Paramount Promotes Pam Kaufman to International Chief as Raffaele Annecchino Exits

Georg Szalai and Etan Vlessing
·2 min read
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Paramount Global has promoted Pam Kaufman to the role of president and CEO, international markets, global consumer products & experiences, while prior international chief Raffaele Annecchino is exiting, the company said Friday.

In addition to her previous job of leading Paramount’s consumer products business, representing more than $5.5 billion in worldwide retail revenue, Kaufman will now also have oversight across the company’s portfolio of brands, including broadcast and cable networks, streaming and studios and other commercial businesses.

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Kaufman will report to Bob Bakish, president and CEO of Paramount, as she takes on the newly-created position.

“Pam has been the strategic force behind growing and expanding some of the most iconic global franchises and properties in entertainment. She is a proven and trusted, visionary leader who has transformed our consumer products organization by driving innovation and operating as a global business,” Bakish said in a statement.

“I am honored to take on this role at such a pivotal time for Paramount’s international business. I know firsthand the global strength of our brand portfolio, and I look forward to working with Bob and the incredible team as we continue pursuing our global growth strategy,” Kaufman said in her own statement.

In mid-June, Paramount had said in a surprise statement that Annecchino was “on leave,” but didn’t detail a reason or whether he or management had made the decision. He has been a long-time right-hand man of Bakish and has most recently been based in Madrid, reporting to Bakish.

In Annecchino’s most recent role, he oversaw all of Paramount’s media networks and related businesses outside the U.S., including a portfolio of pay TV entertainment brands and broadcast networks across six continents. These include Channel 5 in the U.K., Telefe in Argentina, Network 10 in Australia and Colors in India through a joint venture with Viacom18. Annecchino has also overseen Paramount’s portfolio of international streaming products Paramount+, Pluto TV and Noggin.

After positions at Turner International, Cartoon Network and CNN, Annecchino joined MTV Networks International in 1997 as distribution manager. He then rose through the ranks, becoming president and CEO of what was then known as ViacomCBS Networks International in December 2020. The company rebranded as Paramount Global in February.

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