Uday Shankar, president of Walt Disney Company APAC and chairman of Star & Disney India, will step down from his posts, the company announced on Thursday. The resignations will be effective from December 31, said Rebecca Campbell, the chairperson of Disney’s Direct-to-Consumer and International segment. Before his departure, Shankar will look for his successor.

“I want to thank Uday for his leadership and dedication to our APAC business,” said Campbell. “With the successful launch of Disney+ throughout the region, he has helped put The Walt Disney Company in a commanding position in this dynamic and incredibly strategic part of the world.”

“His vast experience and expertise have been invaluable in bringing together a strong, cohesive APAC leadership team to chart a path forward for our streaming businesses in the region and beyond. Uday has been a great friend, colleague and valued counselor to me personally, and I know I speak for all of DTCI when I say he will be greatly missed. At the same time, I understand and respect his desire to make this change. I am extremely grateful that he has agreed to stay on to help ensure a seamless transition.”

— Rebecca Campbell

Shankar said he would want to mentor a new generation of entrepreneurs now. “I have always believed in the power of creativity and cutting-edge technology to create a better world and consider myself incredibly fortunate to have had the opportunity to do so at Star, 21CF and now at The Walt Disney Company,” he added.

“As I look back on this journey, I take pride in having set ambitious goals in my professional career, and achieving all that we set out to do. For some time now, I have been contemplating the question of how I give back to the country, community and the industry that have given me so much. I think the best way to express my gratitude to all of them will be to support and mentor a new generation of entrepreneurs as they set out to create transformational solutions that will have a positive impact on countless lives. I intend to partner with global investors and pioneers to achieve this.”

— Uday Shankar

Over the last decade, Shankar has played a role in shaping the media and entertainment sector in India. He was the president of 21st Century Fox for Asia and served as the chief executive officer and editor of Star News, which was the first 24-hour news channel in the country. He was also the editor and news director at TV Today Group, where he supervised the launch of Aaj Tak in 2000 and Headlines Today, in 2003.

Shankar is currently the senior vice president of Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry and next in line to take over as its president.