Ravi Ahuja Named Business Ops President, CFO at Walt Disney TV, Post-Fox Acquisition

By Elaine Low

LOS ANGELES (Variety.com) – Walt Disney has named Ravi Ahuja as the president of business operations and chief financial officer of Walt Disney Television, to take effect once the acquisition of 21st Century Fox closes.

Ahuja is currently the CFO for Fox Networks Group, managing the company’s finance and accounting and overseeing business development for FNG’s business units, including Fox Broadcasting Company, Fox Cable Networks, Fox Sports Media Group and National Geographic Partners, and FNG Wurope and Africa and Latin America.

In his new position at Disney, he will oversee finance, strategic planning, business development, affiliate sales and distribution, technology, music affairs, consumer insights and labor relations for the segment, and work with the business units to grow revenue and operating income. He will also liaise with the company’s direct-to-consumer and international divisions on ad sales and content distribution, according to Disney.

Ahuja joined Fox in 2007. Before becoming CFO at Fox Networks Group, Ahuja served as executive VP of business operations and development there. Prior to that, he spent eight years at Virgin Entertainment Group, rising to the role of CFO.

Disney’s $71.3 billion acquisition of 21st Century Fox is nearing completion. Brazil gave the deal its conditional approval last week, so long as Disney offloads the Fox Sports cable channel.