Sony Pictures Networks India has appointed Rasesh Upadhyay as its Deputy Chief Financial Officer, further strengthening the company’s finance leadership team as it continues to focus on business growth, strategic expansion and operational transformation.

The appointment was announced by SPNI through a LinkedIn post, where the company welcomed Upadhyay to its leadership team. ‘We are delighted to welcome Rasesh Upadhyay as deputy chief financial officer at Sony Pictures Networks India. With his extensive experience in finance, strategy and business transformation, we look forward to the leadership and expertise he brings as we continue to drive growth and innovation’ , the company stated.

Upadhyay joins SPNI from JioStar, where he served as Head of Strategy and Operations for the entertainment business. As part of the CEO’s office, he played a key role in shaping business strategy across the company’s television and digital entertainment operations, contributing to long term planning and execution across platforms.

Before his stint at JioStar, Upadhyay spent nearly 13 years with Star India as vice president planning and treasury. During this period, he led several critical finance functions, including financial planning, budgeting, business evaluation, vendor assessment and management reporting. He also worked closely with business teams to support strategic decision-making and drive financial efficiency across operations.

Earlier in his career, Upadhyay was a member of the founding finance team at Etisalat DB Telecom, where he contributed to the completion of Etisalat UAE’s investment in India. He also spent four years at Bharti Airtel, working across revenue assurance, pricing strategy and business planning functions for the Maharashtra and Goa circle.

A chartered accountant by qualification, Upadhyay holds a bachelor of commerce degree from Narsee Monjee College of Commerce and Economics. His professional experience spans financial strategy, treasury management, business operations and transformation initiatives across telecom, media and entertainment sectors.

With the appointment of Upadhyay, SPNI adds significant expertise in finance and business strategy to its leadership ranks at a time when the media and entertainment industry is undergoing rapid evolution driven by digital consumption, changing audience behaviour and new growth opportunities. The company expects his experience across large scale media businesses and strategic planning roles to support its next phase of growth and innovation in the Indian market.