LONDON: Digital media group Motorsport Network has announced Mehul Kapadia, till recently the global head of Marketing at Tata Communications, as chief operating officer.
Kapadia played a pivotal role, over the last eight years, in shaping digital transformation for Formula 1 and MotoGP, as SVP, Global head of Marketing at Tata Communications, part of the $110 billion Tata Group. Kapadia served at the Indian telecommunications company for 19 years.
The development comes a little over a month after Tata Communications ended an eight-year association with F1 as the sport’s connectivity partner.
Kapadia was handed the brief in 2012 of managing Tata’s Global Partner relationship with F1 for connectivity services and grew it into a multi-million dollar business, adding the Mercedes AMG Petronas F1 and Williams F1 teams and multiple TV broadcasters, including SKY Sports F1 and Ziggo. As well as impressive revenue streams, it also drove significant brand elevation for Tata Communications globally.
Under Kapadia’s leadership, Tata Communications was a game-changing protagonist in F1 and Moto GP, enabling the digital transformation of both series and promoting sustainable practices like remote production, Live OTT amongst others, delivering both operational productivity and innovation for the rights holders to enhance fan engagement.
Kapadia’s proven record of leadership in operational and strategic roles across technology, media, product management, sales and marketing makes him the ideal person to drive the growth agenda that has seen Motorsport Network build on a huge global audience to develop a customer ecosystem model that now offers products and services to customers, across events, experiences, games and esports.
Motorsport Network’s business has four pillars: Racing, Automotive, Tickets and Esports & Gaming, with 700 employees worldwide. Kapadia will help to integrate the network effect of the business. He will be based in the company’s London office.
Kapadia said: “I am very excited to join this dynamic and passionate team at Motorsport Network. I’ve observed them at close quarters these last five years through their rapid international growth and it’s clear that their ability to unleash the power of the network in delivering comprehensive information and entertainment experiences for fans, while at the same time helping brands drive their growth by leveraging the exciting world of automotive and motorsport, makes Motorsport Network an unbeatable global proposition. I look forward to working closely with the team to build a scalable and profitable business.”
James Allen, Motorsport Network president, added: “I’ve known Mehul since Tata Communications first entered F1 in 2012; it was clear then that this was a deal that would change F1 forever. And so it has proved. As Motorsport Network moves into its next growth phase it is exciting to have someone of Mehul’s calibre running our global operations; a proven winner who really understands our business. It is great for our customers and sends a powerful signal of our intent to the industry.”
