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Vikram Sharma to lead consumer products for Warner Bros. Discovery in Asia-Pacific
Mumbai: Warner Bros. Discovery Global Consumer Products head Robert Oberschelp announced that Vikram Sharma has been named group vice president, head of consumer products, APAC, effective 1 April. Sharma will report to Oberschelp, Head of Warner Bros. Discovery Global Consumer Products (WBDGCP), and part of Warner Bros. Discovery’s Revenue & Strategy division helmed by chief revenue & strategy officer Bruce Campbell.
Sharma will lead the APAC region of WBDGCP following longtime global consumer product executive Julian Moon’s previously announced retirement after 33 years with the company. He will be based in Singapore and continue to work closely with WBD’s Head of APAC, James Gibbons, and with other regional and country leadership to drive and develop strategic, operational, and financial initiatives to maximize the potential of key brands and franchises, including DC, Harry Potter, Looney Tunes, Tom and Jerry, Discovery and more, in support of WBD’s global multi-billion-dollar retail consumer products licensing organisation.
Sharma has been with WBD for five years, working and leading teams in consumer products and licensing, ad sales, and partnership roles across multiple territories in the region. Previously, he spent nearly nine years in similar roles with increasing responsibility in India and Southeast Asia with The Walt Disney Company.
In announcing the appointment, Oberschelp said, “Vikram has been one of our go-to, results-oriented leaders in Asia-Pacific for some time. His depth of knowledge of the vastly different markets and cultures of the region, along with his innovative and collaborative spirit, makes him the right choice for this time”. Oberschelp also recognized the strong team Sharma will now lead, adding, “We have a terrific internal creative and products team, great country and regional partners, and very strong bench strength in management. I’m grateful for everyone’s collaboration and support of this choice, and I will join you in congratulating Vikram on his leadership role”.
NEW DELHI: Hamdard Laboratories gathered a cross-section of India’s achievers in New Delhi on Friday, handing out the Hakeem Abdul Hameed Excellence Awards to figures who have left their mark across healthcare, education, sport, public service and the arts.
The ceremony, attended by minister of state for defence Sanjay Seth and senior officials from the ministry of Ayush, celebrated individuals whose work blends professional success with a sense of public purpose. It was as much a roll call of achievement as it was a reminder that influence is not measured only in profits or podiums, but in people reached and lives improved.
Among the headline awardees was Alakh Pandey, founder and chief executive of PhysicsWallah, recognised for turning affordable digital learning into a mass movement. On the sporting front, Arjuna Awardee and kabaddi player Sakshi Puniya was honoured for her contribution to the game and for pushing women’s participation onto bigger stages.
The cultural spotlight fell on veteran lyricist and poet Santosh Anand, whose songs have echoed across generations of Hindi cinema. At 97, Anand accepted the honour with characteristic humility, reflecting on a life shaped by perseverance and hope.
Healthcare honours spanned both modern and traditional systems. Manoj N. Nesari was recognised for strengthening Ayurveda’s place in national and global health frameworks. Padma shri Mohammed Abdul Waheed was honoured for his research-backed work in Unani medicine, while padma shri Mohsin Wali received recognition for his long-standing contribution to patient-centred care.
Education and social development also featured prominently. Padma shri Zahir Ishaq Kazi was honoured for decades of work in education, while former Meghalaya superintendent of Police T. C. Chacko was recognised for public service. Goonj founder Anshu Gupta received an award for his dignity-centred rural development initiatives, and the Hunar Shakti Foundation was honoured for empowering women and young girls through skill development.
The Lifetime Achievement Award went to former IAS officer Shailaja Chandra for her long career in public healthcare and governance, particularly in the traditional systems under Ayush.
Speaking at the event, Hamdard chairman Abdul Majeed said the awards were a tribute to those who combine excellence with empathy. “These awardees reflect Hakeem Sahib’s belief that healthcare, education and public service must ultimately serve humanity,” he said.
Minister Seth struck a forward-looking note, saying India’s young population gives the country a unique opportunity to become a global destination for learning, health and wellness by 2047.
The ceremony also featured the trailer launch of Unani Ki Kahaani, an upcoming documentary starring actor Jim Sarbh, set to premiere on Discovery on 11 February.
Instituted in memory of Unani scholar and educationist Hakeem Abdul Hameed, the awards have grown into a national platform that celebrates those building a more inclusive and resilient India. For one evening at least, the spotlight was not just on success, but on service with substance.
