HONG KONG – The BBC is to strengthen its global channels business in South Asia with a trio of appointments in India.

BBC Worldwide has hired Jasdeep Pannu, previously with Discovery Channel, as director of programming to be based in Mumbai.

Joining from Nickelodeon, Shaalu Wadhwa is appointed director of marketing and communication for BBC Worldwide’s new channels in India.

Abhijeet Deolekar joins BBC Worldwide as creative director. He was previously responsible for promotions at Indian glamour and lifestyle channel Zoom.

In October last year the British pubcaster opened an office in Mumbai, BBC Worldwide Productions India, only its third local production office outside the U.K after, L.A. and Australia.

"Local productions are by far the most popular programming in India and BBC Worldwide has one of the world’s richest catalogues of television content and formats. Taken together, therefore, the Indian production base offers genuine synergy," Saul Nassé, GM and creative head, of the unit said at the time of launch.