Second WBD executive exits for a rival as Paramount merger stalls

Warner Bros. EVP of Communications Katie Martin Kelley joins Netflix on September 8, Deadline reports. She is the second senior WBD departure amid the stalled Paramount acquisition: HBO Max's Pia Barlow left for Amazon MGM Studios last month, triggering a WBD poaching lawsuit. Per sources, Martin Kelley's contract expired; the Paramount-WBD merger faces a March antitrust suit.