Dan Cohen, Paramount Global’s chief content licensing officer and president of Republic Pictures, has announced his departure effective August 1 in advance of the anticipated Skydance Media takeover. The exit comes as the long-delayed $8.4 billion merger with Skydance approaches its closing date, with Paramount and Skydance officials confirming the transaction is now expected to complete by August 7, establishing the newly branded Paramount Skydance Corporation.
Over the past eight years, Cohen led licensing and content-distribution strategies, sealing deals across multiple formats. In an internal note, he reflected: “Over the last 8 years, I’ve had the privilege of working alongside the most talented and dedicated individuals in the industry. Together, we’ve navigated a constantly evolving media landscape, forged groundbreaking deals and brought incredible stories to audiences around the world. We’ve built meaningful relationships that have driven real value for our company and our clients, and I’m so proud of what we’ve accomplished.” His departure aligns with a broader leadership reshuffle at Paramount and Republic Pictures ahead of the merger.
The merger has already cleared critical regulatory hurdles, including approval from the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission and the European Commission, and just received final clearance from the Federal Communications Commission. The FCC’s greenlight concludes one of the most politically charged media deals in recent years and allows Skydance CEO David Ellison to assume leadership of the merged entity. David Ellison is expected to lead transformative changes, including restructuring Paramount+, optimizing content spend, and targeting $2 billion in cost savings across operations.
Paramount and Skydance expect the combined company to be renamed Paramount Skydance Corp, trading under the ticker PSKY. Ellison will serve as chairman and CEO, with former NBCUniversal executive Jeff Shell as president. The merger also dissolves Shari Redstone’s control of National Amusements and ends a media dynasty, while Paramount is undertaking major cost reductions and organizational changes—including the departure of CFO Naveen Chopra and restructuring at CBS News.
Cohen becomes the first senior executive to exit as part of the leadership transition. His departure reflects the broader strategic pivot under way as Skydance prepares to reshape Paramount’s content, licensing, and corporate leadership to align with its vision of a technology-focused media enterprise. The operational baton will soon pass to new management as integration accelerates toward completion.
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