Set India Executive Steps Down

Rajesh Pant, the chief operating officer (international film distribution and Internet business) SET India, stepped down last Friday. The reason for Pant's exit is that the company is shutting down these operations after the projects on hand are completed.

Pant said, "Yes I have stepped down and I have a number of good offers on hand. I am evaluating them before taking a final decision." He, however, declined to reveal further details.

There are also rumours that Kacon Sethi, head of marketing, ad sales and SET Max, the movie channel from Sony, has also put in her papers. However, she said, "No I have not resigned from SET India and I am currently on an annual leave for 15 days."

Pant's resignation is in line with what has been happening in Sony for the last two months.

Anand Desai, senior vice-president, corporate development resigned in September, before Columbia Tristar executives stepped in to SET India to evaluate the performance of the channel. Desai's exit was followed by that of Rekha Nigam, who resigned in October as the senior vice president-- programming and production to pursue her interests in film writing.

Recently, Michael Grindon, president of Columbia Tristar International, the Sony Corp subsidiary that runs Sony Entertainment Television had visited India to take stock of the performance of the channel.

Despite some of the senior management exiting the channel, SET India is confident about doing well. It has gone in for a new look largely owing to changes in the market place.