Jiostar, now one of the world’s largest streaming services formed from the blockbuster JioCinema–Disney+ Hotstar merger, has appointed seasoned data science veteran David Zakkam as Senior Vice President and Head of Analytics & Data Strategy. This move, announced shortly after Zakkam’s brief retirement, signals Jiostar’s ambitions to place data and AI at the heart of its next decade of exponential content and monetization growth.
David Zakkam: Data Science Trailblazer
David Zakkam brings over 21 years of analytics and data science leadership across top-tier tech firms:
- Uber: He led the Data & Applied Science team for India, driving advances across rides, delivery, and mobility, and spearheaded generative AI initiatives tailored for scaled commerce and logistics.
- Meta: Zakkam worked on platform integrity and safety for products with millions of users, responding to the most complex challenges in global social platforms.
- Swiggy: As VP-Analytics, he elevated Swiggy’s data culture, integrating decision systems to boost business agility at massive scale.
- Mu Sigma: Earlier in his career, Zakkam built large analytics teams and managed major client relationships across Europe and the US.
He is an alumnus of IIT Delhi and IIM Calcutta.
Zakkam emphasized his excitement about “building advanced data capabilities and transforming analytics into a true strategic advantage for JioHotstar”—pointing to a vision of enhanced content personalization, audience engagement, and data-driven revenue growth.
Jiostar’s Strategic and Product Momentum
- Platform Scale: The newly merged JioHotstar counts over 600 million users in India alone, with 300 million paid subscribers—making it the world’s second-largest streaming service by some measures.
- Profitability: In the Q2 FY26 quarter, JioStar (JioHotstar’s parent entity) reported a 127.5% sequential increase in net profit to ₹1,322 crore, a testament to its operational scale and content stickiness.
- Tech-Driven Features: JioHotstar is rolling out features like RIYA, a voice search assistant for smarter content discovery, JioLenZ for multi-viewing customizations, and Maxview for immersive cricket coverage, all leveraging AI and deep analytics to improve user engagement.
- Ad Measurement: In partnership with Nielsen, JioHotstar is now introducing advanced analytics pipelines for advertisers, enabling transparent reporting and optimization of campaign performance—yet another move to leverage its big data backbone for business results.
Analyst & Leadership Perspective
Bharath Ram, Chief Product Officer at JioStar, said:
“David will partner with the business, content, marketing, ads, engineering, and product teams to unlock consumer and business value through data-driven decision-making.”
Akash Ambani, Chairman of Reliance Jio Infocomm, highlighted how integrating Jio’s digital reach with Disney’s content pedigree has created a platform for ‘unprecedented growth’—with the focus now on harnessing the power of AI, analytics, and technology innovation to serve a billion screens and lead the OTT landscape.
The Big Picture
Jiostar’s appointment of Zakkam and its sharp focus on analytics-driven product development come at a pivotal moment in the streaming wars. Jiostar not only leads on scale in India but is also rapidly expanding engagement and monetization features, aiming for both domestic and global leadership. With Zakkam at the analytics helm, expect even more sophisticated content personalization, smarter data products, and AI-powered features shaping the next phase of India’s streaming revolution.
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