Our Bureau
Culvar City, CA
Sony Pictures Entertainment has announced the naming of Ravi Ahuja to the position of President and Chief Operating Officer. Ahuja currently serves as chairman of global TV studios and corporate development at Sony Pictures Television (SPT) and will retain this title and remit following his promotion.
Ahuja joined Sony Pictures in March 2021, and has played a pivotal role as Chairman of Global Television Studios and Corporate Development. During his time at the company, Ahuja has led several M&A deals, including the acquisition of UK-based Doctor Who and His Dark Materials firm Bad Wolf.
Ahuja also oversees company operations in India. Speculation is rife about Ahuja’s promotion being linked to succession planning within Sony Pictures Entertainment. While the company has not officially commented on the matter, industry observers, including Deadline, believe that Ahuja could be a key player in determining the future leadership after the tenure of Tony Vinciquerra as Chairman and CEO comes to an end in the future years.
“From reorienting our television businesses to better align with the realities of today’s TV landscape, to leveraging and expanding our popular franchises and gameshow IP, to seeking out new areas of growth through M&A, Ravi’s strategic insight and ability to drive execution have been instrumental in enhancing our businesses and preparing SPE for an even stronger future. In this expanded role as COO, Ravi will be able to apply his talents and results-driven approach across the breadth of SPE’s businesses, ” said SPE chairman and CEO Tony Vinciquerra
Before joining Sony, Ahuja served as President of Business Operations and CFO of Walt Disney Television, where he played a central role in the post-acquisition merger of Disney/ABC Television and Fox Networks. Ahuja’s career spans diverse sectors, including his role as CFO for Virgin Entertainment Group, his tenure at McKinsey & Company, and his experience in investment banking. He holds undergraduate and MBA degrees from The Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, where he recently joined the Wharton Undergraduate Executive Board.
