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NORTH AMERICAN Newsline OCTOBER 04, 2024 | The Indian Eye 32

KAVITA BALA

Cornell appoints dean as the

university’s 17th provost

Ravi Ahuja joined SPE in 2021 to oversee all production busi-
nesses for Sony Pictures Television (SPT) and the studio’s India
business as Chairman of Global Television Studios. SPT and its
production companies produce several award-winning and ac-

ornell University recently announced the name of Kavita Bala, dean claimed television series including The Crown, Shark Tank, Amer-
of the Cornell Ann S. Bowers College of Computing and Information ican Idol, So You Think You Can Dance, and 90 Day Fiancé.
CScience (Cornell Bowers CIS), as the university’s 17th provost. Bala is
appointed for 5 years by the Executive Committee of the Cornell Board of Since joining SPE, Ahuja has also overseen SPE’s M&A activities, in-
Trustees, beginning January 1. cluding the acquisitions of award-winning nonfiction entertainment company
As provost, she will perform as the university’s chief academic officer and
budget officer, overseeing academic programs and units of the university, for Industrial Media.
Before joining SPE, Ahuja was President of Business Operations and
budgeting and strategic planning, promotion and tenure, academic and re- CFO of Walt Disney Television. Before that he was in positions of increasing
search initiatives and supervision of the Ithaca campus. authority, including CFO, at the Fox Networks Group, and Virgin Entertain-
“Bala has done an outstanding job as dean of Cornell Bowers CIS, shep-
herding the college’s growth, supporting its diversity, fostering its interdisci- ment Group, Inc.
“It is my privilege and honor to take the helm at SPE,” said Ahuja. “This
plinarity and collaborations and staking Cornell’s leadership in research and is a special place -- an iconic studio with an extraordinary 100-year history
innovation,” said Interim President Michael I. Kotlikoff. of storytelling. Thanks to Tony’s remarkable leadership, we have leading
Bala, an expert in computer vision and graphics, said “It is an incredible
honor and privilege to serve as Cornell’s next provost.” Bala added further, businesses with clear strategies and are set up for even greater success in the
years to come. I am grateful for Tony’s mentorship, guidance and friendship
“We are living in an age of tremendous and rapid societal change driven by tech- through the decades, and I thank Yoshida-san and Totoki-san for entrusting
nological innovation. With Cornell’s intellectual breadth, we are positioned to me with this important role.”
meet both the challenges and the opportunities of our time. As provost, I “I have the utmost confidence that SPE will continue to thrive in the years
hope to foster an environment where all Cornellians can realize their intel- ahead and know that Ravi is the right leader to take SPE forward,” said Vinci-
lectual potential, do their best work and have a positive impact on the world.” querra. Vinciquerra will remain in an advisory role for SPE as non-executive
“Kavita Bala has been a pioneering leader of Cornell Bowers CIS, a for-
midable researcher in computer vision and AI, and a confident steward of our Chairman until the end of December 2025.
efforts to define the role of AI at Cornell,” said Kraig Kayser, MBA ’84, chair
of the Board of Trustees, lauding the efforts of the search committee. DR. SUBHRA BHATTACHARJEE
In 2020, Bala became the inaugural dean of Cornell Bowers CIS and led
the school through a period of rapid growth. Currently, the college has 2,400 Forest Stewardship
undergraduate majors, and to meet demand, Bala increased the faculty by
30%. She was instrumental in securing funds for a new 135,000 square-foot
building, to open in 2025. Council International names as
Director General
RAVI AHUJA

Executive is the new CEO of Sony he Forest Stewardship Council’s International Board of Directors is
pleased to announce the appointment of Dr. Subhra Bhattacharjee as
Pictures Entertainment Tthe new Director General, effective 01 October 2024.
The Forest Stewardship Council (FSC), founded in 1993 is a voluntary
certification for sustainable forestry, promoting environmentally sound, so-
ony Group Corporation and Sony Pictures Entertainment (SPE) an- cially beneficial, and economically viable management of the world’s forests.
nounced that SPE Chairman and CEO Tony Vinciquerra will step down FSC International is based in Bonn, Germany.
Sfrom his role as SPE CEO, and that Ravi Ahuja, SPE’s current Chairman Stuart Valintine, Chair of the FSC International Board of Directors said,
of Global Television Studios and President and COO, will assume leadership “Subhra’s expertise and experience in international development and leader-
of SPE as President and CEO, effective January 2, 2025. Ahuja will report to ship will serve her well as she steps in at this critical juncture in FSC’s organi-
Sony Group Corporation Chairman and CEO Kenichiro Yoshida and Sony zational growth.”
Group Corporation President, COO and CFO Hiroki Totoki. Continued on next page... >>

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