Skydance has appointed a new distribution leadership team and will see eight senior executives leave the company, according to an internal memo sent Tuesday by distribution president Ray Hopkins. The changes follow the completion of the Paramount-Warner Bros. Discovery merger into Skydance.
Sarah Bergman and Mickey Carter, both named executive vice presidents of distribution, will jointly oversee distribution deals. Bergman spent 14 years at HBO and Warner Bros. Discovery, while Carter has more than a decade of experience at Paramount and CBS.
Their remit covers CBS-owned stations, 55 basic cable networks and two premium networks, as well as Paramount+, HBO Max, Discovery+, Pluto TV and more than 100 free ad-supported streaming TV channels. Skydance is required under a consent decree to negotiate carriage agreements for the Paramount and WBD assets as if they remained separate companies.
Brad Shipley will serve as EVP of business development and strategy, overseeing growth partnerships, Pluto TV and FAST distribution, advanced advertising partnerships, business planning and analytics. Patrick Cavanaugh was named EVP and CFO of distribution finance, with responsibility for the economics of linear and streaming negotiations, affiliate revenue and financial planning and reporting.
Rick Baker will become EVP and deputy general counsel for distribution, business and legal affairs. Joe Bahr was appointed SVP of partner operations, Andrew Borak SVP of marketing, Bob Aguanno SVP of CBS affiliate relations and John Bagwell SVP and associate general counsel.
The eight departing executives are Rivka Golomb, Kelly Kane, Jeff Cross and Rich Palermo from Warner Bros. Discovery, and David Comisar, Kurt Davis, Deena Demasi and Ken Kay from Paramount. Cross, who had been EVP of legal, distribution and commercial partnerships, will remain a senior adviser to the distribution group.
Sources: Deadline.