Cindy Holland, Paramount's streaming chief, announced her departure Tuesday, citing CEO David Ellison's focus on "HBO stability" as the company nears its $110 billion merger with Warner Bros. Discovery. Holland's exit follows a year of significant changes and growth in Paramount's streaming division.
The departure of a key streaming executive signals significant organizational shifts as Paramount prepares for its merger with Warner Bros. Discovery, potentially impacting the strategic direction and leadership of its streaming services.
Cindy Holland, the streaming chief at Paramount, announced her departure from the company on Tuesday, with her exit coinciding with the impending merger between Paramount and Warner Bros. Discovery. In a memo to staff obtained by Business Insider, Holland stated that her decision came as CEO David Ellison "is optimizing for HBO stability" as the company moves into the next phase of its integration.
Holland, who joined Paramount in January 2025, expressed pride in the accomplishments of her team over the past year. She highlighted significant strategic and organizational changes within the direct-to-consumer division, including driving growth for Paramount+ and Pluto TV, increasing programming depth, and delivering strong revenue, profit, and subscriber growth. She noted that Paramount+ reached an all-time subscriber high and achieved its best retention rates, alongside double-digit growth in engagement and revenue. The division also greenlit over 40 new and returning series, with "Landman" becoming the most-watched series and "Dutton Ranch" achieving the biggest original series debut on the platform. Furthermore, Holland pointed to the transformation of live sports into a streaming growth engine, with landmark agreements for UFC and Zuffa Boxing, and expanded rights for WNBA and UEFA Champions League. Pluto TV also underwent its largest product transformation in a decade.
Paramount announced last week that it had settled an antitrust lawsuit, which is expected to pave the way for the $110 billion merger with Warner Bros. Discovery to close within weeks. This combination would create a major Hollywood entity encompassing assets like Paramount Pictures, Warner Bros. studio, HBO, CBS, CNN, and MTV.
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