Paramount Skydance appoints Ynon Kreiz as co-CEO, with David Ellison leading the company alongside him ahead of the close of the planned merger with Warner Bros. Discovery. Multiple outlets report the announcement follows a federal judge’s approval of an antitrust settlement involving Paramount, WBD, and blue-state attorneys general.
Ellison is described as introducing Kreiz to Paramount employees, while Kreiz is characterized as coming from outside the media sector. The Verge identifies him as the former chairman and CEO of Mattel. Coverage also frames Ellison’s role as focused on long-term strategy and creative direction, while reporting describes Kreiz as taking executive responsibility as the companies prepare to combine.
Although each outlet emphasizes different aspects—such as timing around antitrust clearance, Kreiz’s background, or what Ellison tells staff—sources broadly agree on the same leadership change and its placement within the merger process. The remaining dispute and legal context referenced by some outlets centers on litigation and antitrust-related actions, but the co-CEO appointment is consistently presented as part of the run-up to the merger closing.
