MTVNI Forms New Events Unit

LONDON: MTV Networks International has established a new unit within its Emerging Markets group that will work with partners to stage on-the-ground events across Russia, Central and Eastern Europe, the Middle East, Africa and India.

The new business will be led by London-based Neil Sharma as senior director, reporting to Bhavneet Singh, the managing director and executive VP of emerging markets at MTVNI. Sharma joins from MTV Networks in New York, where, as senior director of emerging technologies ad sales, he was responsible for sales for the HD, VOD and interactive TV businesses. He also led the launch of MTV Networks’ first all-music high-definition channel in the U.S., Palladia.

MTV Impact has already scored its first partnership, working with the Polish city of Gdansk to launch an inaugural MTV-branded outdoor music festival, Festival MTV—Gdansk Dźwiga Muzę, in July. 

“The launch of MTV Impact is a part of our on-going 360 degree growth strategy to immerse and engage our consumers in our content and brands both on and off-air," Singh said. "As the media landscape continues to fragment and our consumers increasingly become the decision makers, we too need to ensure that our content and brands are everywhere that they are. Our ambition with MTV Impact is to establish the division as a first-in-class centre of excellence for event production and management across the region that delivers experiences that people will never forget. I am confident that with his extensive industry experience and expertise, Neil will be a great fit and the perfect executive to help us achieve this goal.”