Omkar Shende

Seasoned Product & Design leader with 20+ years of experience scaling OTT streaming, digital media, and research ecosystems. Former Head of Product at SonyLIV, where I delivered 120x user growth, 10x subscription revenue, and built global adtech, personalization, and second-screen engagement platforms. Currently CPO at Cactus Communications, leading AI-first, data-driven product innovation across global markets. Known for building and mentoring high-performing teams, partnering with stakeholders, and aligning product vision with business outcomes. Passionate about storytelling and digital innovation, with a proven record of success in both B2C and B2B landscapes.

Early Career & Foundations in Creativity & UX:
After designing system fonts for Indic scripts, I worked with filmmaker Prakash Jha on TV and film projects, honing my storytelling and creative instincts. At Reliance Infocomm, I pioneered UX for WebWorlds, introducing consumers to early experiences of video chat, gaming, e-wallets, and document management. At Rediff.com, I expanded into product management across email, instant messaging, news, e-commerce, and user generated video platform, building versatile products at internet scale.

SonyLIV – Transforming OTT at Scale:
In 8 years at Sony Pictures Networks India, I rose from AVP to SVP while leading SonyLIV’s meteoric growth achieving 120x user expansion and a 10x increase in subscription revenue. Key contributions included:

• Built industry-defining adtech infrastructure that today generates hundreds of crores annually.
• Conceived and launched second-screen, play-along gaming for flagship shows like Kaun Banega Crorepati, Indian Idol, and live sports, with KBC Play-Along 2022 winning the Best Interactivity Award.
• Introduced a casual gaming platform within SonyLIV, blending entertainment and gameplay to deepen youth engagement.
• Spearheaded personalization driving stickiness in a hyper-competitive OTT market.

Cactus Communications – Global Product & AI Innovation:
Currently, I lead global product strategy for Editage and Mind the Graph, delivering AI-led personalization, image generation, and customer lifecycle innovation across B2C and enterprise. My work directly impacts hundreds of thousands of researchers worldwide, balancing UX research, analytics, and user feedback to build products that scale across geographies.

Completed my graduation with Typography major from Sir JJ Institute of Applied Arts in 1997 followed by Post Graduate Diploma in Film & TV Production from Xavier's Institute of Communication. I am also a certified Usability Analyst from Human Factors International.