Saurabh Yagnik leaves Star to head Sony Pix

MUMBAI: Multi Screen Media (MSM) has poached Saurabh Yagnik to head its English movie channel Pix.

Yagnik was heading rival network Star India?s English channels portfolio, including Star Movies, for over two years.

Yagnik replaces Sunder Aaron, who left Pix earlier this year. Aaron had helped launch Pix in 2006.

Rasika Tyagi has replaced Yagnik at Star. Hitherto, Tyagi was senior VP - English programming.

Yagnik?s task is to help Pix move ahead of its rivals - Star Movies and Movies Now. Pix got its parent Sony?s library last year and moved from a library-based to a contemporary movie channel.

Yagnik?s challenge will be to sustain Pix?s upward climb in a dynamic market. Pix, which has even reached the second position in the English movie channel ratings ladder, plans to step up its persistent campaign to oust the market leader.