CBS and Viacom on Wednesday revealed the senior leadership appointments team that will sit atop the soon-to-combine company’s ad sales, distribution, licensing and consumer products divisions. The moves, which feature promotions from both companies in key revenue positions, include appointing longtime CBS ad chief Jo Ann Ross as President and Chief Advertising Revenue Officer, ViacomCBS Domestic Advertising Sales.
Ross, the first woman to serve as sales chief of a broadcast network, is the the longest-running sales head in broadcast with 19 years as CBS’ sales boss. She had been was promoted to President and Chief Advertising Revenue Officer, CBS Corp in August 2017.
All the new roles will take effect when the $30 billion merger that will create ViacomCBS is approved. That is expected by early December.
Along with Ross, other key roles include:
— 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;
— Ray Hopkins, President of Television Networks Distribution, CBS, will serve as President, U.S. Network Distribution, ViacomCBS;
— Armando Nuñez, 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;
— Dan Cohen, President of Worldwide Home Entertainment & Television Distribution, Paramount, will serve as President, Global Content Licensing, ViacomCBS, reporting to Nuñez;
— Pam Kaufman, President, Viacom/Nickelodeon Global Consumer Products, will serve as President, Global Consumer Products, ViacomCBS;
— David Lynn, President and CEO of Viacom International Media Networks, will oversee the combined company’s international media networks, including Network 10 in Australia.
“These appointments mark an important step in the integration of CBS and Viacom,” said Viacom president and CEO Bob Bakish, who will become president and CEO of ViacomCBS when the merger closes. “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.”
Variety broke news of the Ross promotion first today.