Rishi Gaind, who has been heading HR for Disney Star India since April 2019, will now be head-HR for the RIL-Disney Joint Venture. Yes, the merger of the media assets of Reliance Industries (RIL) with the India business of Walt Disney has been finalised in a Rs 70,352 crore joint venture (JV), which will be headed by Nita Ambani, chairperson, Reliance Foundation.
An alumnus of the Symbiosis International University from where he obtained a master’s degree in human resources in 1997, Rishi Gaind began his professional journey with Grindwell Norton. For over two and a half years he worked as senior officer-human resources at the company that was part of the Saint Gobain Group.
In February 2000 Gaind moved to Computer Associates India as human resources manager. Less than three years later, he moved again to join Star India as executive vice president-human resources, in November 2002.
He served the longest tenure of his career at Star India—16 and a half years—from 2002 to 2019.
It was in April 2019 that he was appointed the head of human resources at Disney Star India.
In this latest role, as head-HR of the RIL-Disney JV, Gaind will oversee talent management and be responsible for leadership development, diversity, equity and inclusion, as well as employee engagement.
Gaind is already credited with the redesigning of various strategies and policies that had made Disney Star a more inclusive employer with an improved retention rate.
