PVR Inox Limited
PVR INOX Limited is the largest and the most premium cinema exhibitor in India and the fifth largest listed multiplex chain globally. Since their inception, both PVR and INOX have created iconic cinema brands with a storied history of becoming game changers in the film exhibition industry for over 25 years and transforming the out of home entertainment in the country.
The company’s mission is to advance and reimagine the movie-going experience by continuing to reinvent itself in keeping up with the times and the ever-changing entertainment landscape to make the brand aspirational and accessible.
AJAY BIJLI, MANAGING DIRECTOR, PVR INOX LIMITED
Ajay Bijli is the Managing Director of PVR INOX, India’s largest multiplex theatre chain, the fifth largest listed multiplex chain globally. Attracting over 140 million customers to its cinemas annually, the company operates a network of over 1700 cinema screens in over 360 properties across India and Sri Lanka. Ajay founded PVR Cinemas in 1997 ushering in the age of the multiplex in India. The multiplex revolution changed the way Indians watch movies and contributed to a boom in real estate by transforming malls and driving employment opportunities among its youth.
In recognition of his contribution to sustain livelihoods through the pandemic and revive footfalls at movie theatres post COVID, Ajay became the first Indian in over a decade to deliver the keynote address at CinemaCon 2023, the largest event for the international motion picture theatre industry. Ajay has played an active role in shaping global best practices in the premium cinema exhibition space as a member of the American Trade Association NATO (National Association of Theatre Owners) and the European Cinema trade group UNIC. He has served on several prominent trade bodies such as the Mumbai Academy of the Moving Image (MAMI), FICCI Multiplex Association (India), The Film and TV Producers Guild (India), the Young Presidents’ Organization and Central Board of Film Certification, Government of India.
Ajay has been the recipient of prestigious awards such as the E&Y Entrepreneurial Award for Business Transformation, CNBC’s Emerging India Award, Most Admired Multiplex Professional by CMO Asia’s Multiplex Excellence Award. Under his leadership, PVR has bagged Fortune India magazine’s Next 500 Big and Mid-sized Companies’ Award. PVR INOX has been awarded India’s Top Multiplex Chain of the Year’ in Big Cine Expo 2023, Economic Times Excellence in CX and Employee Excellence in 2022, International Exhibitor of the Year award at Cine Asia in 2017. Ajay was named Asia Innovator of the Year at CNBC TV 18’s India Business Leader Awards in 2016.
Ajay graduated from Hindu College, Delhi University and went on to complete the Owners/President Management program at the Graduate School of Business Administration, Harvard University in 1999. Ajay has been a member of the YPO International Chapter, the world’s largest leadership community of Chief Executives, since 2016. As a YPO Gold Fellow, he has attended the YPO Gold Harvard Presidents’ Program from Harvard Business School in 2020 and 2023.
SANJEEV KUMAR BIJLI, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, PVR INOX LIMITED
Sanjeev Kumar Bijli is the Executive Director of PVR INOX, India’s largest multiplex theatre chain, the fifth largest listed multiplex chain globally. Attracting over 140 million customers to its cinemas annually, the company operates a network of over 1700 cinema screens in over 360 properties across India and Sri Lanka. Sanjeev is the Co-Founder of PVR Cinemas and manages the full spectrum of the company’s business including programming, relationship with Hollywood studios, film distribution, content selection, development & growth strategy. Sanjeev is also the Director of PVR INOX Pictures, the motion picture arm of PVR INOX Limited which enjoys a pivotal leadership role in the independent film distribution space.
Sanjeev Kumar Bijli is a member of Entrepreneurs Organization (EO), the world’s only peer-to-peer network exclusively for entrepreneurs that offers educational opportunities, mentoring and networking opportunities to young business owners. Taking forward its vision, he offers mentorship and seed money for grooming young entrepreneurs at the school level in the ‘Business Blasters’ programme, the school start-up initiative of the Delhi Government. As an experiential evangelist, Mr. Kumar has been honoured with the Business World Applause Person of the Year 2020.
Sanjeev holds a Bachelor’s degree in Finance and Accounting from Salford University, Manchester and a Master’s degree in Business Administration from Imperial College, London University. On receiving professional training in operations and development at the Village Entertainment Centre, Australia, Mr. Kumar excelled in management skills in the cinema industry domain.
PRAMOD ARORA, GROUP CHIEF OF GROWTH & BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT, PVR INOX LIMITED
Pramod Arora has been associated with Cinemas, Real Estate, Retail and the larger investment eco system in the industry for the last 3 decades. Since 1996, with advent of cinema multiplex development in India, he has been playing a pivotal role in development and growth of shopping centres and cinemas.
An astute, accomplished and seasoned professional, Pramod presently leads, guides & enables growth, expansion and development strategy at PVR INOX alongside all other facets of the business. From a very humble beginning with a 4 screen multiplex cinema in Delhi in 1996 to more than 1700+ screens across 360+ cinemas in 113+ cities in India and Sri Lanka in 2023, he is widely regarded as the brain behind the growth of modern age cinema theatres & shopping centres in the country.
Designing and developing the best in class, hospitality led cinemas spaces to mergers, acquisitions and financial structuring of complex deals, Pramod has been actively involved in helping unleash the India consumption story in modern retail and cinemas.