Brands
PVR to buy back L Capital’s 10% stake in company
MUMBAI: Multiplex chain PVR has entered in a share purchase agreement with private equity (PE) fund L Capital Asia to buy back its entire investment in PVR. L Capital Asia, the PE arm of Louis Vuitton Moët Hennessy (LVMH), owns a 10 per cent stake in the company.
In August 2012, PVR had issued 28,85,000 equity shares of face value of Rs 10 each at a premium of Rs 190 per share of aggregating to Rs 57.70 crore to L Capital Eco, a subsidiary of L Capital Asia. In addition, L Capital Eco had also invested a sum of approximately Rs 50.09 crore in PVR Leisure, which is a subsidiary company of PVR. Thus, the total investment by the company in the multiplex chain was Rs 108 crore.
PVR Leisure houses mall entertainment, gaming arena, food courts and other leisure entertainment formats. PVR’s investment in the bowling company – PVR bluO Entertainment – is also through PVR Leisure. PVR bluO is a 51:49 joint venture between PVR and Major Cineplex Group of Thailand.
Brands
Akamai appoints Fiona Zhang as regional VP, channel sales and programs for Asia Pacific and Japan
New regional VP to scale partner ecosystem amid cloud and AI demand
BENGALURU: Akamai Technologies has appointed Fiona Zhang as regional vice president for channel sales and programmes in Asia Pacific and Japan, doubling down on its partner-led growth strategy in one of its fastest-evolving markets.
In her new role, Zhang will oversee the company’s channel strategy and partner ecosystem across the region, with a focus on helping partners deliver more value to customers navigating increasingly complex cloud and security needs.
The move signals Akamai’s continued bet on its partner network to drive adoption, expand market reach and fuel revenue growth. A key pillar of this strategy is Akamai Partner Connect, the company’s unified global programme designed to simplify engagement and accelerate partner-led business.
Across Asia Pacific and Japan, demand for cloud, cybersecurity and AI-led solutions is rising sharply. Akamai is responding by expanding its network of service providers, distributors, system integrators and technology partners, aiming to bring more localised expertise and scalable solutions to enterprise customers.
Zhang brings over 15 years of experience in channel sales and programme leadership across cybersecurity, cloud and networking. Since joining Akamai in 2019, she has led channel strategy and operations in Greater China, where she drove partner-led growth across delivery, security and compute offerings.
Before Akamai, she was head of channels at Palo Alto Networks in China, where she oversaw rapid expansion and revenue growth. She began her career at Cisco, holding roles across sales, business development and channel management.
“Asia Pacific is one of the most diverse and fast-moving technology markets in the world, and that makes a channel-first strategy essential,” said Zhang. “Across APJ, our partners are doing far more than reselling. They are building capabilities, advancing AI adoption and helping enterprises navigate a complex digital landscape. My focus is on making Akamai the platform our partners want to build their business around.”
Echoing the sentiment, Akamai Technologies vice president and managing director greater China Sean Li said, “Our channel ecosystem is fundamental to Akamai’s growth strategy. Fiona’s leadership will be instrumental in strengthening our partner network and enabling partners to capture new opportunities across the region.”
With enterprises accelerating digital transformation and AI adoption, Akamai’s latest leadership move underscores a clear message. In a market driven by partnerships, the company is placing its bets firmly on the channel to lead the next phase of growth.
