The Times Group-owned video streaming service MX Player’s chief operating officer Nikhil Gandhi has quit the company. Gandhi joined MX Player from TikTok where he worked for close to two years as the head of middle east, Africa, Turkey and South Asia markets.
Before TikTok, Gandhi worked with the Times Network between February 2017 and October 2019. He has also worked with companies like The Walt Disney Company, Viacom18 Media Private Limited and UTV in the past.
His departure from MX Player comes at a critical time as the company is currently in the midst of an acquisition deal. According to reports, Times Internet is in talks with Amazon for the sale of MX Player, and the due diligence process is underway with the help of one of the Big Four accounting firms. The deal could be finalized within two months if everything goes smoothly.
If the deal does go through, Amazon Prime Video’s customer base could increase fourfold as MX Player has an estimated 78 million users, while Amazon has around 28 million users in India.
MX Player was purchased by Times Internet for $140 million in 2018.
MX Player has grown significantly in popularity in areas like India in part because it provides free access to a large selection of videos, including live cable TV channels. Consequently, advertising generates the majority of the service’s income.
Serving his notice period, Gandhi is ensuring a seamless transition. His appointment as COO in August 2021 was in line with the company’s strategy to drive growth and efficiency. He worked closely with MX Player, chief executive officer, Karan Bedi and was responsible for taking the platforms to their next phase of growth. This was by expanding its geographical reach, enhancing data-driven innovation, growing the scope and scale of revenue streams and building maximum impact for internal and external stakeholders.
“Thanks to Nikhil’s contributions, the company is in a strong position, and we are confident that our team, values and talent will continue to thrive, improve business synergy and create even more valuable organizational depth. We sincerely thank Nikhil for his leadership and meaningful contribution in MX Player’s growth and success and we wish him well in his future endeavors,” said Bedi.
“I am proud of all that we have accomplished during my tenure at MX Player. I am especially grateful to Karan and the extraordinary team who worked alongside me to introduce new revenue growth drivers and create so many impactful and digital experiences for our users and stakeholders. I wish them all the best,” said Gandhi.