Uday Shankar

Uday Shankar is a global media leader and the Founder Director of Bodhi Tree Systems, a strategic investment platform focused on transforming consumer-facing sectors in emerging markets. He currently serves as Vice-Chairman of JioStar, India’s largest media and entertainment company, and Chairman of ALLEN Career Institute, the country’s leading education company

Over a career spanning three decades, Uday has built a reputation for combining digital innovation with operational excellence to unlock consumer value. This philosophy underpins Bodhi Tree’s investment thesis. In 2022, Uday led the platform's investment in Reliance’s Viacom18, scaling JioCinema into India’s premier digital destination. He subsequently played a central role in architecting JioStar, a joint venture integrating the assets of Disney Star and Viacom18 to create a unified, multi-platform media powerhouse. Through Bodhi Tree, Uday is also reimagining Indian education via ALLEN, steering the institute toward a tech-first, student-centric future.

Widely regarded as Asia’s preeminent media executive, Uday began his career as a journalist with The Times of India before rising to leadership roles at some of the region’s most influential media companies, including CEO of Star India and President of The Walt Disney Company Asia Pacific. In these roles, Uday revolutionised India’s media and entertainment landscape—launching the country’s first 24-hour news channel, modernising regional and sports broadcasting, and building Hotstar into the nation's most successful streaming platform.

Uday has served as President of FICCI and sits on several corporate and advisory boards. His leadership has been recognised by Forbes India, Variety, and the Indian Express. He holds a master’s degree in Philosophy from Jawaharlal Nehru University