Arjun Madhavan is the CEO of Assemblage Entertainment, India’s premium CGI animation House. As a new-gen entrepreneur, Arjun has played a pivotal role in shaping Assemblage over the past decade, working with a global marquee clientele and producing premium and world-class animated content across multi-platforms, genres, and formats. He is a firm believer in the power of people and partnerships. He advocates investing in talent which will in turn help the industry to grow and flourish.
As a London School of Economics graduate, Arjun began his career as an investment banker with Goldman Sachs and Deutsche Bank in London. In 2019, he was featured in Forbes magazine’s 30 Under 30 Asia list in the media and entertainment category. He was also awarded the “AVGC 40 Under 40” title by AnimationXpress in 2020, to recognise the finest 40 individuals from the Indian AVGC ecosystem.
Arjun Madhavan is the CEO of Assemblage Entertainment, India’s premium CGI animation House. As a new-gen entrepreneur, Arjun has played a pivotal role in shaping Assemblage over the past decade, working with a global marquee clientele and producing premium and world-class animated content across multi-platforms, genres, and formats. He is a firm believer in the power of people and partnerships. He advocates investing in talent which will in turn help the industry to grow and flourish.
As a London School of Economics graduate, Arjun began his career as an investment banker with Goldman Sachs and Deutsche Bank in London. In 2019, he was featured in Forbes magazine’s 30 Under 30 Asia list in the media and entertainment category. He was also awarded the “AVGC 40 Under 40” title by AnimationXpress in 2020, to recognise the finest 40 individuals from the Indian AVGC ecosystem.
Charuvi Agrawal is an animation film director, producer, and immersive artist, best known as the co-creator of The Legend of Hanuman, one of India’s most-watched animated series on Disney+ Hotstar. Founder of the award-winning studio Charuvi Design Labs (CDL), her work spans original IPs, VFX, AR/VR, projection mapping, and large-scale sculptures, with projects supported by the Prince Claus Fund and British Council. As a visual artist, she recently exhibited her sculpture "Lumena" at NGMA Delhi and Mumbai, and the same artwork is now part of the MOSA Collection at Durbuy.
She has served as a jury member at IFFI and MIFF, and spoken at global platforms including Google, IIT, TEDx, SIGGRAPH, and India Design Forum. Currently, she is the Industry Dean – School of Animation at AAFT and Chair – AVGC Committee at PHDCCI, and has been recognized with two LIMCA records, the WICxIndia ICON Award, and the empowHERaccess Role Model of the Year.
Manoj Mishra is a seasoned professional with a remarkable record of accomplishment in the media and animation industry, particularly in kids' entertainment. With over 27 years of experience, Manoj has demonstrated exceptional leadership skills and a talent for building and expanding creative businesses and diverse teams worldwide. His expertise spans the entire value chain, from IP (intellectual properties) development to monetization through various channels like Digital Media, Broadcast, and OTT platforms. As the CEO and Founder of Powerkids Entertainment, he assumes full responsibility for company strategy, team management, partner relations, and achieving favorable financial results.
Previously, Manoj has worked as the Chief Operating Officer of DQE group. He also has experience as the Head of IP Development/Commissioning, Co-Production and Content Acquisition at Al Jazeera children’s channel which covered 22 nations in the Middle East. His expertise in the gaming sector is via previous roles as Head of the Gaming division in Wipro Technologies and Business Head at Pentamedia Graphics. Manoj has long-standing and deep personal relationships across the world with some of the biggest names in the media and animation space.
In addition to his professional accomplishments, Manoj has been recognized as an emerging leader in the industry and has received prestigious awards, including the title of "Best Animation Personality of the Year" and "Emerging Leader of the Year." In his leadership Powerkids Entertainment got recognized as the 'Top 10 most promising animation design companies in Asia'2024 by Business Outlook . Under his leadership Powerkids has achieved 'Studio of the Year ' awards at ANN award and Label Award 2024. Manoj's exceptional industry knowledge, combined with his ability to drive growth and achieve results, sets him apart as an invaluable asset in the media and animation sector.
Starting with a small team and growing to several hundred artists across Toronto, Mumbai, Bengaluru and Hyderabad, Milind D. Shinde founded 88 Pictures in 2016 after spending years at DreamWorks Animation India and China unit. A doyen in the animation industry, he spent most of his animation career with DreamWorks. He was part of the core team instrumental in setting up and development of the production infrastructure at the India DreamWorks and Oriental DreamWorks in Shanghai, China.
