Paramount’s Acquisition Of Warner Bros. Discovery Update – Paramount Announces Leadership Team For New Skydance Merged Company

As noted before, Warner Bros Discovery announced this past April that their shareholders had voted in approval of Paramount Skydance’s acquisition deal for the company. The United States Department of Justice had officially approved Paramount’s acquisition deal this past June but several state attorneys generals filed a joint lawsuit and the Writer’s Guild of America also filed a lawsuit this past July against Paramount trying to prevent the acquisition deal from going through. Paramount reached a settlement deal with California and the other States Attorney Generals this past September. Paramount is currently set to officially close their deal with WBD on October 6. Paramount revealed earlier this month that the new merged company will be called Skydance. WBD is the current media broadcast partner of AEW.

Paramount released an official press release earlier today revealing the leadership team for their and WBD’s new merged Skydance company.

Official press release:

David Ellison and Ynon Kreiz Announce their CEO Leadership Team for Skydance Following Anticipated Close of Warner Bros. Discovery Acquisition

The CEO Leadership Team will anchor a culture of innovation and excellence to build the next-generation global media and entertainment company powered by creativity and technology

New team brings together unmatched industry expertise, bold creative vision, and a commitment to using technology to elevate creators and strengthen every part of the business

LOS ANGELES and NEW YORK, Oct. 5, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Paramount Skydance Corporation (NASDAQ: PSKY) (the “Company”) Chairman and CEO David Ellison and Co-CEO Ynon Kreiz today announced their CEO Leadership Team (CLT) expected to lead the combined company, to be named Skydance, following the anticipated close of Paramount’s acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery, Inc. (NASDAQ: WBD) (“WBD”). Drawing on deep expertise across entertainment, technology, and business operations, the CLT brings together leaders from both companies and reflects their complementary strengths. Each will report directly to the CEOs.

These leaders bring decades of experience building and stewarding iconic franchises, a bold creative vision, and a shared commitment to achieve the company’s stated mission: to build the next-generation global media and entertainment company powered by creativity and technology. Together, they will focus on delivering exceptional storytelling for audiences around the world, creating new opportunities for creative talent and partners, and driving long-term value for shareholders.

The CLT, led by Ellison and Kreiz, is designed to drive transformation and growth, deepen collaboration across the business, and ensure the combined company is positioned to execute on its mission. Ellison will focus on the company’s long-term strategy, creative vision and direction, including its talent relationships, strategic partnerships, technology and capital allocation. Kreiz will focus on the company’s day-to-day management and integration of the combined business. Andy Gordon, President of Skydance, will work closely with both to advance the Company’s strategic priorities across its businesses. All three will also serve on the Board of Directors, with Ellison as Chairman.

The following is the expected full CLT who will report to Ellison and Kreiz, assuming completion of the Transaction:

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
A complete list of the Company’s new Executive Leadership Team (ELT) will be issued soon after close.

David Ellison, Chairman and CEO of Paramount, said: “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. 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.”

Ynon Kreiz, Co-CEO of Paramount said: “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. 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.”

CEO Leadership Team Bios, assuming completion of the Transaction:

David Ellison, Chairman & Chief Executive Officer

David Ellison will serve as Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Skydance, a premier global media and entertainment company that creates and distributes award-winning content across television, film, streaming, and digital platforms — a role he most recently held at Paramount, where he led the anticipated acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery. David previously served as CEO of Skydance Media, the diversified media company he founded in 2010, overseeing its slate of blockbuster and critically acclaimed films, including 2022’s Top Gun: Maverick, and later launched Skydance Television, Skydance Animation, and Skydance Sports, building a diverse portfolio of series, animated features, and sports content across major streaming and broadcast platforms. David is an Academy Award-, Golden Globe- and Emmy Award-nominated producer, whose films have grossed nearly $10 billion globally.

Ynon Kreiz, Co-CEO

Ynon Kreiz will serve as Co-Chief Executive Officer of Skydance, a premier global media and entertainment company that creates and distributes award-winning content across television, film, streaming, and digital platforms. Most recently, Ynon served as Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Mattel, where he led a multi-year transformation strategy to expand Mattel’s brands into film, television, consumer products and digital games, including the 2023 release of Barbie, the #1 global box office film of the year and Warner Bros.’ highest-grossing movie of all time. He previously served as Chairman and CEO of Maker Studios, one of YouTube’s largest multichannel networks, acquired by The Walt Disney Company, and earlier as Chairman and CEO of Endemol Group, the world’s largest independent television production company.

Andy Gordon, President

Andy Gordon will serve as President of Skydance, working closely with Chairman and CEO David Ellison and Co-CEO Ynon Kreiz to advance the company’s strategic priorities across its businesses. An early advisor to Skydance Media, he helped orchestrate Skydance’s acquisition of Paramount in 2025 and Paramount’s anticipated acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery in 2026. He currently serves as Chief Strategy Officer and Chief Operating Officer of Paramount, and previously was a Partner at RedBird Capital Partners, where he led the firm’s Los Angeles office and its Technology, Media & Telecom investment team. Earlier, he spent 35 years at Goldman Sachs, a majority as partner, including as global chairman of Investment Banking Services and global head of media and telecommunications for the Technology, Media and Telecom Group.

