The merger of Paramount Global and Skydance Media, finalized on July 24, 2025, will bring significant changes to the company's leadership structure. Two of the three interim co-CEOs, Chris McCarthy and Brian Robbins, will be leaving their positions shortly after the merger closes. The exact departure date remains undetermined.
George Cheeks, the third interim co-CEO, will remain with the newly formed entity, although his future role is yet to be defined. It's anticipated he won't continue as CEO. Instead, David Ellison, currently the head of Skydance, is set to assume the CEO position, with former NBCUniversal executive Jeffrey Shell becoming president.
The departures of McCarthy and Robbins, and the reassignment of Cheeks, weren't unexpected, given their "interim" titles. Their leadership came during a challenging period for Paramount. They took the reins after Bob Bakish resigned under pressure in 2024 amid escalating merger discussions with Skydance. Shari Redstone, chairman of Paramount Global, reportedly voiced concerns about Bakish's performance.
During their tenure, Cheeks, McCarthy, and Robbins oversaw substantial cost-cutting measures, a $16 million settlement of a lawsuit filed by Donald Trump, and navigated mounting pressure from the administration.