Suresh Balakrishna, Chief Revenue Officer of The Hindu Group set to retire in July 2026

Suresh Balakrishna, Chief Revenue Officer of The Hindu Group, will retire at the end of July 2026, bringing to a close a distinguished career spanning more than three decades across media, advertising and publishing.

Balakrishna has been associated with The Hindu Group since November 2018, serving as CRO for over seven years. During this period, he played a pivotal role in shaping the Group’s growth journey, strengthening revenue strategies across print, digital and on-ground platforms. He was also instrumental in building and scaling several marquee events, reimagining them in virtual and hybrid formats during the pandemic, and driving a sharper focus on community-led initiatives to deepen audience engagement across The Hindu Group’s brands.

As part of a planned succession process, senior industry leader Sundar Kondur has assumed the role of Chief Revenue Officer. Balakrishna and Kondur will work closely over the coming months to ensure a smooth and seamless transition ahead of Balakrishna’s retirement.

Widely respected within the industry, Balakrishna is a frequent speaker at leading forums and a regular jury member for prestigious awards. He has addressed seminars and delivered guest lectures at institutions such as MICA Ahmedabad, IIM Lucknow, the IITs and SRM, and has also served as adjunct faculty at the Symbiosis Institute of Media and Communication (SIMC). In 2017, he was the sole Indian representative from the media industry invited to the United Nations as part of the Leadership Council for the fourth annual Media for Social Impact Summit in New York.

Before joining The Hindu Group, Balakrishna served as Chief Executive Officer, South Asia and Middle East, at Kinetic Advertising India, part of the WPP Group, from 2016. Earlier, he was CEO of Lintas Media Group between 2011 and 2015, Chief Operating Officer at Mail Today (India Today Group), and Executive Vice President at Zee Telefilms. He began his professional journey with The Times of India in January 1987 and went on to hold leadership roles at organisations including Initiative Media, HT Media and the Zee Network.

Balakrishna is also a trustee of the Mumbai-based non-profit Aarsha Vidya Foundation. His successor, Sundar Kondur, is a seasoned media industry professional with deep experience in revenue leadership and commercial strategy.