Casey Bloys, Co-Chair and Chief Content Officer, Skydance Direct-To-Consumer (DTC)

Casey Bloys will serve as Co-Chair and Chief Creative Officer of Skydance DTC, overseeing HBO Max and Paramount+ original programming as well as strategy, operations, communications, and performance across the company’s streaming platforms. He currently serves as Chairman and CEO, HBO and Max Content. Since assuming oversight of HBO programming as President in 2016, he and his team have developed and produced a wide array of acclaimed series including The Pitt, A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms, The White Lotus, The Last of Us, House of the Dragon, DTF St. Louis, The Penguin, Succession, Chernobyl, Barry, Girls, Veep, Insecure, Mare of Easttown and Big Little Lies, among others. And the highly anticipated Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone will debut on Christmas this year. Bloys joined HBO in 2004 and rose through roles including Executive Vice President of HBO Programming and President of HBO Programming.

George Cheeks, Co-Chair and Chief Content Officer, Skydance TV

George Cheeks will co-lead Skydance’s newly formed Television division, an expansive mix of Paramount and Warner Bros. studios, networks, sports and cable brands. His remit will include three television studios — Warner Bros. Television Studios, CBS Studios and Paramount Television Studios – as well as Skydance’s global sports group, the CBS Television Network, 27 local television stations and a portfolio of more than 50 cable networks in the U.S. and around the world including brands such as HGTV, Food Network, TBS, TNT, Discovery, BET, Comedy Central, MTV and Nickelodeon. Since joining Paramount in 2020, he served as Co-CEO of Paramount Global and CEO of CBS, helping transform the network from a singular broadcast brand into a global multiplatform content provider for broadcast and streaming.

Dennis Cinelli, Chief Financial Officer

Dennis K. Cinelli is Chief Financial Officer of Paramount, a role he will continue to hold at Skydance, where he oversees the company’s global financial functions, including accounting, tax and investor relations. He previously served as a member of Paramount’s Board of Directors. Before joining Paramount, Cinelli was CFO of Scale AI, where he guided the company through sevenfold revenue growth, a $1 billion Series F financing and a $14 billion strategic investment from Meta. Earlier, he held senior leadership roles at Uber, including VP & Head of Mobility for the U.S. & Canada and VP of Global Strategic Finance during the company’s 2019 IPO, and he served as CFO of GE Ventures. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Finance from the University of Maryland’s Robert H. Smith School of Business.

Makan Delrahim, Chief Legal Officer & President, Global Corporate Affairs

Makan Delrahim currently serves as Chief Legal Officer of Paramount, overseeing all legal, regulatory, compliance, labor relations, and public policy, including oversight of global government relations, and will continue with those responsibilities at Skydance. He previously was a Partner at Latham & Watkins LLP, advising clients on complex mergers, government investigations, and crisis situations, and earlier served as the 35th U.S. Assistant Attorney General for the Antitrust Division at the U.S. Department of Justice, overseeing hundreds of mergers and acquisitions and expanding the division’s international engagement. Makan has also held senior posts at DOJ, the White House, the U.S. Senate, and the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative.

Dane Glasgow, Chief Product Officer

Dane Glasgow will serve as Chief Product Officer for Skydance, leading the Company’s long-term product vision and technical strategy – driving innovation across digital platforms, immersive storytelling, advertising, and AI-powered capabilities. He previously served as VP of Product Management at Facebook, where he led product teams delivering to over 3 billion monthly active users. Prior, Dane was a serial entrepreneur and held senior leadership positions in product, design, engineering, and general management at Google, eBay, and Microsoft.

Dana Goldberg, Co-Chairman, Skydance Motion Picture Group

Dana Goldberg will serve as Co-Chairman of Skydance Motion Picture Group with Josh Greenstein, overseeing vision, long-term strategy, operations, production, development, business affairs, marketing, distribution and strategic planning for Paramount Pictures, Warner Bros. and the broader film portfolio. Prior to joining Paramount, she served as Chief Creative Officer of Skydance Media, having joined in 2010 as President of Production, where she developed and produced films, including Top Gun: Maverick, several Mission: Impossible entries, World War Z, The Gorge, and The Adam Project. In 2013, she founded Skydance Television, producing more than 20 series such as Reacher, Grace and Frankie, and Foundation.

