MUMBAI: Saavn has appointed HBO’s Rishi Malhotra as the president and COO. Malhotra has also been roped in as a partner in [212]Media.

Malhotra is responsible for accelerating the growth of Saavn. He oversees programming, distribution, and strategic entertainment deals for the company.

Malhotra brings more than 10 years of experience in digital media and entertainment to the position. Before joining Saavn, he was vice president of multi-platform program marketing at HBO, where he developed multi-platform strategies and VOD programming for shows like Big Love, The Wire, Def Comedy Jam and many of the sports franchises. He was also responsible for overseeing product management and marketing for HBO On Demand, Cinemax On Demand and iTV initiatives. Prior to his years at HBO, Malhotra held positions with PricewaterhouseCoopers, Elias Arts and Proxicom.

"Rishi’s passion for global entertainment-from the genre’s films and music to the development of new projects, combined with his unrivalled knowledge of digital media makes him a perfect fit for the company," said Saavn co-founder and managing director Paramdeep Singh.

"Rishi’s already brought tremendous value to the organization and developed major network deals for Saavn. He brings clear vision to growing our entertainment business," said Saavn co-founder and CEO Vin Bhat.

"While Slumdog Millionaire has been a tipping point for Indian entertainment worldwide, bringing this programming to larger audiences on multiple platforms is a true global opportunity. I’m honored to join such a talented team at this very exciting time in the industry. We’re working closely with our partners to grow digital distribution plans and are involved with a number of new programming projects. We continue to see amazing collaboration with some of the best entertainment brands in the business," said Malhotra.

Malhotra will be based in Saavn’s New York City office. Saavn also has offices in Los Angeles, Mumbai, London, and Toronto.

Saavn holds the rights for more than 70 per cent of new Bollywood movie and music releases.