Paramount Skydance Names Leadership Team Ahead of $110 Billion WBD Deal Close

David Ellison and Ynon Kreiz on Monday unveiled the executive team that will run Skydance, the merged Paramount Skydance and Warner Bros. Discovery, one day before the roughly $110 billion deal closes on Tuesday.

The leadership roster mixes executives from both companies, and every member will report directly to Ellison, the Paramount Skydance CEO, and Kreiz, the incoming co-CEO, according to a company news release.

Who runs the news divisions?

Bari Weiss, editor-in-chief of CBS News, and Mark Thompson, chairman and editor-in-chief of CNN Worldwide, will keep their current roles and lead the combined company's news operations once the merger is complete.

Weiss joined Paramount Skydance in October 2025, when the company acquired The Free Press, the digital news outlet she founded.

Who takes over streaming and television?

Casey Bloys, currently chairman and CEO of HBO and Max content at Warner Bros. Discovery, becomes co-chair and chief content officer of Skydance's direct-to-consumer division. He will oversee the HBO Max and Paramount+ streaming businesses.

George Cheeks, formerly a co-CEO of Paramount, will serve as co-chair and chief content officer of Skydance TV, a unit that includes the company's global sports group.

JB Perrette, most recently CEO and president of global streaming and games at Warner Bros. Discovery, will co-chair both divisions alongside Bloys and Cheeks.

What happens to corporate operations?

Andy Gordon, Paramount's chief strategy officer and chief operating officer, becomes president of Skydance. Dennis Cinelli stays on as chief financial officer.

"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," Ellison said in the release.

What cleared the path to Tuesday's close?

Paramount Skydance and Warner Bros. Discovery announced the approximately $110 billion merger agreement in February. The companies settled a lawsuit brought by a group of state attorneys general last month. Last week, they confirmed the deal would close on Tuesday.

With the leadership bench now set and streaming, television, news and finance all assigned to named executives from both legacy companies, Ellison and Kreiz move into the close with their operating structure in place on day one.