MUMBAI: Raghav Bahl-promoted Network18 has demerged and consolidated the publishing business of Infomedia18 under ?Network18 Publishing? as per the scheme of demerger approved by the High Court of Delhi in 2011.

The printing press business will continue to remain with Infomedia18.

As per scheme of arrangement, Network18 was to issue and allot to the shareholders of Infomedia18 as on the record date, 7 (Seven) equity shares of Rs 5 each of Network18 for every 50 shares of Rs 10 each of Infomedia18. Meanwhile, shareholders of Infomedia18 will continue to hold their original shareholding in Infomedia18.

With the scheme in place, Network18 Publishing will encompass three divisions of Infomedia18?s publishing business - Business to Consumer (B2C) magazines, Business to Business (B2B) magazines and Business Directories Division (BDD).

In B2C, the titles that will now come under the Network18 Publishing umbrella are Overdrive, Overdrive Hindi, Entrepreneur, Better Photography, Better Photography Hindi, Better Interiors, CHIP, T3, AVMAX. In B2B- Search, Auto Monitor, Modern Machine Tools, Chemical World, Modern Plastics & Polymers, Modern Packaging & Design, Modern Medicare, Modern Pharmaceuticals, Modern Food Processing, Smart Logistics and Aftermarket will be part of Network18 Publishing. Meanwhile in Business Directories- Multi-city editions of Yellow Pages Business Directories, Machine Tool Guide, Indian Exporters Guide, Construction and Interior Design Guide, Industries State Guide and Motor Pumps & Valves directories will be now under Network18 Publishing.

Additionally, Network18 Publishing will also manage production and circulation operations for titles from the Forbes India stable which currently includes Forbes India and Forbes Life India.

Network18 Group CEO B Sai Kumar said, "We believe that the special interest and B2B spaces will be one of the key drivers for publishing in India, both in print and new media. With Network18 Publishing, we?ve aligned our assets to capitalize on this trend both from a community building as well as a commercial perspective. Going forward, as publishing models develop, this alignment will significantly enhance our market proposition."

Sandeep Khosla, who was earlier CEO-Publishing at Infomedia18 will be heading the new devision as its CEO.

Khosla added, "As Network18 Publishing, our growth strategy will evolve in line with an increasingly multi-platform publishing environment. Considering the strong traction of our brands in key consumer and business communities, our focus will be on leveraging this across areas including print, new media, on-ground activation and value-added services. We hope to build on this further by maximising synergies with group platforms and in the process deepen engagement with our audiences and aid monetisation of our brands."

MUMBAI: Cell18 CEO and Network18 group creative director Zubin Driver has quit the company to pursue his interests in theatre, arts and cinema.

Driver will be setting up his own theatre company along with a separate production house for creative content catering to all platforms like TV and films.

Driver has over 22 years of experience in the advertising, theatre and film industry. Being the creative director of Network18 for the last 11 years, he has played a vital role in setting up and running the creative teams for five news channels and History18.

He began his career with Everest Branding Solutions as a copy trainee and later joined O&M as a copywriter. He has also worked with agencies like Madison DMB&B, Lowe-Lintas & Partners and TBWA.

MUMBAI: Former Network18 Group CEO Haresh Chawla will be joining India Value Fund Advisors (IVFA), as India partner.

Chawla will be joining the private equity firm on 1 June. He will be responsible for building and scaling up businesses owned by IVFA across sectors, as well as leading media and entertainment investments at the private equity firm.

IVFA managing partner Vishal Nevatia said, "Haresh brings with him unique experience, having built several world-class brands in the media and entertainment space. He blends professional management with entrepreneurial drive and the combination will be invaluable in helping IVFA scale up and further build our portfolio of businesses."

IVFA controls MBPL, the company which operates FM radio station under the Radio City brand, and Bangalore-based MSO Atria Convergence Technologies. The fund has exited from its two earlier media investments, Shringar Films and DQ Entertainment.

IVFA?s other investments include Meru Cabs, RDC Concrete, InLogistics, Mahindra Hinoday,DM Healthcare and RoboSilicon, amongst others.

On his new role Chawla added, "IVFA is a uniquely positioned firm that not only infuses capital but also the mindset and strategic management thinking, that is required to scale up mid-sized businesses into large professionally-run enterprises. This operating model was particularly appealing to me as a chance to leverage my experience in building up businesses and helping management teams perform to their true potential."

Under Chawla?s leadership, Network18 grew from a single business news channel (CNBC-TV18) and solitary portal (Moneycontrol.com), with revenues of Rs 150 million in 1999, to a diversified media group with revenues in excess of Rs 25 billion in 2011. His previous assignments have all been with start-ups including the HCL Group, where he headed business development for HCL Comnet; ABCL, where he set up the Film Distribution Business, and at the Times of India Group where he launched their music label - Times Music.

NEW DELHI: Network18?s proposal to get foreign direct investment (FDI) for publish business has been deferred by the Foreign Investments Promotions Board (FIPB).

The FIPB has also put on hold Cellcast Interactive India?s proposal to set up three non-news and current affairs television channels in Hindi, Tamil and Telugu in India. Recently, Cellcast launched social TV channel, MyTV.

In toto, FIPB has deferred five proposals relating to the Information and Broadcasting sector. Three of these relate to publishing. Apart from Network18 Media & Investment?s proposal, the others include Packt Publishing, Mumbai, to carry out the business of writing, editing, summarising, compiling, printing, publishing, buying, selling, importing, exporting, circulating or otherwise dealing in books publication and any other information or data pertaining to all areas and sectors such as computer and information technology; and Reed Elsevier India to undertake the additional activity relating to the business of publishing and co-publishing (in and outside India), including digital publishing, printing, reprinting, adaptation, article reprinting, repackaging, translation, distribution of scientific, technical, medical, specialty and research journals/magazines/periodicals in any media including print media.

Two proposals relating to television were also deferred. One was from Catvision Limited, Noida, to increase foreign equity participation to carry out the business of manufacture of CATV equipment, selling CATV equipment like dish antenna, other CATV equipment, cables, energy management equipment and repair of apparatus for television transmission, other business services.

The FIPB, however, approved the proposal from Fine Publishing India. The company has been permitted to induct foreign equity to the extent of Rs 500,000 to carry out the business of publishing specialty/technical magazines covering the subject of wine and champagne.

Jeevan Telecasting Corporation has been given permission for post-facto approval to ratify NRI investment but this does not involve any foreign direct investment.

However, in one case, the Ministry has reiterated an earlier decision. This relates to Wolters Kluwer for expansion of business by purchasing the assets of the companies engaged in business of publishing and distribution of journals and other publications in print form as well as in electronic form involving an FDI component of Rs 304.5 million.