In his robust body of experience, Shinde has been a part of few Oscar-nominated feature films at DreamWorks and played an important role in the production of most of its successful movie franchises such as Madagascar, Kung Fu Panda, How to Train Your Dragon among others. Through his astute management skills, unflinching vision and a zeal for quality and creativity, he has successfully established 88 Pictures as a key player in the arena of animation.
Tarandeep Singh is a dynamic marketing and business development professional, currently serving as KidZania chief business officer a leading global edutainment destination. With over two decades of rich experience in the leisure and entertainment industry, he specialises in experiential marketing, strategic brand partnerships, and business leadership. In his current role, Sekhon is responsible for steering strategic brand partnerships, sales, and marketing, driving innovation and growth for the brand. Sekhon’s professional journey reflects his expertise in strategy, marketing management, business planning, advertising, digital marketing, and business development. His academic credentials include an MBA in Retail Management & Marketing and a postgraduate certification in Digital Marketing & Communication, which have provided him with a strong foundation to excel in the dynamic marketing landscape.
Sarath Bhooshan is a visionary leader in the entrepreneurial landscape, seamlessly integrating his IT and finance expertise into the realm of AVGC-XR sector and kids’ entertainment industry. Transitioning from Indiabulls Securities vice president to Bhooshan’s Junior founder & CEO, he epitomises innovation and strategic prowess. Leveraging his financial background, He leads successful animation projects, collaborating with industry giants and understanding global kids entertainment and AVGC-XR dynamics.
Establishing Oseye Media Technologies in 2013, he delves into the nuances of the Indian AVGC-XR sector. Identifying a need for Indian original content , he founded Bhooshans Junior- India’s first kids tech-tainment company in 2019, aiming to revolutionise the sector by blending entertainment with technology for holistic child development.
Susumu Fukunaga joined The Pokémon Company in 2000 as part of the founding team. After working in the trading card game business, film and event production, as well as sales and other business units, he now leads the content business and brand management in Asia and India as a corporate officer. He also oversees group companies Pokémon Singapore and Pokémon Taiwan.
Ganesh Balashanmugam aka Ganba Rosé is a 21-year-old Mangaka and animator, known for bringing his characters to life and taking readers on unforgettable journeys through his stories. Whether in a single panel or a single frame, his work radiates with emotion, creativity, and boundless imagination. A lifelong lover of manga, Balashanmugam draws inspiration from the medium that first sparked his passion. With five years of experience as an artist, he is amazing at the art of crafting characters that feel deeply human, relatable, and real. His name itself, meaning "pushing forward" and "good luck," reflects resilience that inspires his art. Even in his most challenging moments, he has used creativity as a compass, expressing his story and spirit through powerful visual narratives.
Ganesh Balashanmugam aka Ganba Rosé is a 21-year-old Mangaka and animator, known for bringing his characters to life and taking readers on unforgettable journeys through his stories. Whether in a single panel or a single frame, his work radiates with emotion, creativity, and boundless imagination. A lifelong lover of manga, Balashanmugam draws inspiration from the medium that first sparked his passion. With five years of experience as an artist, he is amazing at the art of crafting characters that feel deeply human, relatable, and real. His name itself, meaning "pushing forward" and "good luck," reflects resilience that inspires his art. Even in his most challenging moments, he has used creativity as a compass, expressing his story and spirit through powerful visual narratives.
Nandini is a writer, filmmaker, and creative director and has spent 10+ years in the ad film industry at reputed agencies like Lowe Lintas, Vitamin Stree, and Supari Studios. During this time, they worked across long format non-fiction, branded content, and helped brands build award winning IPs. They co-founded Ghost Note Media with Shikha Sharma in 2023 as a vehicle for telling compelling stories no matter the medium.
Shikha is a 2D motion graphic artist and creative director with a passion for animation and storytelling. She has spent nine years at some of the industry’s finest studios including AIB, Supari Studios, and Post Office Studios. Her work spans across documentaries, music videos, original shorts and branded content. In 2023, she co-founded Ghost Note Media with Nandini to explore original stories and the different media through which they can be told.
