Paramount executive Cindy Holland departs ahead of Warner Bros. Discovery merger
Cindy Holland, chair of direct-to-consumer at Paramount Skydance, left the company on the day of her memo, paving the way for HBO chief Casey Bloys to likely lead the merged streaming operation.
Paramount Skydance announced that Cindy Holland, who has overseen Paramount+ and Pluto TV as chair of direct-to-consumer, will leave the company effective today. In an internal memo, Holland said she and CEO David Ellison discussed the leadership plan for the combined HBO Max and Paramount+ platform, noting that Ellison is "optimizing for HBO stability" and that she supports the decision.
The departure positions HBO chairman and CEO Casey Bloys as the probable head of the streaming business that will emerge after Paramount’s pending acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery. Bloys has previously indicated a desire to keep his senior HBO team intact following the merger.
Ellison praised Holland’s tenure, stating that under her leadership Paramount+ reached record subscriber numbers, Pluto TV underwent a major transformation, and the company expanded its content and sports portfolio. Holland highlighted achievements such as all-time high subscriber levels for Paramount+, double-digit growth in engagement and revenue, and the launch of more than 40 new series, including record-breaking titles like "Landman" and "Dutton Ranch."
Holland, who previously helped launch original programming at Netflix, joined Skydance in early 2025 to advise on the Warner Bros. Discovery acquisition and to integrate and grow Paramount’s streaming services. She said she is proud of meeting the three goals set when she joined: advising on the acquisition, transforming Paramount+ and Pluto TV, and building a strong industry team.
The memo also referenced upcoming programming initiatives, such as the female-forward drama series "Discretion" starring Nicole Kidman, and noted that long-time collaborators may consider their next steps after the merger.