David Ellison names Skydance leadership team ahead of Paramount WBD merger

David Ellison, chairman and chief executive officer of Skydance Corporation, announced the new senior leadership team that will run the combined company when the acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery closes. Deadline, Variety, The Hollywood Reporter, and The Wrap all reported that the executive suite will combine leaders from Warner Bros. Discovery and Paramount. The Verge noted that the acquisition is valued at 110 billion dollars. [1][2][3][4][5][7]

According to reports by Deadline, The Wrap, and The Hollywood Reporter, Warner Bros. Discovery executive JB Perrette will take on a top role at the combined company. Other Warner Bros. insiders on the leadership team include Casey Bloys and Mark Thompson. The Wrap reported that Mark Thompson will continue to run CNN, while Bari Weiss will lead CBS News separately. Paramount executives on the team include television chief George Cheeks along with film chiefs Dana Goldberg and Josh Greenstein, according to The Wrap and The Hollywood Reporter. [1][4][7]

Variety reported that former Mattel chief Ynon Kreiz joins Skydance as co-chief executive officer. Meanwhile, David Zaslav released a farewell video on his final day prior to the completion of the acquisition, according to The Hollywood Reporter. [5][6]

Skydance Corporation is a mass media conglomerate formed through the combination of Paramount Skydance and Warner Bros. Discovery, with primary operations based in New York, Los Angeles, and Atlanta. The transaction is scheduled to close on October 6, 2026. [2][3][5][8]