Munjal is a creator, producer and director with 28 years of experience across the entire spectrum of live-action, animation, gaming and VFX. He co-founded his production company and animation studio, Graphiti in 1995. Over the last two decades he has produced over 500 brand communication films and TV commercials. His passion for creating original content and understanding of the business of kid’s entertainment has helped to establish his animation studio as a content powerhouse. He has forged partnerships with some of the biggest names in kids entertainment including Netflix, Walt Disney TV, Cartoon Network and Nickelodeon and has also helped to put India on the global map for original content. He has developed and produced India's first kids live action 3D animation TV show ‘J bole toh Jadoo’ with Nickelodeon. He brought Indian folk art and folk series to children not just in India but across the world through his hit children's movie series ‘Krish, Trish and Baltiboy’ which is on Cartoon Network and Gubbare. He is also the creator of the animated series, ‘YOM’ for Disney Channel. ‘YOM’ and 'Krish, Trish and Baltiboy' have been released by Netflix in 150 countries in multiple languages including Hindi, English, Turkish, Polish, Korean and Chinese.
His latest creation is the Netflix Original, ‘Deepa and Anoop’ which has been produced by Mattel TV. It’s a music-driven series starring seven-year-old Deepa and her colour-changing elephant Anoop as they “help” guests at her family’s bed and breakfast with Deepa’s incredibly imaginative solutions. The show swept the Kidscreen 2023 Awards with four wins – Best New Show, Best Inclusivity, Best Music and Best Voice Talent. He is the only Asian creator with the rare honour of his show receiving four Kidscreen awards in a year.
His brilliance as a creative producer has led him to the prestigious project of creating the official YouTube Channel Yoga with Modi featuring the 3D animated Yoga Video featuring a 3D avatar of the honourable prime minister of India Narendra Modi.
His selfless contribution to the cause of producing original Indian content has won him many accolades and was also honoured as the Toon Titan of Asia by Animation Magazine, USA.
He also serves as the chairman of FICCI AVGC Forum (Animation, Visual Effects, Gaming and Comics). He is a member of FICCI’s media and entertainment committee and is also an advisory board member of the media and entertainment skill council. He recently served on the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting’s task force on National Animation, VFX, Gaming, Comic and XR Policy.
Sourabh Kumar is PunToon Kids founder and CEO, the country’s largest premium kids' YouTube community driven by Indian Original IPs, as well as VidUnit Media a leading digital entertainment, content, and influencer marketing firm. Kumar has worked in the media and entertainment industries in India and abroad for over 15 years, honing his skills in content consumption behavior across digital platforms, kids' content,animation, content & influencer marketing, content acquisition & distribution and licensing. He is a self-made young Indian entrepreneur of an Indian Original IP-based popular kids' YouTube channel that has seen tremendous success since its beginning in 2019. It has achieved a significant milestone by generating over 325 million views in the first quarter of the year, 2023. The brand boasts a substantial viewership on its platform, amassing over 3 billion views across all of its channels so far. Furthermore, their relatable and topical Indian Original productions have resulted in an incredible monthly average of 100 million views across all of their YT channels. Operating in seven Indian languages, PunToon Kids' network of YouTube channels creates premium content that resonates with millions of kids and families across the country.
Tetsuro Araki joined the animation studio Madhouse in 1999. His major works include Death Note, Guilty Crown, Attack on Titan, Kabaneri of the Iron Fortress, and the feature film Bubble, among others. He has received the best director award at both the Newtype x Machi★Asobi Anime Awards 2013 and the anime of the year category at the Tokyo Anime Award Festival 2014. In 2025, he contributed storyboards and direction for episode four of Mobile Suit Gundam GQuuuuuuX.
Vaibhav More is a graduate of Sir J. J School of Fine Art and the Founder, Owner, and Animation & VFX Director of Vaibhav More Films. For the past six years, he has also served as the acting president of The Animation Society of India (TASI).
With over 24 years of experience in the industry, More has collaborated with some of the most renowned names in media and advertising, including The Times of India, Future Thought Productions, UTV Toonz, MTV, VH1, Nickelodeon, Ogilvy, Disney, Cartoon Network, and many others. He has been honoured with over 30 prestigious awards such as PROMAX BDA, Kyoorius Awards, Ann Awards, and ASAP Producers Association Awards, to name a few.
His passion for drawing, animation, and visual communication has led him to explore a wide range of creative disciplines within show business. Today, Vaibhav More Films is actively producing innovative content for advertising and digital platforms. More’s distinctive creative flair and versatility across various animation mediums have earned him a unique place in the industry. He is equally committed to fostering awareness about career opportunities in animation and VFX, having conducted numerous seminars and workshops both in India and abroad. Guided by a philosophy of creative visualisation and a passion-driven life, he continues to inspire the next generation of visual storytellers.
