Punit Goenka is an Indian businessman, who is the Managing Director and CEO of Zee Entertainment Enterprises. He serves as a member of the Board of Directors for the Indian Broadcasting & Digital Foundation.
Contents
Wiki/Biography
Punit Goenka was born on Friday, 20 June 1975 (age 48 years; as of 2023) in Hisar, Haryana, India. His zodiac sign is Gemini. He has studied in different cities including Hisar, Delhi, and Mumbai. He has studied at The Lawrence School, Sanawar, Himachal Pradesh. He has also studied at Institut Le Rosey in Rolle, Switzerland. In 1995, he graduated with a Bachelor of Commerce (B.Com) degree from the University of Mumbai, Maharashtra, India.
Physical Appearance
Height (approx.): 5′ 8″
Hair Colour: Black
Eye Colour: Brown
Family & Caste
He was born in a business-class Marwari Baniya family in Haryana. [1]The Times Of India
Parents & Siblings
Punit is the eldest son of media tycoon Subhash Chandra, who served as a Member of Parliament (MP) from 2016 to 2022. He is also the chairman of Essel Group and the founder of Zee TV. Punit’s mother is Sushila Devi. She is a homemaker. Punit has a brother, Amit Goenka. Amit is the President of Digital Businesses & Platforms for the Zee Entertainment Enterprises.
Punit Goenka with his father, Subhash Chandra (Centre), and brother, Amit Goenka (Right)
Wife & Children
Punit Goenka is married to Shreyasi Goenka. She is the founder of Arth – A Culture Fest and a co-director of the Saat Saath Arts Foundation. They have three children, two sons and a daughter. The names of their sons are Vivardhan Goenka and Udayan Goenka. Their daughter’s name is Anandini Goenka, she is the eldest of the three.
Punit Goenka with his wife and children
Other Relatives
Punit’s uncle, Jawahar Lal Goel, became the Editor-in-Chief of Zee Media Network in 2019. He quit his position as the chairman of Dish TV in 2022.
Jawahar Goel
Relationships/Affairs
Punit was in a long-term relationship with Shreyasi Goenka before they got married. In an interview, he talked about breaking up with Shreyasi twice before marrying her, and said,
We both are in love for may years and we even broke up twice before marriage, but she is very good in understanding me and finally I tied my life to her.”
Punit Goenka with Shreyasi Goenka
Religion
Punit Goenka is a follower of Hinduism.
Punit Goenka praying during Diwali in his office
Career
Punit Goenka started his career as a trainee in Essel Group in 1993. His first task was selling amusement park packages to schools in Virar, Mumbai. He worked briefly as an assistant at Essel Packaging and later as an executive assistant to his father, Subhash Chandra. Then, he worked at Zee Music Records before becoming Vice President of Coordination and Operations at ASC Enterprises Limited (ASCEL) in December 1997. He became the Group President & CEO of ASCEL Group of Companies on 1 February 2002 and launched Dish TV with his uncle, Jawahar Goel in Delhi. He later became the business head of Zee Sports, director of ZEE Digital Convergence Limited, and finally, the business head of ZEE Entertainment Enterprises Limited (ZEEL) on 1 January 2005. In 2007, he became Director of the Adhikaar Foundation and in 2008, he was made CEO of ZEEL. The same year, he became Director of ETC Networks Limited. On 24 July 2008, he was appointed as the director of Zee Turner Limited. On 1 January 2010. he became the Managing Director (MD) of ZEEL. On 9 July 2010, he founded and became the director of the Broadcast Audience Research Council (BARC). On 20 April 2012, he was appointed as the director of Prozone Intu Properties Ltd. In 2016, he became the president of the Indian Broadcasting Foundation (now known as the Indian Broadcasting & Digital Foundation). From 2018 to 2020, he served as the President of The India Chapter of the International Advertising Association (IAA). In January 2019, he was appointed as the chairman of BARC India. He was reappointed as an MD and CEO of ZEEL on 1 January 2020, for a 5-year term.
