Oct 30 2019 NEW YORK, NY, October 30, 2019 -- CBS (NYSE: CBS.A, CBS) and Viacom (NASDAQ: VIAB, VIA) today announced senior leadership appointments across ViacomCBS' revenue lines. The appointments, effective upon closing of the deal to combine CBS and Viacom, will enable ViacomCBS to drive strong, multifaceted opportunities with distributors, advertisers and other partners.
These appointments mark an important step in the integration of CBS and Viacom, said Bob Bakish, President and Chief Executive Officer, Viacom, who will serve as President and Chief Executive Officer of ViacomCBS upon close. The seasoned executives we announced today will capitalize on ViacomCBS' must-watch programming, iconic library and franchises, as well as its global production capacity to drive important new distribution, content licensing and advertising opportunities all over the world.
With 22% of television viewership in the U.S., the highest share of broadcast and cable viewing across all key audience demographics, and strength in every key category, including News, Sports, General Entertainment, Pop Culture, Comedy, Music and Kids, ViacomCBS will be a first-choice commercial partner. The combined company will have a portfolio of powerful consumer brands, including CBS, Showtime, Nickelodeon, MTV, BET, Comedy Central and Paramount Network, as well as one of the largest libraries of iconic intellectual property, spanning every key genre and addressing consumers of all ages and demographics.
Below are ViacomCBS' leaders across revenue lines:
Jo Ann Ross, President and Chief Advertising Revenue Officer, CBS, will serve as President and Chief Advertising Revenue Officer, ViacomCBS Domestic Advertising Sales. Ross will direct all of ViacomCBS' multiplatform media sales efforts, leading an integrated ad sales team that will drive revenue by connecting agency partners and advertisers with the company's unmatched engagement, reach and innovative solutions.
John Halley, Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer, Ad Solutions, Viacom, will serve as Chief Operating Officer, Advertising Revenue, and Executive Vice President, Advanced Marketing Solutions, reporting to Ross. In this role, Halley will oversee commercial and business operations for the unified advertising team, as well as ViacomCBS' portfolio of differentiated advanced advertising and marketing solutions across its linear, digital and social footprint.
Ray Hopkins, President of Television Networks Distribution, CBS, will serve as President, U.S. Network Distribution, ViacomCBS, overseeing the combined company's broadcast network affiliation distribution agreements, as well as domestic distribution of the company's owned and operated television stations, channels and networks across all platforms. He will also drive ViacomCBS' live linear content and on-demand digital distribution deals with third-party platforms.
Armando Nu ez, President and CEO, CBS Global Distribution Group, and Chief Content Licensing Officer, CBS, will serve as Chairman, Global Distribution and Chief Content Licensing Officer, ViacomCBS, overseeing all content licensing, including worldwide distribution and domestic syndication, for ViacomCBS-owned programming to third-party platforms.
Dan Cohen, President of Worldwide Home Entertainment & Television Distribution, Paramount, will serve as President, Global Content Licensing, ViacomCBS, reporting to Nu ez.
Pam Kaufman, President, Viacom/Nickelodeon Global Consumer Products, will serve as President, Global Consumer Products, ViacomCBS, and will be responsible for the combined company's consumer products business, including global oversight of product and business development, licensing, merchandising, retail sales, consumer insights and marketing.
David Lynn, President and CEO of Viacom International Media Networks, will oversee the combined company's international media networks, including Network 10 in Australia.
The merger remains subject to customary closing conditions and is expected to close by early December.
Biographies:
Jo Ann Ross is the first woman to serve as sales chief of a broadcast network and the longest-running sales head in broadcast television. A 27-year veteran of CBS with 19 years as the company's sales leader, Ross was promoted to President and Chief Advertising Revenue Officer, CBS Corporation in August 2017, overseeing the company's multiplatform advertising sales effort. Ross previously served as President, Network, Sales, CBS Television Network, during which time she oversaw all sales for CBS Entertainment, Sports, Daytime, News and Late Night. Prior to joining CBS in 1992, she worked at ABC Network for three years. She has received numerous industry accolades, including the Gracies Leadership Award from the Alliance of Women in Media, the IRTS' Hall of Mentorship Award and being enshrined in the Broadcasting & Cable Hall of Fame in 2013. She has also been named to The Hollywood Reporter's 100 Most Powerful Women in Entertainment, AdWeek 50, and Multichannel News' Wonder Women Class of 2019. A cancer survivor, Ross has been a longtime supporter of MSKCC's annual Cycle for Survival. She also serves on the board of directors of the John A. Reisenbach Foundation, the Ad Council, the International Radio and Television Society, and FourBlock, an organization with a mission to ensure that all veterans have the resources they need to transition to life and a new career when returning back home.
John Halley has served as Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer, Ad Solutions, Viacom since 2013. In this role, Halley oversees the company's pricing, inventory, commercial operations, finance and business development functions for Viacom's ad sales portfolio across all of its brands, including MTV, VH1, B
