SPEAKERS

Anna Belkina
Head - Communications & Deputy Director - Marketing & Strategic Development, Russia Today

Anna Belkina is the Head of Communications and Deputy Director of Marketing and Strategic Development for RT, a Moscow-based global television news network. In this role Anna is responsible for shaping and executing RT’s external communications strategy, objectives, and the organization’s public narrative as a whole.

Anna joined RT in February 2012 as a PR specialist, and since then has spearheaded and managed many communication projects, such as proactive media engagement, radio and television appearances by RT’s journalists and on-air personalities, organization of and participation in international industry conferences, awards and public forums. She has introduced several successful content development initiatives for RT’s social media and digital platforms to further the networks’ engagement with its diverse, international audience. Anna is responsible for a significant portion of RT’s published material, including the company’s press releases, editorials, public statements and comments, often acting at the spokesperson for the network. She coordinates in-house and third-party research of the global media industry, and development of RT’s advertising, branding and PR campaign creatives.

Anna began her career in research and analysis of political risks in global energy markets, before transitioning to corporate business development and communications management in the US private sector. She holds a Bachelors of Arts in International Affairs and Economics with the Highest Honors from The George Washington University in Washington, DC.

Avinash Pandey
Chief Revenue Officer – ANN And COO – ABP News

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Dr. WAIEL S.H Awwad
Writer and Political Analyst

South Asia based Journalist since 1979 has traveled extensively in most of South and South East Asian countries. War reporter, covered Sri Lanka , Kashmir , Afghanistan , West Asia and Gulf Region. Worked as Bureau Chief of MBC( Middle East B`casting Centre )-London ,MBC-FM Radio,Kuwait ,Oman and Damascus Radio and prior to that run a special program :Dateline South Asia in Arabic first of its kind with Asian News International(ANI) South Asia Bureau Chief of Alarabiya TV Channel(Dubai Media City), 2002-2012 Many of his writing published in English and Arabic in major news papers and magazines. Dr. WAIEL , covered wars in South Asia and was detained in Afghanistan before the fall of Taliban government and also was captured in an ambush during the American invasion of Iraq in 2003 while he was embedded with American Troops.

He served as president of the Foreign Correspondents` Club of South Asia (FCC) for two terms 2003-2205 and 2013-2015 and as a president Emeritus for FCC South Asia. Recipient of the 5th Rajiv Gandhi Excellence Award 2014 for the best journalist from oversea. Freedom of Speech Award . Fellow of Ce.S.I. - Centro Studi Internazionali

