Jyoti Deshpande is the CEO of Viacom 18, and since her elevation in 2021, the company’s revenues have significantly improved under her leadership.
Jyoti Deshpande is the CEO of Viacom 18, a joint venture between Mukesh Ambani’s Reliance and Paramount. She is also the President of the media and content business of Reliance. JioCinema, a streaming platform owned by Reliance, plans to add 100 movies and TV series to its platform and charge for content. The platform has gained popularity through its broadcast of the Indian Premier League, with 1.47 billion views in the opening week. Deshpande said her company will keep tariffs simple and make the content as Indian as possible.
Jyoti Deshpande is the CEO of Viacom 18, a company controlled by Reliance. Her leadership has improved the company’s revenue. She is also the President of the Media Platform and Content in the Chairman’s office since 2018. She has worked with India’s richest man and is considered one of his closest confidantes. Jyoti Deshpande also serves on the boards of Network, Balaji Telefilms, and Saavn Media. With a career spanning three decades, she has handled almost all aspects of the business. Prior to joining Ambani, she was the MD and Group CEO of Eros International from 2009.
Jyoti Deshpande was born and raised in Mumbai. She did her schooling at Seth Chunilal Damodardas Barfiwala High School in Mumbai where she was one of the best students. She completed her bachelor’s in commerce and economics from Narsee Monjee in Mumbai and her MBA from SP Jain College in Mumbai.
Jyoti Deshpande faced challenges from a young age, surviving pneumonia as an infant and contracting polio after being vaccinated as a toddler. However, she remained positive and played cricket with local boys. She was also the head girl of her government-aided school.
Jyoti Deshpande paid for her MBA by teaching tuition to students from Classes 2-12. She produced the movie Desi Boyz and is the Co-Chair of the FICCI Media & Entertainment Board.
She enjoys meditating and watching movies, cricket, tennis, and soccer.
As CEO of Viacom18 Media, the company’s revenue grew by 27% to Rs 4145.4 crore last financial year, and its net profit rose from Rs 582.8 crore to Rs 681.7 crore.