Observed Signal · Oct 8, 2026 · M&A - Announced · Source: Adweek · Impact: 3/5 · Sentiment: Positive
Jay Askinasi to Lead Skydance Ad Sales; WBD Ad Leaders Exit
The $110 billion merger between Paramount Skydance and Warner Bros. Discovery has resulted in a leadership shakeup in ad sales. Jay Askinasi, who served as Paramount's chief revenue officer, will lead ad sales for the newly combined company, Skydance. Meanwhile, WBD's ad sales leaders, Ryan Gould and Bobby Voltaggio, are departing. Additionally, David Decker has been named president of content sales, and Ray Hopkins has been appointed president of distribution. The announcement was made by JB Perrette, co-chair and chief business officer of Skydance TV and Skydance DTC, who praised the new leaders for their experience and industry relationships. This move consolidates ad sales leadership under Askinasi following the historic merger.
This news is important because it outlines the ad sales leadership structure of the newly merged Skydance, a major media entity formed by a $110 billion merger. The leadership appointments and exits will shape the combined company's advertising sales strategy, affecting the broader TV and streaming advertising market.
Track Skydance Signals & Market Shifts in Real-Time
Polaris7 autonomous intelligence agents track regulatory filings, primary sources, executive changes, and deal flow 24/7. Create your free Explorer workspace to monitor these entities.
Key Takeaways & Evidence Grounding
- Jay Askinasi appointed to lead ad sales for Skydance, the merged Paramount Skydance-Warner Bros. Discovery company.
- WBD ad sales leaders Ryan Gould and Bobby Voltaggio are exiting the company.
- David Decker named president of content sales; Ray Hopkins named president of distribution.
- JB Perrette, co-chair and chief business officer of Skydance TV and Skydance DTC, made the announcement.
- The merger between Paramount Skydance and Warner Bros. Discovery was valued at $110 billion.
Connected Companies & Entities
3 Entities mapped“Following the $110 billion merger between Paramount Skydance and Warner Bros. Discovery, Jay Askinasi has been tapped to lead ad sales for S...”
“Following the $110 billion merger between Paramount Skydance and Warner Bros. Discovery...”
“Jay Askinasi, who led ad sales for Paramount Skydance as CRO ahead of the WBD merger...”
Ontology Mapping & Concepts
Related Market Signals & Shifts
Recent verified developments and strategic activity across this market segment.
Paramount Skydance Says WBD Merger Benefits Media, Ads
During its Q2 earnings call, Paramount Skydance said its top priority is closing its proposed acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD), arguing the deal will create a larger, creative-first company able to compete with Netflix, Amazon and Apple. CEO David Ellison reiterated confidence the transaction will close despite three recent lawsuits from the Writers Guild of America, a Paramount shareholder and a coalition of 12 state attorneys general alleging reduced competition. Paramount Skydance is simultaneously focused on streaming ad monetization: Paramount+ revenue rose 16% year‑over‑year, streaming ARPU climbed 12%, and Paramount+ added about 2 million subscribers to nearly 82 million. The company plans to converge ad-tech stacks across Paramount+, Pluto TV and BET+ by the end of the summer to unify data and improve ad monetization.
Paramount's Hostile Bid: What’s Next for WBD?
Paramount Skydance has made a hostile takeover bid for Warner Bros. Discovery after Netflix abandoned its own plans to acquire WBD. The potential merger raises questions for the TV ad industry: Paramount already has a 2024 sell-serve ad platform for Paramount+ and Pluto TV but lacks a unified back-end, while WBD’s ad-sales platform NEO is live with a select group of beta partners and spans streaming and linear inventory. Executives and headcount at both companies could face consolidation, and Paramount CEO David Ellison has expressed interest in merging Paramount+ with HBO Max — a move that could reduce available ad inventory, cut costs for overlapping subscribers, and complicate technology integration efforts.
David Ellison completes WBD acquisition, forms Skydance
David Ellison, founder of Skydance Media, has completed the acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD), merging it with Paramount Pictures to form a new conglomerate named Skydance. The deal, valued at approximately $31 per share in cash, was finalized after a complex negotiation process involving multiple bids and regulatory hurdles. The combined entity faces significant challenges, including approximately $80 billion in debt and planned cost savings of $6 billion. Ellison's father, Oracle founder Larry Ellison, provided substantial financial backing. The acquisition marks one of the largest in Hollywood history, positioning Skydance as a major player in the entertainment industry.
Track Real-Time Market Signals & Shifts
Set up custom watchlists to receive automated, evidence-grounded executive digests whenever material signals or shifts occur across your tracked landscape.