MAM
Publicis appoints Suraj Pombra as new EVP
MUMBAI: Publicis announced the appointment of Suraj Pombra as executive vice president for the Publicis Capital Mumbai operations. In his new role Pombra will oversee all operations of the company in Mumbai and will report to Publicis Capital CEO Hemant Misra.
Announcing his appointment Misra said, “Suraj is a seasoned Publicis man and I am delighted to welcome him back to our fold. He will lead a large team and have responsibility for some of our marque accounts like Garnier and Sanofi. I am very confident he will quickly make his mark with the value he will bring for our clients and their business.”
Pombra discovered his attitude and aptitude for advertising two decades ago. In this time, he has sharpened his instincts across a plethora of categories and stewarded many a brand, including Marico, Citibank, Kotak, IndianOil, Bisleri, Park Hotel, Reliance Infrastructure, Meru, Legrand and more. Starting with Trikaya Grey in Kolkata, his tryst with advertising has taken him through DDB/Mudra, JWT, Grey again, Publicis Ambience and even the rare entrepreneurial experience of founding & running a startup agency. Having been there, done that, he returns to Publicis, a place he calls home.
MAM
Jeff Shell departs as president of Paramount Skydance
Media executive exits amid legal battle with professional gambler.
MUMBAI: Jeff Shell has just had another high-profile exit from a major media company and this time, the drama involves a $150 million lawsuit and allegations of leaked secrets. The former NBCUniversal CEO is stepping down as president of Paramount Skydance to focus on defending himself against a lawsuit filed by professional gambler R.J. Cipriani. Cipriani claims Shell owes him $150 million for crisis communications services and accuses the executive of sharing confidential information about Paramount Skydance, including details of a potential $111 billion Warner Bros. Discovery acquisition and a $7.7 billion UFC rights deal.
Paramount Skydance confirmed Shell’s departure on Wednesday, stating that he is leaving to prioritise the lawsuit. The company added that an independent investigation found no violation of securities laws by Shell.
In a strongly worded statement, Paramount Skydance described Cipriani’s claims as “frivolous and baseless” and said Shell had promptly notified the company of the accusations. Shell has filed a countercomplaint, accusing Cipriani of extortion and defamation.
This marks Shell’s second major exit in three years. He was ousted from NBCUniversal in April 2023 following an internal investigation into an “inappropriate” relationship with an employee who had filed a complaint of sexual harassment and sex discrimination. He joined Paramount Skydance in July 2024 as David Ellison’s right-hand man.
Shell was tasked with overseeing day-to-day operations during the integration of Skydance Media and Paramount Global. He played a key role in identifying cost savings and job cuts ahead of the potential Warner Bros. Discovery merger.
His sudden departure adds to the turbulence at Paramount Skydance as it navigates a massive merger, expected layoffs, and leadership transitions. David Ellison now faces the challenge of managing the brain drain while closing one of the biggest media deals in recent years.
In the cut-throat world of Hollywood dealmaking, Jeff Shell’s exit shows that even seasoned executives can find themselves caught in a plot twist they didn’t see coming. The credits on this particular chapter are still rolling.
