JioStar appoints David Zakkam as SVP and head of analytics and data strategy

JioStar has appointed David Zakkam as senior vice president and head of analytics and data strategy, marking a major investment in the company’s long-term data, intelligence, and decision-science roadmap. Zakkam will lead the digital analytics organisation and collaborate with cross-functional teams — including content, business, product, marketing, engineering, and ads — to shape a more predictive and insights-driven operating model for the company.

A seasoned leader with more than 21 years of experience, Zakkam brings deep expertise across data science, platform intelligence, applied machine learning, and large-scale analytics transformation. His career spans leadership roles at Uber, Meta, Swiggy, Mu Sigma, and Intel — giving him a rare combination of consumer tech, marketplace, AI integrity, and enterprise analytics exposure.

At Uber, Zakkam served as director of data science, where he built the company’s India-based Data & Applied Science team from the ground up, designing scalable frameworks that informed pricing, safety, customer experience, and driver efficiency. His work supported global decision-making and broadened Uber’s data footprint in key markets.

At Meta, Zakkam oversaw data science teams across the US and EMEA, leading integrity and safety analytics at massive scale. His team’s work influenced enforcement decisions on hundreds of millions of user accounts and content pieces monthly — giving him firsthand experience in real-time detection, risk modelling, and platform trust.

Earlier, as vice president of analytics at Swiggy, he led a 150-member organisation across engineering, product, operations, and business teams, accelerating Swiggy’s data transformation agenda. His work shaped logistics intelligence, consumer segmentation, supply optimisation, and experience modelling for the rapidly scaling platform.

Zakkam’s earlier decade-long stint at Mu Sigma included global leadership roles across India, the UK, and the US, where he worked on cross-industry analytics programs, enterprise modelling, and large-scale data innovation. He began his career at Intel, focusing on technology adoption and business development.

At JioStar, Zakkam’s mandate signals a shift toward a more integrated decision-science architecture as streaming, advertising, and commerce ecosystems converge. His appointment aligns with a broader industry trend: platforms increasingly rely on high-fidelity data, applied science, and predictive frameworks to personalise content, optimise monetisation, and grow engagement.

As the streaming and digital media landscape intensifies, Zakkam’s experience across safety, marketplace design, scaling algorithms, and cross-functional analytics places him at the center of JioStar’s next phase of intelligent growth.

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