Months before the pageant’s Jubilee edition.
In a series of statements and movements in the past few days, two camps claimed legitimacy over another as a leadership row inside the Miss Universe Organization (MUO) deepens.
On August 10, the side led by Monil Hathi , who is being presented as the Managing Director of the Miss Universe Organization, announced that the pageant continues to use its official website at missuniverse.com and as its official email domain.
The faction also said: “Any other website, domain, or email address claiming to represent the Miss Universe Organization should not be considered an official communication channel unless it has been verified through the official website.“
It also furthered that while it uses social media platforms to share and promote Miss Universe content, activities, events, and pageant-related information with audiences around the world, information on “one social media platform” should not, it told, “be considered confirmation of an official organizational announcement.”
MISSUNIVERSEORG
That section pertains to a post made on Instagram, using the official handle that is (at)missuniverse, where the other side, which is understood to be led by Raúl Rocha Cantú – President, JKN Universe.
There, their camp announced that the Miss Universe Organization has moved to a new website with the domain missuniverseorg.com. It also said that the site will be used for official updates leading to the 75th edition.
JKN Universe, LLC (the legal entity doing business as the Miss Universe Organization) also listed in its official statement dated August 14 the authorized representatives of the company.
They are Raúl Rocha Cantú (President, JKN Universe LLC), Ronald Day (Chief Executive Officer, Miss Universe Americana, LLC), José Ángel Castillo (Vice President of Operations, JKN Universe LLC), Carlos Guillermo Martinez (Chief Financial Officer, JKN Universe LLC), Sebastián Figueroa Berducido (Legal Director, Miss Universe Americana LLC and JKN Universe LLC), and María José Unda (Vice President of International Relations, JKN Universe LLC).
The group disputed Hathi and Pavan Misra, who presented himself as Director of Broadcast and Sales, leadership and told that they were not appointed by any valid corporate action and likewise challenged their sgare acquisition.
Meanwhile, Nawat Itsaragrisil, who has presented himself as the Chief Executive Officer of Miss Universe Eastern, was also called by this faction as a mere “national franchise holder,” contrary to him being handed the operations of 95 franchises.
They also noted that the missuniverse.com domain, together with its other social media pages, are being operated without authorization of the company.
HATHI’S CAMP REFUTES
In response to that, on August 15, the Hathi faction called on their domain that these were “unauthorized notices and claims recently published on external digital platforms including websites impersonating The Miss Universe Organization (MUO).”
There, they reiterated that they remain as the “authentic” and “official” voice of the brand.
“External websites claiming administrative authority, asserting changes in brand ownership, or issuing notices contrary to our official releases are unauthorized and have no legal standing to represent or bind the Miss Universe Organization,” they said.
They also confirmed the leadership team of Hathi and Mistra, as well as Nawat Itsaragrisil as Chief Executive Officer of Miss Universe Eastern.
The Miss Grand International owner is said to be handling operations and development across 95 participating countries, and “working alongside senior management to advance the organization’s international growth.”
“Recent external statements disputing these corporate roles or mischaracterizing Mr. Itsaragrisil’s leadership mandate as merely a national license holder are factually inaccurate and do not reflect the recognized corporate resolutions and executive structure of the Organization,” this side noted.
Furthermore, they assured that they also remain fully focused on delivering the 75th Miss Universe Competition and are supporting their global network of delegates, national directors, and commercial partners.
