Mipcom Cannes has announced that Bob Bakish, President and CEO of Paramount Global has been selected to receive ‘Mipcom Cannes Personality of the Year’ award at the 39th edition of the International Co-Production & Entertainment Content Market, scheudled for 16-19 October. “Bob Bakish personifies exemplary leadership during these transformative times," Director of Mipcom Cannes, Lucy Smith, said. “Perhaps most ‘paramount’ to everyone attending Mipcom Cannes is Bob’s market-leading growth strategy that sees streaming and third-party international licensing not only co-exist but flourish as business models under one global media company. He is equipping Paramount for its next era, and our Personality of the Year 2023 honour could not be timelier or more relevant.”
The award will be presented as part of a keynote session in the Grand Auditorium of the Palais des Festivals in Cannes on Tuesday 17 October at 17:00. Bakish will share from the stage insights from his career and discuss his approach to evolving a preeminent global content company at a time of transition for the media industry. “I am deeply honored to receive the Mipcom Cannes Personality of the Year award at this watershed moment in media,” Bakish said. “The privilege of leading our global team under the storied Paramount brand is as thrilling as ever, and I’m excited to share how we’re positioning our business for continued growth as we entertain audiences around the world.”
Bakish oversees a portfolio of multiplatform consumer brands, including flagship streaming services Paramount+ and Pluto TV; the Paramount Pictures film studio; and television networks CBS, Nickelodeon, MTV, Comedy Central, BET, Channel 5 in the UK, Network 10 in Australia and Telefe in Argentina, among other properties that together serve audiences in more than 180 countries. He has led Paramount since 2019, unifying the company created from the recombination of Viacom and CBS, and driving its continued transformation through a strategy to build a next generation media business that spans both traditional and digital markets, with compelling, popular content at its core.
Before the merger, Bakish served as President and CEO of Viacom since 2016, overseeing the revitalization of the company and returning it to growth across multiplatform content, distribution and advertising. He previously headed Viacom’s international division as President and CEO of Viacom International Media Networks since 2007. The executive initially joined Viacom in 1997 from Booz Allen & Hamilton, where he was a partner in its Media and Entertainment practice.
Since 1989, the Mipcom Cannes “Personality of the Year” award has recognized a short list of the entertainment industry visionaries, icons and innovators for their outstanding achievements in the international content industry. The list of honorees includes Bob Greenblatt, Issa Rae, David Zaslav, Shonda Rhimes, Dana Walden & Gary Newman, Simon Cowell and Jeffrey Katzenberg. This year, more than 260 exhibitors from over 40 countries have confirmed their attendance to Mipcomm Cannes, including studios, production and distribution groups.
The company set to participate include All3Media International, Amazon MGM Studios Distribution, Banijay Rights, BBC Studios, BETA Film, FOX Entertainment Global, NBCUniversal International, Paramount Global Content Distribution, Federation Studios, France tv distribution, Fremantle, Global Screen, ITV Studios, The Mediapro Studio, Mediawan, Movistar+, Red Arrow Studios International, Studiocanal, The Walt Disney Company, Warner Bros. Discovery and ZDF Studios amongst many others. MipJunior also returns to the JW Marriott in the weekend heading into Mipcom Cannes on 13-15 Oct) with a brand-new half-day pre-opening program beginning at 14:00 on Friday 13 october.
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