Sports-focused Streaming Service Names Two Indian Americans to Executive Positions
- Amit Dudakia has been appointed a senior vice president and head of product of Venu Sports, while Gautam Ranji is the new chief financial officer.
Venu Sports, a streaming joint venture of Fox, Warner Bros. Discovery and Disney has named two Indian Americans among a number of executive hires across departments. Amit Dudakia has been appointed senior vice president and head of product; and Gautam Ranji is the new chief financial officer. They join a team of “more than 150 engineers and executives focused on Venu but working at Fox, some of whom are expected to join the venture down the line,” as reported by Deadline.
Venu is planning to launch this fall, “bringing together linear feeds of 14 sports-heavy networks,” Deadline said. The price and launch date have not been announced, the report noted, adding that “the service is not a comprehensive solution for sports fans, given that NBCUniversal and Paramount Global are not a part of it.”
In his new role, Dudakia will be “responsible for all facets of product management and design, along with programming and editorial for the service,” Deadline said. “Thrilled to finally unveil the team’s latest initiative, Venu Sports, the ultimate sports streaming experience,” he wrote on his LinkedIn profile. “The team’s been cookin’ and getting ready to bring the stadium to your screen!”
He previously held various product leadership roles across Fox Corp. and its portfolio of entertainment brands. He most recently serving as senior vice president of Product Management for Fox Technology & Digital, where he led the product and design organization for Fox Sports. His time with Fox Corp. began with FX Networks, where was a key member of the launch team behind FX Now, Simpsons World, and FX+.
As the CFO, Ranji will oversee all aspects of the financial operations for the sports venture. Prior to joining Venu, he served as CFO and Treasurer for Sphere Entertainment, “where he led all finance functions and was part of the management team which launched the Sphere in Las Vegas,” according to Deadline.
Previously, he held senior leadership positions at CBS, where he oversaw strategic planning and business development, and co-led the merger integration following the combination of Viacom and CBS (now Paramount Global). He has also held senior posts at the Hearst Corporation and Viacom.