iWorld
Jason Monteiro joins HBO Max as GM for Southeast Asia, Hong Kong and Taiwan
Mumbai: WarnerMedia has appointed Jason Monteiro as general manager of HBO Max for Southeast Asia, Hong Kong and Taiwan. He will temporarily report to HBO Max international head Johannes Larcher until a new managing director for the broader INSEAK region (India, Southeast Asia and Korea) is appointed.
Monteiro will be responsible for the day-to-day operations of WarnerMedia’s direct-to-consumer business leading content experience, brand, marketing, subscriber management and digital partnerships. He will oversee the existing HBO Go streaming service and the eventual launch of HBO Max in APAC and the Middle East region, said the statement.
“Jason arrives at HBO Max with a proven track record of building and growing subscription services across Asia and other important global markets,” said Johannes Larcher. “He is a passionate leader known for building and inspiring high-performing teams, and I am eager to see his leadership in action as he steps into his new role today.”
“I could not be more excited to be joining this amazing organisation and in particular to lead the charge for HBO Max,” said Monteiro. “It’s going to be such a thrill to work with the people across WarnerMedia to bring the likes of Game of Thrones, Harry Potter, DC, Warner Bros, HBO favorites, new Max Originals and many more, to the viewers in Southeast Asia.”
Moneteiro was previously associated with Arabic streaming service Shahid as director of advertising video-on-demand (AVOD). He was responsible for P&L for the free ad-supported tier offered by the service, ensuring that it had the widest user reach, user engagement, unique content offering and best digital video advertising solution for brands in the Middle East.
Prior to that, he was associated with Southeast Asian streaming service iflix as chief marketing officer and general manager of Indonesia and Malaysia. He has also worked at telco majors such as Indosat Ooredoo and Vodafone.
iWorld
OpenAI hits back at Elon Musk’s lawsuit ahead of trial
Company calls claims “baseless” and accuses Musk of trying to disrupt a rival.
MUMBAI: When the stakes are measured in billions and egos are involved, even Silicon Valley titans can turn a courtroom into a battlefield. OpenAI has issued a sharp public response to Elon Musk’s ongoing lawsuit, accusing the billionaire of filing the case to harass a competitor rather than address genuine concerns. In a strongly worded statement shared on its official X account, OpenAI described Musk’s allegations as “baseless” and suggested the lawsuit is an attempt to disrupt the company as the case heads toward trial later this month in Oakland, California.
The response comes after Musk’s legal team recently amended the complaint, proposing that any damages potentially exceeding $150 billion should go to OpenAI’s nonprofit entity rather than to Musk personally. OpenAI questioned the timing and motive behind this change, calling it a late-stage attempt to “pretend to change his tune” on the nonprofit structure.
The company further labelled the lawsuit a “harassment campaign”, arguing that Musk’s actions are driven by personal rivalry, ego, and a desire for greater control and financial upside.
At the heart of the dispute is Musk’s claim that OpenAI has abandoned its original nonprofit mission of developing artificial intelligence for the benefit of humanity. A co-founder who left in 2018, Musk is seeking governance changes, including the removal of CEO Sam Altman from the nonprofit board, and the return of certain financial gains linked to Altman and President Greg Brockman.
OpenAI has firmly rejected these allegations, maintaining that its current hybrid structure, a public-benefit corporation overseen by a nonprofit parent remains true to its long-term goals. The company has also previously accused Musk of anti-competitive behaviour aimed at weakening its leadership.
As the case prepares for a jury trial, this public exchange highlights the deepening rift between two of the most influential figures in the AI revolution and raises broader questions about governance, mission, and power in the fast-moving world of artificial intelligence.
In the high-stakes game of AI, it seems the real drama isn’t just inside the models, it’s playing out in courtrooms too.
