Leadership Appointed Ahead of VICE India Launch

As it gears up to go fully live next month, VICE India has named Chanpreet Arora as chief executive officer and Samira Kanwar as head of content.

A full-scale media company with a multiplatform distribution plan, VICE India will produce scripted, film, news and culture content from India for television, SVOD, OTT and digital platforms. It will launch with a full suite of offerings, from local content for young people to full-scale creative content.

Meanwhile, VICE India has teamed up with PepsiCo’s Mountain Dew in a brand partnership that will chronicle the journey of Arjun Vajpai as he attempts to climb Mt. Kangchenjunga.

Arora, who will work out of the VICE Delhi office, remarked: “We are committed to building a company that speaks to a generation that is defining today’s cultural conversation in India, and that is based on values of empathy, equality and inclusion. All our decisions, including choice of partners, must reflect this core belief.”

Kanwar, based out of the VICE Mumbai office, noted: “Content sits at the center of everything we do. We hope to create content and experiences that matter to India’s youth irrespective of the language or regions we come from. VICE India will be a platform for young people to speak up, be heard and also feel at home with their own identities and ideas.”

Naseeb Puri, the associate director for Mountain Dew at PepsiCo India, stated: “We are excited to be the first to work with VICE India that aims to be the vehicle and voice for the Indian youth. This partnership represents the convergence of two brands coming together to tell an inspiring story of courage to millions of young consumers across the country.”

“We are happy partnering with PepsiCo on one of our first content pieces in India so that the stories we want to tell reach out to the country with the help of one of India’s biggest and most recognizable brands,” added Arora.

Hosi Simon, the CEO of VICE Asia Pacific, commented: “VICE India’s goal is to be deeply locally relevant for youth across all parts and cultures of India. We are very thankful for our partnership with The Times of India, led by Times Bridge. Together, we have architected as ambitious a launch as VICE has put together anywhere in the world.”

Rishi Jaitly, the CEO of Times Bridge, said: “The launch of VICE India’s digital platform is poised to delight millennial and Gen Z audiences across the country from day one; the stories and experiences produced by VICE India will engage youth culture here in a manner not previously seen. We’re proud of our team and look forward to a breakthrough 2018.”