.jpg)
After seven years at the helm of HT Media Ltd, Praveen Someshwar has bid farewell as Managing Director and CEO, closing a tenure defined by transformation, resilience, and a strong push toward digital evolution.
As he steps into his new role as MD & CEO of United Spirits Limited (USL), his legacy at HT Media is worth a closer look—not just for what he achieved, but for how he steered one of India’s largest media houses through an era of disruption and reinvention.
When Someshwar took over in August 2018, HT Media was already a legacy powerhouse, with brands like Hindustan Times, Mint, and Hindustan commanding respect. However, like the rest of the media industry, the company was at a crossroads—print advertising was slowing, digital was rising, and consumer habits were shifting. Someshwar, with his strategic mindset honed from his years in PepsiCo, recognized that transformation wasn’t optional—it was necessary for survival.
Instead of taking a defensive approach, he went all in on digital acceleration. His leadership focused on making HT Media a future-ready company, not just in content delivery but in revenue models, advertising solutions, and cross-platform integrations.
Someshwar understood that digital wasn’t just about moving print content online—it needed a new business model. Under his leadership:
HT Media strengthened its digital presence, investing in audience engagement and data-driven content strategies.
Subscription models and premium content experiments were rolled out to reduce dependency on advertising revenue alone.
Mint—the group’s financial daily—saw notable digital success, proving that high-quality, niche journalism could thrive behind paywalls.
Someshwar didn’t just oversee a newspaper business—he led a media ecosystem. HT Media’s reach extended across radio (Fever FM, Radio Nasha), digital properties, and print, and he ensured these platforms worked together rather than in silos.
This cross-platform approach allowed for integrated advertising solutions, where brands could leverage print, radio, and digital together for maximum impact. This strategy not only made HT Media more competitive but also enhanced the value proposition for advertisers.
Recognizing India’s shift toward regional language content, Someshwar pushed for expansion into vernacular markets, ensuring that HT Media remained relevant beyond metros. Hindustan, the group’s Hindi daily, saw continued growth under his leadership, catering to the evolving needs of non-English readers.
Beyond content and strategy, Someshwar championed a culture of efficiency and innovation. He streamlined operations, encouraged data-driven decision-making, and fostered an agile work environment. His tenure saw HT Media evolving into a more modern, tech-savvy, and resilient organization.
Someshwar’s exit from HT Media marks the end of an era, but his next challenge is equally exciting. From February 29, 2024, he transitions to United Spirits Limited (USL), a Diageo group company, as its new MD & CEO, taking over from Hina Nagarajan.
This move signals his return to the consumer business, where he first made his mark. Given his deep experience in brand strategy, operational efficiency, and large-scale transformation, industry insiders expect him to drive USL’s premiumization strategy, strengthen market positioning, and leverage data and technology for growth—just as he did at HT Media.
Praveen Someshwar’s time at HT Media was about more than just running a business—it was about future-proofing a legacy brand. He didn’t just adapt to change; he led it, ensuring that HT Media remained relevant, competitive, and financially strong in an evolving media landscape.
As he now embarks on his next chapter at USL, his impact at HT Media will be remembered not just in boardrooms, but in the way the organization has evolved—more digital, more diversified, and more resilient than ever.
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
