MUMBAI: For the second time in a year, Reliance Broadcast Network Limited (RBNL) has promoted executive vice president Ashwin Padmanabhan.

In his new role as COO, Padmanabhan has stepped into the shoes of former COO Lavneesh Gupta, who quit earlier this year. He will continue to report to Reliance Broadcast Network CEO Tarun Katial.

In May 2015, Padmanabhan was promoted as EVP, while he continued to handle his existing role as Big FM business head.

Padmanabhan will now not only look after the radio business of RBNL's Big FM, but also oversee the company’s television channels Big Magic and Big Magic Ganga.

While sources confirmed the news to Radioandmusic.com,Padmanabhan, who is currently busy with the Phase III FM auctions,was unavailable for comment.

It may be recalled that after Gupta quit in May, RBNL went through a re-shuffle wherein the company’s chief financial officer Asheesh Chatterjee was appointed as executive vice president and was given the additional responsibility of COO.

Padmanabhan, who was Big FM’s national business head since 2013, has been with the company since its inception, starting his tenure as cluster director at Andhra Pradesh. Since then, he has held various
designations in the company.

He holds an Engineering degree along with Masters in Business Administration from BIM, Trichy. He has worked in diverse business sectors including petrochemical, media and other services. Prior to
joining Big FM, he was with Visage Media Services as founder and director of content development.