Brian Robbins steps down as Paramount global co-CEO ahead of Skydance merger

Paramount Global Co-CEO Brian Robbins is stepping down following the company’s much-anticipated merger with Skydance Media, as per a report by Reuters.

The transition comes as David Ellison, founder and CEO of Skydance, prepares to assume full leadership of the newly merged entertainment giant.

Robbins, a pivotal figure in the company’s recent transformation, played a key role in expanding the Paramount+ streaming platform and reviving the studio’s box office fortunes. He joined Paramount in 2017, rose to CEO of Nickelodeon in 2018, and took over as head of Paramount Pictures in 2021, overseeing a string of blockbuster hits including Mission: Impossible, Sonic the Hedgehog and A Quiet Place*.

“The company is in exceptionally capable hands with David Ellison and the incoming team from Skydance,” Robbins said in his farewell note to employees.

Robbins’ exit marks the second major departure from Paramount’s executive trio formed in April 2024, when he, George Cheeks, and Chris McCarthy jointly succeeded former CEO Bob Bakish.

McCarthy’s departure was reported last month, while Cheeks will remain in a key role as Chair of Media, continuing to oversee Paramount’s broadcast and cable television divisions.

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Once the Skydance deal closes, the merged entity will be reorganized into three main verticals: Studios, Direct-to-Consumer, and TV Media. The restructuring signals a strategic pivot for the legacy media company, as it seeks to compete more aggressively with tech-driven entertainment rivals.

Ellison, the son of Oracle co-founder Larry Ellison, is expected to bring a new vision to the company, combining Skydance’s tech-savvy, franchise-driven model with Paramount’s century-old cinematic legacy.

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