Believe has elevated Akhila Shankar to lead its Artist Services business across India and South Asia.
Shankar, who currently heads TuneCore India and South Asia, will take on the role immediately and will continue to oversee TuneCore.
Based in Mumbai, she will focus on artist development, strengthening artist partnerships, expanding local capabilities, and building pathways for artists to grow both regionally and globally. The move comes as independent artists continue to play a larger role in shaping consumption and culture across the region.
This transition follows the departure of Director of Artist Services Shilpa Sharda, who is moving on after 12 years with Believe. The company acknowledged her contributions during her tenure.
Akhila Shankar said: “Building TuneCore in India has been a deeply rewarding journey. It’s shaped how I think about the systems independent artists need for their growth and long-term career sustainability. This next chapter with Believe feels like a natural extension of that work. I’m excited to build more connected pathways for artists, from discovery to development and support them more holistically as they grow. There’s a lot to be done, and I’m looking forward to what we can build together.”
Vivek Raina, Managing Director, Believe India, added: “As the music landscape in India and South Asia evolves, our focus remains on building a robust ecosystem that supports artists at every stage of their journey. Akhila’s deep understanding of the market, combined with her track record of execution, makes her well positioned to lead this next phase of growth for our Artist Services business.”
Shankar has played a key role in scaling TuneCore’s presence in the region, enabling independent artists to access global distribution while retaining control of their rights. The platform’s catalogue includes releases from artists such as Ritviz and Talwiinder, along with projects with Famous Studios, including work with Diljit Dosanjh.
At the same time, Believe Artist Services has worked on developing and scaling artists including Sanju Rathod, Cheema Y, and Gur Sidhu, supporting them across different stages of their careers.
She steps into the role as Believe continues to expand its artist development focus in India and South Asia.