Jagdeesh Chandra
Head, ETV News Network

The Show Must Go On….  That’s the philosophy that has allowed Mr. Jagdeesh Chandra, in last 35 years, to steer so many ventures to success. From a Bureaucrat par Excellence with Govt Of Rajasthan, to the CMD of Rajasthan Dairy Cooperation, to Commissioner - Jaipur Development Authority, the story was just being set for his grand entry to the world of Media.  As Head - ETV News Network, for close to a decade, Mr.Jagdeesh Chandra has a track record many would envy. ETV was a pioneer in Regional Media with more than 10 channels in different languages, but time had taken its toll on the Hindi and Urdu News Channels.  Taking over the Hindi & Urdu News Channels way back in 2007, Shri Jagdeesh Chandra, rewrote the rules of the game in the TV Industry.  Turning around the Business of ETV Hindi & Urdu Channels (ETV Rajasthan , ETV Bihar Jharkhand, ETV UP Uttarakhand, ETV MP Chattishgarh & ETV Urdu) and making them very few of the profitable Language Channels in the Country, was no small task, but he led from the front and scripted the turnaround story.In entire north India, in a crowd of around 80 Hindi channels, ETV perhaps happens to be the only network, which is making handsome profits.Mr Jagdeesh Chandra, always believed in making ETV the voice of the common man in this country and in his true style, a ETV news informer was appointed in every nook & corner of the States where the channels were operating.His unique “Patti” system became the talk of the Entire Media Industry where by every small piece of information was fed into the Control Rooms of the Channels. People were encouraged to participate , call and give information of the news items in their local areas. This information would then be verified & put on air in the form of ticker. This revolutionised the way news collection was happening in the traditional media space. Especially in Hindi heartland ETV happens to be the first choice of politicians and in fact no political party can work out its strategies without taking into confidence the local ETV news channels.  During pre-Lok Sabha poll campaign, Narendra Modi, who has considered as the master media strategist in the country, had chosen ETV for his first 80 minute long pre-Lok Sabha poll interview to ETV only, by ignoring the pending requests of 241 national and international news channels, newspapers, websites etc. "Khabar hi Jeevan hai” was the new slogan of ETV!! The new chapter in ETV’s history was being written and Mr. Jagdeesh Chandra was choosing every word in this story very carefully. Apart from Hindi and language channels, ETV also runs a global Urdu channel, which is known as the voice of the 20 crore Muslims of this country and neighbouring countries.   Keeping in mind ETV’s reportedly 20 crore viewership, now, even Film industry is making a queue to give its long interviews to ETV along with prestigious national channels. The years 2014 & 2015, saw a new ETV emerge under his able leadership. 5 new news channels (ETV Haryana Himachal, ETV News Bangla, ETV News Kannada, ETV News Gujarati & ETV News Odia) were launched, making ETV by far the largest News Network in the Country. With 2000+ reporters, 10 Channels & presence in more than 14 states, ETV became a yard stick of journalism for many new channels in the country. Mr.Chandra learnt his first lesson from ETV’s founder owner and a great journalist Shri Ramoji Rao, subsequently followed by top Network18 leadership, which is now owned by Reliance Industries.  Mr.Chandra grew his business not by the rules of the competition, but on The Golden Rule of “Partnerships” as he firmly believes that Resources multiply when two people or organizations pool their power for a common goal. ETV further plans to launch six more new regional channels under the banner of News18 i.e. ETV-Tamil, Malayalam, Assammese (North-East),Goa J&K & Punjab.  Out of this, the first three channels i.e. ETV-Tamil, Malayalam and Assammese are likely to be launched even this April-May, 2016 to match with the Assembly Elections in these three states. With this expansion plan, ETV, which is currently the largest regional television news network in the country, will perhaps be the single largest regional media venture in Asia.

Madhavan Narayanan
Senior Associate Editor/Technology Columnist, Hindustan Times

Editor, writer and columnist with more than 25 years of experience in both Indian and international environments, having worked for respected media entities including Reuters, The Economic Times, Business Standard and Hindustan Times after starting out in the Times of India Group .Mr Narayan has covered topics including business, economics, public policy, politics, technology, diplomacy, entertainment and social issues as a correspondent. He is well versed with information technology industry, media, Internet, Indian policies, macroeconomics, social trends. Team player with strong people orientation and well-versed in Indian culture and habits.

Rohit Gandhi
Editor in Chief (English News and Current Affairs), Zee Media Corporation Limited

A documentary filmmaker, journalist and news manager with over 20 years experience across forty countries and proven ability to meet the pressing needs of global media companies in war zones and countries affected by crisis and natural disasters. Rohit has covered global news and conflict in critical times like the Afghan war of 2001, the Iraq war of 2003. He has also covered natural disaters like the Bhuj Earthquake, Tsunami in Sri Lanka 2004 and the Pakistan Earthquake 2005. Recently he Produced WEvolve, a global campaign by World Bank in the year 2015, bringing men and women together to end inequality using the power of art and media to inspire action and change. In 2015, he produced “The Little Master”, a TV documentary revolving around Sachin Tendulkar’s final shot on his home turf, The Cricket World Cup, 2011. Produced a documentary “The Serial Killer”, filmed in the Northern District of Moradabad, capturing the prodigious and mersmerising man eater, The Bengal Tigress who killed more than 10 humans in the surrounding areas in 2014. In the year 2010, produced and fronted “Targeting the Taliban”, the documentary that brought a slice of the frontline action of the Pakistani Armed forces battling the Taliban in the treacherous terrain of South Waziristan (SWAT) which shares its border with Afghanistan. First television interview of Malala Yousafzai in November, 2009. Produced “Afghan Warrior” in 2001, the film that travels and follows the life of anti- Taliban military commandar Ahmad Shah Massod. Broadcast exclusive interviews and stories about the Taliban regime, live from Kandahar in June, 2001.

Saurabh Shukla
Editor in Chief, Newsmobile Asia

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