Punit Goenka pic
Controversy
Barred By SEBI From Holding Directorial Position
On 12 June 2023, Punit Goenka and his father, Subhash Goenka, were temporarily barred from holding directorial positions in any listed company by the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) as they had allegedly transferred funds of the Essel Group companies for their benefits. On 10 July 2023, the Securities Appellate Tribunal (SAT), an autonomous body where the decisions made by SEBI can be challenged, rejected SEBI’s temporary order. SAT asked SEBI to present the case before a Whole-Time Member (WTM) or any other higher-ranking authorised officer. On 14 August 2023, SEBI released another order barring Punit and Subhash again from holding any directorial positions, claiming that they would complete their investigation within 8 months. On 30 October 2023, SAT rejected the order stating that appropriate steps will be taken if any evidence comes up during the investigation. In January 2024, SEBI’s report revealed that the money they have transferred may have been up to Rs. 1000 crores. [2]CNBC TV18
Awards
- In 2014, IAA honoured him with the ‘Media Person of the Year’ Award.
Punit Goenka with ‘Media Person of the Year’ award
- In 2014, Punit was honoured with the ‘Entrepreneur of the Year’ at the Asia Pacific Entrepreneurship Awards (APEA).
Punit Goenka with ‘Entrepreneur Of The Year’ award
- In 2014, the former Governor of Maharashtra, Chennamaneni Vidyasagar Rao, honoured Punit Goenka with the ‘IMPACT Person of the Year’ award for his contribution to the media and entertainment industry.
Punit Goenka with the ‘IMPACT Person of the Year’ award
- In 2014, Punit was honoured with The Economic Times ’40 under Forty’ – India’s Hottest Business Leaders Award.
Punit Goenka ’40 under Forty’ Award
- In 2014, he was featured in the list of Digital Studio’s ‘DS Hot 100’ List in the Broadcasters section.
- In 2015, CEO India Magazine honoured him with the ‘Young CEO Award.’
Punit Goenka receiving the Young CEO Award
- In 2016, Punit Goenka was awarded the ‘Best CEO Award’ in the Media and Entertainment category by Business Today.
- In 2016, Punit, with his brother Amit, became the first Indian to receive MIPTV’s Medailles d’Honneur.
- In 2018, the All India Management Association honoured Punit Goenka with the ‘Outstanding Contribution to Media’ Award.
Punit Goenka received the ‘Outstanding Contribution To Media’ award
- In 2022, Punit won the ‘Game-Changer of the Year’ Award at the International Advertising Association (IAA) Leadership Awards.
Salary
Punit Goenka’s salary in the financial year 2023 was reported to be Rs. 35 crores. [3]Mint
Facts/Trivia
- He drinks alcohol occasionally.
Punit Goenka celebrates with his team with a bottle of champagne
- In 2016, Business Today put him on their list of India’s top 100 CEOs.
- In 2018, he was named to the Variety500’s Influential Leaders List.
- He talked about his love for skiing, in an interview, calling it a stress-buster.
- In an interview, he talked about not watching shows of his Indian competitors as that gets him confused and said,
“When I do that, I end up confusing my core audience base with theirs. The Zee core audience base is middle India—the stories, the characters are far more real, they don’t live in palaces, they don’t wear chiffon saris.”
- Punit wanted to become a part of his family business since his childhood. In an interview, he claimed,
I was always clear from the beginning that I will be in the family business.”
- Punit Goenka quit smoking tobacco-filled cigarettes in 2017. He, however, smokes electronic cigarettes, IQOS.
- In 2017, he had lunch with his one millionth Twitter follower, Manjiri Sonar, and her family in Mumbai.
Punit Goenka with Manjiri Sonar
- On 14 June 2020, he ran a Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) drive against COVID-19 and donated 46 ambulances and 50 High Flow Heated Respiratory Humidifiers to the BMC.
We kickstarted our healthcare infrastructure centric CSR drive against Covid-19, in Mumbai, with the support of Hon'ble CM Shri. Uddhav Ji Thackeray & Cabinet Minister Shri.@AUThackeray! 46 ambulances & 50 High Flow Heated Respiratory Humidifiers have been donated to BMC. (1/2) pic.twitter.com/bekr3jb5tJ
— Punit Goenka (@punitgoenka) June 14, 2020
