Warner Bros. Discovery’s advertising co-presidents Ryan Gould and Robert Voltaggio are the latest executives slated to exit following the closing of the company’s $110 billion merger with Paramount.
The pair will remain with Skydance throughout the fourth quarter, working closely with Skydance Advertising’s Chief Revenue Officer Jay Askinasi on the transition. In a memo to staff, Askinasi thanked them for their leadership and assistance, as well as “building a strong organization and delivering results that reflect their excellence.”
The announcement of Gould and Voltaggio’s departure comes after WBD CEO David Zaslav, CFO Gunnar Wiedenfels, Chief Revenue and Strategy Officer Bruce Campbell, International President Gerhard Zeiler and film chiefs Michael De Luca and Pam Abdy have all already exited.
In addition to their departure, Askinasi set his new advertising leadership team, which includes U.S. Sales head Danielle Carney, Ad Partnerships head Jill Steinhauser, Revenue Operations head Christine Hong, Skydance Media Labs head Chris Brady, Ad Marketing head Ed Romaine and Product Strategy & Measurement head Evan Giamanco.
Marybeth Strobel, Rob McCall, Jon Diament, Guy Griggs, Sheereen Russell will report to Carney, while Allie Carr will report to Hong and David Porter will report to Giamanco.
Additionally, Steve Ellis will continue as the division’s chief operating officer and will serve as the integration lead, coordinating with leaders across Skydance. Lee Sears will also continue to lead Paramount’s international advertising business, while Askinasi and Skydance TV Co-Chair & Chief Business Officer JB Perrette “evaluate the WBD international business and determine the right structure for the new Skydance group” over the coming months.
“This team reflects how we intend to work: with clear ownership, fewer layers, and leaders who are close to the work. We will organize around how clients plan and buy, elevate our strongest IP and creative capabilities, and use shared data and intelligence to make faster, better decisions,” Askinasi said. “We will invest in growth areas, collaborate across legacy-company lines and keep client and partner success at the center of every decision.”
The advertising division’s immediate priority will be “continuity” as it begins the work to bring the two companies’ teams together, with the Paramount and WBD sales teams continuing to serve their clients and delivering against existing commitments.
“Our ambition is straightforward: make the full strength of Skydance simpler to plan, buy and measure, while setting a new standard for how premium video delivers results,” Askinasi said. “We will move with urgency, but we will also lead this transition with care—protecting the trusted relationships and strong work already underway across both teams.”
“I know you will have questions as this work progresses. We are committed to communicating transparently about what we know, what is still being decided, and what comes next,” he continued. “My leadership team and I will be in touch regularly with updates, and these leaders will spend time with their teams to listen, learn, and provide clarity.”