Josh Greenstein, Co-Chairman, Skydance Motion Picture Group

Josh Greenstein will as Co-Chairman of Skydance Motion Picture Group with Dana Goldberg, overseeing vision, long-term strategy, operations, production, development, business affairs, distribution, and strategic planning for Paramount Pictures, Warner Bros. and the broader film portfolio. Prior to joining Paramount, he served as President of Sony Pictures’ Motion Picture Group, where he oversaw the studio’s labels on films and franchises including Once Upon a Time In Hollywood, Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse, Bad Boys for Life, Jumanji, Spider-Man: No Way Home, Where the Crawdads Sing, and The Woman King, with No Way Home becoming Sony’s highest-grossing release at the time.

James Gunn, Co-Chairman of DC Studios

James Gunn will serve as Co-Chairman DC Studios at Skydance, partnering with Peter Safran. Gunn was the creative force behind the company’s 2025 blockbuster Superman, its hugely anticipated follow-up – Man of Tomorrow – in theaters next summer, and the award-winning Guardians of the Galaxy franchise, among others. At DC Studios, he is executive producing a cross-platform slate that includes the HBO Max smash Lanterns, as well as Peacemaker and Creature Commandos, both of which he wrote and created. Gunn got his start as a screenwriter, penning the 1997 cult classic Tromeo & Juliet, followed by The Specials, the Scooby-Doo films, Dawn of the Dead, and his 2006 directorial debut Slither.

Rebecca Mall, Chief Marketing Officer

Rebecca Mall will serve as Chief Marketing Officer of Skydance, where she will lead brand, franchise, cross company, and Kids and Family marketing. She will also partner with all of Skydance’s business units to align media investment and brand marketing across the enterprise, coordinating efforts across Media, Digital Analytics, and Social. Prior to joining the Company, Mall held senior leadership roles across the entertainment and technology industries, including at William Morris Endeavor (WME), Paramount Pictures, and Google.

Jean-Briac (JB) Perrette, Co-Chair & Chief Business Officer, Skydance Direct-To-Consumer (DTC) and Co-Chair & Chief Business Officer, Skydance TV

JB will serve as Co-Chair & Chief Business Officer, Skydance DTC and Co-Chair & Chief Business Officer, Skydance TV, including direct global oversight for Global Distribution, Advertising Sales, Content Sales, DTC Strategy, Marketing and business operations. He most recently served as CEO and President of Global Streaming and Games for Warner Bros. Discovery, where he led the global rollout of HBO Max to more than 130 markets worldwide, spearheaded a $4B+ turnaround in profitability, and oversaw the Company’s leading games portfolio, including titles such as Mortal Kombat and Hogwarts Legacy. He previously served as President and CEO of Discovery International and Streaming, and earlier spent 11 years at NBCUniversal, including as President of Digital and Affiliate Distribution, where he played a key leadership role in the creation and development of Hulu.

Peter Safran, Co-Chairman of DC Studios

Peter Safran will serve as Co-Chairman of DC Studios at Skydance, partnering with James Gunn to lead the strategic and creative direction of the DC Universe across film, television, animation, themed entertainment and gaming. A veteran entertainment executive and producer, Safran previously founded and led The Safran Company, producing globally successful franchises including The Conjuring, Aquaman, and Shazam!, generating billions in worldwide box office revenue. Recognized for building enduring entertainment brands and franchises, he combines creative leadership with business acumen. Safran holds degrees from Princeton University and New York University School of Law.

Mark Thompson, Chairman and Editor-in-Chief, CNN

Sir Mark Thompson serves as Chairman and Editor-in-Chief of CNN Worldwide, overseeing all aspects of the business in the U.S. and around the world, and serving as editor-in-chief of CNN. He previously served as President and CEO of The New York Times Company, leading the transformation of the news brand into a digital powerhouse and growing digital subscribers from half a million to nearly 6 million, and earlier served an eight-year term as Director General of the BBC, where he guided the organization’s coverage of major global events and launched the BBC iPlayer, one of the world’s first streaming services from a major broadcaster.

Bari Weiss, Editor-in-Chief of CBS News

Bari Weiss serves as Editor in Chief of CBS News. She is also the Editor in Chief of The Free Press, which was acquired by Skydance in 2025. Before founding The Free Press in 2020, alongside her wife and her sister, Ms. Weiss worked on the opinion pages of The New York Times and The Wall Street Journal. In 2021, the Los Angeles Press Club awarded her with the Daniel Pearl Award for Courage and Integrity in Journalism. She is the author of the book How to Fight Anti-Semitism, and the host of the podcast Honestly.

Melissa Zukerman, Chief Communications Officer

Melissa Zukerman currently serves as Chief Communications Officer of Paramount and will continue in that role at Skydance, where she will lead global communications strategy, serve as chief spokesperson, and advise the Chairman and CEO on external relations. She oversees corporate messaging, executive, crisis, and internal communications, as well as the company’s Corporate Social Responsibility division. She previously served as managing partner of a communications and public relations advisory firm, representing high-profile media companies and executives including AT&T, Disney, Marvel Studios, Warner Bros. Discovery, and Skydance. Earlier, she held corporate communications roles at Universal Studios, E! Entertainment Television, and IFILM.