Network18 retains Mitul Sangani as CEO, News18 Digital

Hours after e4m reported that Mitul Sangani was set to step down as CEO of News18 Digital, Network18 has moved to retain him, sources told e4m.

According to e4m, in an internal communication with his team on Wednesday, Network18 CEO Rahul Joshi confirmed that Sangani will continue in his role. Sources suggest that in the past two days—following Avinash Kaul’s resignation—Joshi engaged closely with the leadership team and persuaded Sangani to stay. Earlier reports had hinted at Sangani’s exit, with March 7, 2026, mentioned as a potential last working day. However, the company’s decision to retain him appears to have put those speculations to rest.

Sangani, who became CEO of News18 Digital in April 2025, has been a key architect of Network18’s digital news business. He oversees the platform’s overall strategy, focusing on revenue growth, audience expansion, engagement, and brand reputation. Previously, as CEO of the Regional News Cluster, he managed 15 Indian-language television news channels, including News18 India, along with their digital extensions, and played a central role in scaling Local18, Network18’s hyperlocal news brand in Tier 2 and Tier 3 markets.

With over seven years at Network18, Sangani has held senior leadership positions across digital operations, revenue, product, technology, and data. As COO – General News (Digital) and later as COO and Business Head for News18 Digital, he helped build and monetise the network’s general news portfolio across English and 12 Indian languages, driving growth in users, engagement, and advertising revenue while creating synergies between TV and digital teams.

Before rejoining Network18 in 2018, Sangani was a founding member of Dailyhunt and served as Head of Advertising Sales, establishing the company’s sales organisation and strengthening its presence in non-English content. Earlier, he held senior sales roles at Moneycontrol, ibnlive.com, and cricketnext.com, building a reputation as a strong revenue and operations leader in digital media.

When contacted by exchange4media, Sangani denied reports of his exit, confirming he remains with Network18. However, e4m has learnt that his resignation had been accepted in early December 2025, with exit formalities expected to conclude by March 2026. Sources indicate that this acceptance occurred before Avinash Kaul’s resignation in mid-December 2025.