Skydance pulled back the curtain yesterday on the new senior executive team set to lead Paramount once the media giant officially changes ownership this week.

Following the recent FCC approval, the long-brewing Paramount-Skydance merger is set to close on August 7. The new company will be structured across three main business segments: studios, direct-to-consumer and TV media.

Skydance founder David Ellison (pictured) will take the reins as CEO with former NBCUniversal chief Jeff Shell joining as president—two appointments that have been more or less expected since the initial merger agreement.

In the restructured company, current Paramount co-CEO George Cheeks will settle into a new role as chair of TV media to lead the broadcast/cable biz. Cheeks is expected to oversee the Nickelodeon channel as part of the broader Paramount Media Networks division, as well as the Nickelodeon TV Studios production arm. He will continue heading up CBS-branded assets like CBS Studios, which is behind projects such as the kids toon Star Trek: Prodigy and the upcoming Among Us adaptation.

But while Cheeks is making the leap to the new regime, it’s a different story for his fellow co-CEOs Chris McCarthy and Brian Robbins, the latter of whom also served as president of Nickelodeon. McCarthy will be exiting the company after the merger transaction, as revealed last month, and Robbins’ rumored departure seems very likely now, given his absence in yesterday’s leadership announcement. Paramount did not respond to a request for comment by press time.

(L-R): George Cheeks, Chris McCarthy, Brian Robbins

Paramount Pictures and Nickelodeon Films will be headed up by co-chairs Dana Goldberg (current Skydance chief creative officer) and Josh Greenstein (former president of Sony Motion Picture Group). In addition to this joint role, Goldberg will take on further duties as chair of Paramount Television, and Greenstein will serve as vice chair of platforms. 

Meanwhile, Paramount Television Studios—which was shuttered last August—will be revived under current Skydance Television president Matt Thunell, who will report to Goldberg. This unit, which produced kids live-action titles like The Spiderwick Chronicles and Time Bandits, will also absorb Skydance Television. And according to Deadline, Skydance president of features and sports Don Granger is said to be entering the fold soon to lead film under the Paramount Pictures co-chairs.

Rounding out the new executive team are RedBird Capital Partners’ Andy Gordon as Paramount’s chief strategy officer and COO; and former Netflix exec Cindy Holland as chair of the direct-to-consumer division, to head up Paramount+ and Pluto TV. Skydance’s Stephanie Kyoko McKinnon will keep her title at Paramount as general counsel and acting chief legal officer, while Skydance’s Jim Sterner will remain chief people officer at Paramount.