy. His appointment underscores the platform’s ambition to expand its footprint in India’s competitive streaming market, where it aims to deliver cutting-edge experiences to a fast-growing subscriber base, JioCinema said in a statement on Friday.

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Chatterjee brings over two decades of experience, including 13 years at Google, where he contributed to YouTube’s growth in India. He also worked at McKinsey and Hindustan Unilever, and is an alumnus of The Wharton School and St. Stephen’s College. 

At JioCinema, Chatterjee will be responsible for growing revenue streams across sports and entertainment, with a particular focus on SMBs (small and medium-sized businesses). He will report to Kiran Mani, chief executive officer, Viacom18 Media Pvt Ltd, and be a key player in JioCinema’s leadership team.

JioCinema surpassed 15 million paying subscribers, as Reliance announced at its 47th annual general meeting in August. In a bid to expand its user base, the platform introduced new subscription plans in April.

The JioCinema Premium plan, priced at ₹29 per month, offers ad-free content in multiple languages, including original series, movies, children’s shows, and TV entertainment, accessible on any device, including connected TVs. This move directly challenges global players like Netflix, Disney+ Hotstar, and Amazon Prime Video, as well as local competitors in India’s OTT market.

Additionally, JioCinema provides a family plan for ₹89 per month, allowing streaming on up to four devices simultaneously. Last year, the platform launched a ₹999 annual plan, offering ad-free Hollywood content alongside ad-supported local-language programming and sports, further cementing its place in the competitive OTT landscape.

Reliance’s media division, which includes JioCinema, contributed over ₹10,000 crore ($1.2 billion) in revenue last year, marking a 49% jump. Viacom18, its entertainment arm, posted 62% growth, driven largely by its sports content, positioning the company as a key player in India’s OTT space.