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WPP media elevates Shekhar Banerjee to lead client solutions in South Asia
NATIONAL: WPP media has elevated Shekhar Banerjee to president, client solutions, South Asia, in a leadership reshuffle aimed at deepening client partnerships and accelerating integrated, future-ready offerings across the region.
Banerjee steps into the role following the departure of Ajay Gupte, who has stepped down after more than a decade of leadership across India and South-East Asia. Gupte played a central role in building Wavemaker into one of India’s most sought-after media agencies.
Banerjee joined WPP media in 2018 as managing partner – west at Wavemaker India, where he focused on strengthening client relationships, scaling teams and driving regional growth. In 2023, he was promoted to chief client officer – west, north and east, further sharpening the agency’s client-centric approach and integrated media delivery.
Announcing the move, WPP media South Asia CEO Prasanth Kumar, said the appointment comes as marketers increasingly demand data-led, integrated solutions that deliver measurable business outcomes. He added that Banerjee’s leadership across digital and offline channels would be critical as WPP media adapts to a rapidly evolving media landscape.
In his new role, Banerjee said the convergence of creativity, data and technology is opening up new growth opportunities for clients, and that he looked forward to building solutions that drive long-term value and impact.
Reflecting on his exit, Gupte said his 15-year journey at WPP media had been shaped by collaboration, resilience and shared purpose, and thanked colleagues for their support across multiple leadership roles.
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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.
