David Ellison and his co-CEO Ynon Kreiz announced their post-merger executive leadership team on Monday across Corporate, Business and News, revealing Mark Thompson and Bari Weiss will separately run CNN and CBS News, respectively.
Here’s how it shakes out:
Enterprise Leadership
- David Ellison, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer
- Ynon Kreiz, Co-Chief Executive Officer
CEO Corporate Leadership Team
- Andy Gordon, President
- Dennis Cinelli, Chief Financial Officer
- Makan Delrahim, Chief Legal Officer and President, Global Corporate Affairs
- Dane Glasgow, Chief Product Officer
- Rebecca Mall, Chief Marketing Officer
- Melissa Zukerman, Chief Communications Officer
CEO Business Leadership Team
- Casey Bloys, Co-Chair and Chief Content Officer, Skydance DTC
- George Cheeks, Co-Chair and Chief Content Officer, Skydance TV
- Dana Goldberg, Co-Chair, Skydance Motion Picture Group
- Josh Greenstein, Co-Chair, Skydance Motion Picture Group
- James Gunn, Co-Chairman of DC Studios
- JB Perrette, Co-Chair & Chief Business Officer, Skydance TV and Co-Chair & Chief Business Officer, Skydance DTC
- Peter Safran, Co-Chairman of DC Studios
CEO News Executive Leadership Team
- Mark Thompson, Chairman and Editor-in-Chief of CNN Worldwide
- Bari Weiss, Editor-in-Chief of CBS News
Notably, Thompson will stay on to oversee CNN and Weiss, as TheWrap previously reported, will have no oversight of the cable network.
A complete list of the Company’s new Executive Leadership Team (ELT) will be issued soon after close.
“I’m incredibly proud to introduce the team that will lead Skydance forward, a group that reflects the ambition behind this historic combination. Together, Paramount and Warner Bros. will form a creative-first home with the scale, imagination and technology to define entertainment for a generation,” Ellison shared in a statement.
“The leaders joining me have built some of the most beloved franchises and businesses in the industry, and they share a deep respect for the creative process and a belief that great stories have the power to entertain, unite and inspire audiences around the world. Their talent, experience and ambition are exactly what this moment demands, and together we will build a next-generation global media company that leads the industry in creative excellence and innovation, and delivers for audiences, creators, partners and shareholders alike.”
“Our goals as a team are to establish Skydance as the premier Hollywood
content engine and home for the world’s leading storytellers, accelerate our integrated DTC platform with the best content, leading-edge technology and superior consumer experience, and optimize our highly profitable linear TV portfolio, reaching audiences globally across every entertainment vertical,” Kreiz added.
“Together, we will: Win in storytelling by leveraging our creative capabilities, talent relationships, production prowess and expansive library of iconic IP; Build the most technologically capable media company through a modern tech platform to enhance the user experience, improve how we work and achieve operating efficiencies; and Lead in a crowded market by capitalizing on our scale, assets and global reach to compete in an evolving marketplace, drive synergies and grow our business.”
As the new Skydance Corporation, Ellison will focus on “long-term strategy, creative vision and direction, including its talent relationships, strategic partnerships, technology and capital allocation,” while Kreiz will handle “day-to-day management and integration of the combined business.” They will both be joined on the board by Gordon.
The update comes ahead of Tuesday’s expected closing of the $110 billion Paramount-Warner Bros. Discovery merger. It also provides some answers regarding the futures of CBS News and CNN following conditions made in the antitrust settlement with a dozen state attorneys general.
