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LML appoints Partha Choudhary as COO
Mumbai: Two-wheeler manufacturer LML on Tuesday announced the appointment of e-mobility expert Partha Choudhary as its chief operating officer (COO). Choudhary was previously associated with LML as sales and marketing head between 2006 and 2017.
In this new role, Choudhary is tasked with the rapid expansion of the brand in the national and international markets. As COO, he will be responsible for leading the operations functions at a time of major business growth and transformation. Hoping to further promote the growth of the LML brand, Choudhary will spearhead new initiatives as part of his role in ensuring that LML is a leading force in every aspect of e-mobility, said the company in a statement.
The announcement comes as LML is gearing up to make a series of strategic developments in the EV space with a mission to hit the Indian and global markets with its highly innovative products. “We are thrilled to welcome Choudhary at such a dynamic time as our brand is being reinvigorated to capture the phenomenal growth opportunity ahead in the global EV industry,” said LML CEO and MD Yogesh Bhatia. “His flair for driving innovation and scaling high growth will help us deliver game-changing solutions to catalyse the EV industry. He is well acquainted with the working culture of global brands, which puts him in the right position to take charge of strengthening LML’s position as the market leader.”
In his previous stints, Choudhary has successfully led the growth of Hero Lectro (a division of Hero Cycles Ltd), Yamaha, 22 Kymco, and Nilkamal Plastics.
“I’m looking forward to returning to LML because I sense a genuine ambition led by Dr Bhatia. This is backed by my long-standing personal connection to the brand because I worked here for over a decade,” said Partha Choudhary on his new assignment. “With the world’s growing need for all manner of mobility solutions, e-mobility is the ideal solution for our future and we are confident to set up new dimensions to the EV revolution globally.”
MAM
Paramount set to acquire Warner Bros. Discovery in $81 billion deal
Shareholders back merger, combined entity could reshape streaming and studios.
MUMBAI: Lights, camera… consolidation, Hollywood’s latest blockbuster might be happening off-screen. Shareholders of Warner Bros. Discovery have voted in favour of selling the company to Paramount in a deal valued at $81 billion rising to nearly $111 billion including debt setting the stage for one of the biggest shake-ups in modern media. The proposed merger, still subject to regulatory approvals, would bring together a vast portfolio spanning HBO Max, CNN, and franchises such as Harry Potter under the same umbrella as Paramount’s own heavyweights, including Top Gun and CBS.
At the heart of the deal is streaming scale. Executives have indicated plans to combine HBO Max and Paramount+ into a single platform, potentially creating a stronger challenger to giants like Netflix and Amazon’s Prime Video. Current market data suggests HBO Max holds around 12 per cent of US on-demand subscriptions, compared to Paramount+’s 3 per cent, together still trailing Netflix’s 19 per cent and Disney’s combined 27 per cent via Disney+ and Hulu.
Paramount CEO David Ellison has signalled that while platforms may merge, HBO’s creative identity will remain intact, stating the brand should “stay HBO” even within a broader ecosystem.
Beyond streaming, the deal would redraw the map for film production. Combining two of Hollywood’s oldest studios Paramount Pictures and Warner Bros., the new entity aims to scale output to over 30 films annually, while maintaining a 45-day theatrical window. Warner Bros. currently commands around 21 per cent of the US box office, compared to Paramount’s 6 per cent, underscoring the strategic weight of the acquisition.
But scale comes with scrutiny. Critics warn that fewer players could mean reduced consumer choice, rising subscription costs, and potential job cuts as the combined company looks to streamline overlapping operations while managing billions in debt.
The news business, too, faces a reset. CNN would join forces at least structurally with Paramount-owned CBS, raising questions about editorial independence and positioning. The merger has already drawn political attention in the United States, particularly given perceived ties between the Ellison family and Donald Trump, though the company maintains that newsroom autonomy will be preserved.
If approved, the deal would mark another milestone in Hollywood’s consolidation wave shrinking the industry’s traditional “big six” studios to a “big four”, with Paramount joining Disney, Universal, and Sony at the top table.
In an industry built on storytelling, this merger may well become its most consequential plot twist yet.