Toonz Media Group CEO P. Jayakumar is a globally recognised thought leader in the animation, visual effects, gaming, and comics (AVGC) sector. Under his visionary leadership, Toonz has grown into an international powerhouse with 10 group companies, 11 global offices, and a team of over 1,000 professionals producing more than 10,000 minutes of animation annually. His strategic initiatives, including the acquisition of Imira (Spain) and Telegael (Ireland), have significantly expanded the company’s global reach.
Jayakumar has forged partnerships with leading entertainment giants such as Walt Disney Marvel Studios, Netflix, Sony, Paramount Pictures, Universal Studios, BBC and Cartoon Network, resulting in numerous acclaimed productions. As a passionate advocate for talent development, he has spearheaded Toonz Educational Services, which has trained over 10,000 skilled animators over the past 25 years, strengthening India’s animation workforce.
An active contributor to industry growth, Jayakumar played a pivotal role in crafting Kerala’s AVGC-XR policy and serves as Society of AVGC Institutions in Kerala’s (SAIK) president. He holds key roles in organisations such as CII, FICCI, ASSOCHAM, and MESC. A jury member for the prestigious Emmy Awards and a member of the International Academy of Television Arts and Sciences, Jayakumar continues to shape the future of media and entertainment, leaving an indelible mark as a global influencer and innovator.
One of the most influential creative executives in India, Paprikas Animation Studios (now transformed into Technicolor India) was co-founded by him. Following this the Xentrix Studios was also co-founded by him, building it into a team of over 1,000 artists and producing/delivering more than 2,000 hours of TV, DVD, feature films, games, and ride films. As studios head and creative director, he has played a pivotal role in transforming the Indian animation scene, bringing global giants like Technicolor, DreamWorks, EA, Rockstar, MPC, and others to India.
He now runs Zebu Animation as founder and creative director, fulfilling his lifelong dream of creating original IP. In 2024, he served as the lighting director for the Oscar-nominated animated documentary Piece by Piece by Pharrell Williams. He also directed the viral fan-made Lego adaptation of Hanumankind's Big Dawgs, which garnered over 100,000 views.
Patil is the new animated YouTube series The Wonderful Adventures of Suppandi creator and director, which features one of India’s most beloved comic characters from Tinkle Magazine. The show now airs on the Powerkids YouTube channel to over 45 million subscribers.
Animation Creators Pitch, now evolved into the Animation Creators Hub, is a powerful platform for aspiring and professional animation creators to pitch their original IPs, stories, and concepts to a panel of leading producers, broadcasters, investors, and OTT platforms. With the theme “Breaking Boundaries of Culture and Geography”, the initiative promotes globally resonant stories from Indian creators. Selected entries get the opportunity to gain mentorship, production support, and potential commissioning.
Anime India is a vibrant celebration of the booming anime culture in India. The event is a magnet for fans, creators, cosplayers, influencers, and anime industry stakeholders. With exclusive merchandise, cosplay contests, anime screenings, meet-and-greets, and industry panels, Anime India blends entertainment, community, and commerce into one spectacular festival. It also offers a sneak peek into the future of anime production and localisation in India.
Explore the latest trends shaping the future of animation, including advancements in technology, storytelling techniques, and the role of AI in animation production.
A deep dive into the anime industry, discussing its global appeal, cross-cultural collaborations, and how anime is influencing animation worldwide.
Strategies for successful international co-productions, including how to navigate partnerships with countries like Japan, Malaysia, Thailand, and other global markets.
How new technologies such as real-time rendering, virtual production, and AI are changing the way animation is created and consumed.
Insights into the changing broadcasting and OTT platforms landscape, and how animation studios can tap into global distribution channels.
Addressing the importance of sustainability in animation production, with practical strategies for reducing environmental impact while maintaining creative excellence.
Exploring new revenue models, including merchandise, licensing, co-productions, and digital platforms, to ensure the financial growth and sustainability of animated content.
How animation can be a powerful tool for addressing social issues, educating audiences, and driving positive change in communities worldwide.
Discover the latest animation software, tools, and workflows that are pushing the boundaries of creativity, speed, and efficiency in the industry.
Learn the secrets to developing successful animation IPs that resonate with audiences worldwide, from initial concept through to global licensing and merchandising.
