MUMBAI: Viacom18 English Entertainment cluster head Ferzad Palia has been given additional responsibility as head of the network’s Youth Entertainment cluster. The move comes in the wake of Viacom 18 EVP and MTV & MTV Indies business head Aditya Swamy’s recent departure.

Along with handling the network’s English entertainment channels Vh1, Comedy Central and Colors Infinity, Palia will now also be heading the Youth Entertainment cluster comprising MTV and the indie platform Pepsi MTV Indies.

Viacom18 group CEO Sudhanshu Vats said, “Appointing Ferzad as the head of Youth Entertainment, along with being a logical move for us - considering his extensive experience in broadcast, is also a strategic one as we drive further synergies between Youth Entertainment and English Entertainment. Ferzad has been instrumental in transforming the English Entertainment landscape in India with Vh1, Comedy Central and Colors Infinity and I’m sure he will take both MTV and Pepsi MTV Indies to new heights of success.”

Palia added, “MTV, is an iconic brand and it’s my pleasure to have been appointed to take it further on its journey to success. Pepsi MTV Indies with its pulse on the indie subculture in India has been a key driver of change and I’m really looking forward to working closely with the team on it. It’s a new and exciting role for me and I’m really looking forward to creating interesting brand customisations for the youth demographic while driving growth for both, Youth and English entertainment brands at Viacom18.”