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Jo Ann Ross to Lead Ad Sales for ViacomCBS

Armando Nunez to head up global distribution for soon-to-be-combined company

| October 30, 2019 @ 9:18 AM

Patrick Demarchelier/CBS

Jo Ann Ross will lead advertising sales for ViacomCBS after it completes its merger, the company said on Wednesday.

The merger between CBS and Viacom, announced in August, is expected to close in early December.

Ross has led CBS’ ad sales efforts since 2002. With Ross taking over ad sales for the new company, Viacom’s ad sales chief Sean Moran will leave the company, according to an internal memo by Viacom CEO Bob Bakish, who will take the reigns of the ViacomCBS when the merger is completed. ViacomCBS made a slew of additional executive appointments on Wednesday, including Armando Nunez as head of the global distribution and content licensing businesses. Tom Gorke, who has headed distribution for Viacom, will also depart once the merger closes.

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“Both Sean and Tom are impassioned advocates for our brands, content and people, and have played critical roles in the turnaround and transformation of our company over the past few years,” Bakish said. “Along the way, they’ve been trusted advisors and important members of my senior team, and I want to take this opportunity to thank them both for their many contributions to Viacom.”

CBS Corp. and Viacom announced on Monday that Shari Redstone’s family-owned holding company National Amusements formally approved of the merger between the two companies. Redstone is the president of National Amusements, which is the controlling stakeholder for both companies, and she will serve as chairman of the board of the combined ViacomCBS.

Redstone had been pushing for the two companies to merger for roughly three years. In August, CBS and Viacom announced the long-awaited merger of the companies, which split back in 2005.

Here are all the appointments announced by ViacomCBS on Wednesday:

  • Jo Ann Ross, President and Chief Advertising Revenue Officer, CBS, will serve as President and Chief Advertising Revenue Officer, ViacomCBS Domestic Advertising Sales. Ross will direct all of ViacomCBS’ multiplatform media sales efforts, leading an integrated ad sales team that will drive revenue by connecting agency partners and advertisers with the company’s unmatched engagement, reach and innovative solutions.
  • John Halley, Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer, Ad Solutions, Viacom, will serve as Chief Operating Officer, Advertising Revenue, and Executive Vice President, Advanced Marketing Solutions, reporting to Ross. In this role, Halley will oversee commercial and business operations for the unified advertising team, as well as ViacomCBS’ portfolio of differentiated advanced advertising and marketing solutions across its linear, digital and social footprint.
  • Ray Hopkins, President of Television Networks Distribution, CBS, will serve as President, U.S. Network Distribution, ViacomCBS, overseeing the combined company’s broadcast network affiliation distribution agreements, as well as domestic distribution of the company’s owned and operated television stations, channels and networks across all platforms. He will also drive ViacomCBS’ live linear content and on-demand digital distribution deals with third-party platforms.
  • Armando Nuñez, President and CEO, CBS Global Distribution Group, and Chief Content Licensing Officer, CBS, will serve as Chairman, Global Distribution and Chief Content Licensing Officer, ViacomCBS, overseeing all content licensing, including worldwide distribution and domestic syndication, for ViacomCBS-owned programming to third-party platforms.
  • Dan Cohen, President of Worldwide Home Entertainment & Television Distribution, Paramount, will serve as President, Global Content Licensing, ViacomCBS, reporting to Nuñez.
  • Pam Kaufman, President, Viacom/Nickelodeon Global Consumer Products, will serve as President, Global Consumer Products, ViacomCBS, and will be responsible for the combined company’s consumer products business, including global oversight of product and business development, licensing, merchandising, retail sales, consumer insights and marketing.
  • David Lynn, President and CEO of Viacom International Media Networks, will oversee the combined company’s international media networks, including Network 10 in Australia.