Bob Bakish To Step Down As Paramount International CEO Amid Skydance Talks

Bryan Bedder/Getty Pictures for Paramount+

Paramount International is ready to announce as early as Monday morning that Bob Bakish is stepping down as CEO amid talks with Skydance and forward of the corporate’s quarterly income that afternoon.

Information Bakish would possibly go out began circulating Friday. Paramount’s controlling shareholder and govt chair Shari Redstone, whilst as soon as obviously at the similar web page with the executive govt, is alleged to be unsatisfied with a few of his more moderen strategic strikes together with a call to not sell off Showtime and an aborted sale procedure for BET. Cut-off date has additionally heard that Bakish isn’t partial to a maintain David Ellison’s Skydance, against Redstone. The 2 firms are against the tip of a unique month-long negotiating length.

Paramount is reporting first quarter income after marketplace shut Monday. Bakish isn’t anticipated to be at the name.

It’s now not transparent how the corporate would substitute him. Reviews recommend the opportunity of growing of an administrative center of the CEO led by way of department heads together with Brian Robbins, George Cheeks and Chris McCarthy. Robbins is president & CEO of Paramount Footage & Nickelodeon and leader content material officer, Films and Children & Circle of relatives, Paramount+; Cheeks is president-CEO of CBS, and leader content material officer, Information and Sports activities, Paramount+; Mcarthy is president, Leisure & Adolescence Manufacturers, Home Media Networks.

Bakish has been with the corporate for many years and used to be named leader govt of the newly blended ViacomCBS in 2019, a deal driven thru by way of Shari Redstone. He had in the past been CEO of Viacom. The corporate modified its title to Paramount International in 2022.

The corporate mentioned lately that 4 administrators will probably be stepping down from the board at the once a year assembly in June.

The close to consistent drama round Paramount began closing fall, as the corporate started to noticeably discover a sale with streaming losses and linear declines squeezing its financials. Skydance, subsidized by way of deep-pocketed Oracle co-founder Larry Ellison, and Gerry Cardinale’s RedBird Capital, has the description of a deal in position and the edges began unique negotiations April 3. In the meantime. Sony teamed up with Apollo and is fascinated by making an be offering as smartly. The companions are ready within the wings in case the Skydance deal falls thru.

The deal pondered with Skydance is advanced. It comes to first obtaining Shari Redstone’s circle of relatives retaining corporate NAI, which controls Paramount International, then merging it with Skydance.