Paramount Skydance has revealed who will lead the company once its acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery is complete. The deal is expected to close on Tuesday, and the merged business will operate under the Skydance name, ending a months-long bidding battle for WBD. Last week, a federal judge approved a settlement with 12 state attorneys general who had raised antitrust concerns, clearing the final hurdle, according to The Wall Street Journal.
David Ellison will stay on as chairman and CEO, taking charge of long-term strategy, creative direction, technology and capital allocation. Ynon Kreiz, the outgoing Mattel CEO, joins as co-CEO to run daily operations and the integration of the two companies. Andy Gordon, currently Paramount’s chief strategy officer and COO, becomes president and will report to both leaders. All three will also sit on the board.
Ellison said the team reflects the ambition behind the merger and the goal of building a creative-first, next-generation media company. Kreiz said the focus will be on making Skydance Hollywood’s top content engine, speeding up its streaming platform and getting more from its profitable linear TV business.
Several familiar names will hold major roles. Casey Bloys will oversee originals for HBO Max and Paramount+ as chief content officer of the streaming division, while George Cheeks will co-lead Skydance TV and Jean-Briac Perrette will co-chair both divisions. Dana Goldberg and Josh Greenstein will head the motion picture group, James Gunn and Peter Safran continue at DC Studios, and Dennis Cinelli stays on as CFO. In news, Mark Thompson remains at CNN and Bari Weiss at CBS News, both reporting to Ellison and Kreiz.
