MAM
Cisco ups Prerna Suri to Asean communications head
MUMBAI: IT and networking major Cisco has promoted Prerna Suri as head of communications, southeast Asia as of August 2020. She joined Cisco from Facebook as communications manager APJC in March 2020, and in six months she has been pushed up the ladder and will be based in Singapore.
Her job profile consists of leading Cisco’s communications efforts in Asean (south east Asia), a diverse region, with unique perspectives and opportunities. Her work includes collaborating with senior leaders, crafting strategic messaging, managing media relations, responding to crises and helping teams with their communications’ needs across Asean.
Prerna has previously worked for organisations such as the UN in information roles, and in news outlets such as Channel News Asia, NDTV, and Al-Jazeera as a journalist.
She holds a master’s degree from the London School of Economics and a bachelor of arts in journalism from India's prestigious Lady Shri Ram College for Women.
Brands
Buffett bets on The New York Times, cuts Amazon stake
Berkshire invests $352 million in NYT, trims tech, and backs insurance, energy and consumer stocks.
OMAHA: Warren Buffett is famously a creature of habit, but his latest portfolio shake-up suggests even the world’s most patient investor knows when to change the channel. In a move that has sent the media world into a frenzy, Berkshire Hathaway has officially checked into The New York Times while largely checking out of Amazon.
Buffett’s firm snapped up roughly 5.1 million shares in The New York Times Company, a stake valued at a cool $352 million. The Buffett effect was immediate: shares in the publishing giant jumped more than 10 per cent as investors scrambled to follow the leader.
While Buffett offloaded his traditional local newspapers back in 2020, this isn’t a nostalgic trip to the printing press. The New York Times is now a digital powerhouse, fueled by a buffet of subscriptions covering everything from breaking news to Wordle and recipes. It seems the sage of Omaha still has an appetite for businesses with pricing power and a loyal following.
Berkshire slashed its holdings in Amazon by nearly 75 per cent during the final quarter of the year. Once a rare foray into the world of big tech for Buffett, the firm now holds a relatively modest 2.3 million shares. The pruning did not stop there, as other household names also saw a haircut. Apple was reduced to a 1.5 per cent position, while Bank of America was trimmed to 7.1 per cent, signalling a broader pullback from some of its large financial and technology bets.
So, where is the money going? It appears Buffett is heading back to basics, favoring sectors that can weather a storm. Berkshire boosted its positions in Chubb, doubling down on the steady world of insurance; Chevron, fueling up on energy; and Domino’s Pizza, a classic consumer bet that delivers even when the economy doesn’t.
By pivoting toward resilient industries and subscription-heavy media, Berkshire is returning to its roots: finding companies that people simply cannot live without, whether they are hungry for a slice of pepperoni or the morning headlines.
