Paramount Appoints Rene Augustine VP of Global Public Policy; Warner Bros Takeover Battle Continues (P/NT)

Paramount Pictures ( Paramount ) has appointed Rene Augustine, a former Trump administration attorney, as senior vice president of global public policy, effective February 17, 2026. Augustine, who served as special assistant to the president and senior associate counsel in the White House Counsel’s Office, will report to Chief Legal Officer Makan Delrahim, also a former U.S. antitrust official and DOJ colleague. "In her role, Rene will be responsible for developing strategic policies that advance our business objectives and building key diplomatic relationships important for advancing those objectives globally," Delrahim stated in an internal memo. The appointment occurs amid the ongoing battle for Warner Bros Discovery, with Paramount and Netflix locked in a proxy fight. Paramount sweetened its bid, offering additional $650 million per quarter the deal fails to close this year and covering the $2.8 billion breakup fee Netflix would owe if it walked away. Netflix, meanwhile, has offered $27.75 per share in cash for Warner Bros and its HBO Max library.