US-India Strategic Partnership Forum appoints Uday Shankar and Joe Creed to board of directors

The US-India Strategic Partnership Forum (USISPF) has announced the appointment of Uday Shankar, Vice Chairman of JioStar and Founder Director of Bodhi Tree Systems, and Joseph E. (Joe) Creed, Chief Executive Officer of Caterpillar, to its Board of Directors.

Shankar, a prominent media executive and co-founder of Bodhi Tree Systems alongside James Murdoch in 2020, has played a key role in shaping the Indian media landscape. Bodhi Tree Systems focuses on scaling businesses across media, education and other consumer-facing sectors in the Indian Ocean region, with a strong emphasis on India.



Through this platform, Shankar has led major strategic investments in JioStar, India’s largest media and entertainment company, and ALLEN Career Institute, a leading education services provider.

As Vice Chairman of JioStar, Shankar oversees the company’s sports, streaming and broadcast divisions. He is also instrumental in shaping the vision for JioHotstar, one of the world’s largest streaming platforms with over 200 million paying subscribers.

Creed assumed the role of CEO at Caterpillar on 1 May 2025, having joined the global machinery and equipment manufacturer in 1997. He is also a member of the company’s board of directors and leads a workforce of nearly 113,000 employees across 63 countries. In his leadership role, Creed is responsible for driving Caterpillar’s strategic growth, with a focus on operational excellence, sustainability, and the expansion of services.

Welcoming the new board members, USISPF Chairman John Chambers said, “I’m honoured to welcome both Uday and Joe to the board. Our partnership with Caterpillar enters an exciting new chapter under Joe’s leadership, and it’s a privilege to welcome Uday back in this new role. The strength of the US-India relationship is reflected in the extraordinary talent and global perspective these two leaders bring—one from the world of media and entertainment, the other from engineering and machinery. What unites them is a shared commitment to innovation, excellence, and a deep belief in the power of collaboration to drive progress across our two great democracies.”

Dr Mukesh Aghi, President and CEO of USISPF, added: “Uday has built a reputation for innovating on legacy media brands with an eye for digital innovation and disruption, while serving one of the most dynamic and challenging media markets—India. In all his endeavours, Uday has kept the Indian consumer at heart.”

Shankar is widely credited with transforming the Indian media industry over the past three decades. He was involved in the launch of Aaj Tak, India’s first 24-hour news channel, and pioneered the breaking news format in Indian television.

During his tenure as CEO of Star India, he led one of the sector’s most significant turnarounds, expanding the network’s reach to over 700 million viewers through regional programming, socially relevant content, and groundbreaking sports coverage. He also oversaw the launch of Hotstar, a pioneering digital streaming platform.

Later, as President of 21st Century Fox Asia and The Walt Disney Company Asia Pacific, Shankar was responsible for content and distribution strategy across one of the most diverse media regions globally.

Commenting on his appointment, Shankar said, “It gives me great pleasure to extend my long-standing association with USISPF. The India–US relationship has never been more consequential, especially as the world navigates a rapidly evolving geopolitical and economic landscape. I look forward to partnering with USISPF and its partners to deepen collaboration between our two nations, particularly in the areas of media, technology, and education, where shared values and innovation can unlock transformative opportunities.”

Creed brings nearly three decades of experience at Caterpillar, having held leadership positions across various segments of the business. Before becoming CEO, he served as Chief Operating Officer, and earlier led the Energy & Transportation segment as Chief Financial Officer. He has also held senior vice president roles in Caterpillar Financial Services, the Oil & Gas and Marine division, and the Electric Power division. The company, which marks its centenary in 2025, sees Creed as the torchbearer for its future direction.

Dr Aghi noted, “We’ve had a long and successful partnership with Caterpillar since our beginnings, and I am excited to begin a new phase with Joe, who represents Caterpillar’s global excellence and long history of manufacturing, infrastructure development and cutting-edge technology in India. I am confident that under Joe, we will continue to fortify our mission of nurturing strong commercial bonds between the United States and India.”

As Caterpillar begins its second century, Creed remains focused on honouring the company’s legacy while embracing emerging technologies and investing in its workforce.

“I am honoured to join the Board of Directors and continue Caterpillar’s long-term collaboration with the forum,” said Creed. “I look forward to working with fellow leaders to support the success of the economic relationship between the United States and India.”