Paramount Streaming Undergoes Reorg as Product and Tech Teams Merge
Paramount’s streaming division is undergoing a reorganization as its product and tech teams combine.
As the teams merge into “a single streaming tech organization,” per an internal memo obtained by Deadline, which first reported the news, chief product officer Rob Gelick will exit the company after 15 years at Paramount.
In the memo, Paramount streaming president and CEO Tom Ryan spotlighted Gelick’s “critical role in making our streaming platforms and experiences what they are today” and called out his instrumental work in launching CBS All Access, rebranding Paramount+ and spearheading the integration of Showtime into Paramount+.
“For the last two years as we worked to launch and scale Paramount+ around the world while continuing to grow the global Pluto TV business. Product and Tech operated as collaborative but separate units,” Ryan wrote in the memo. “As we look to the next chapter of Paramount Streaming and how we rapidly deliver a high-quality product experience to our customers and accelerate innovation, we must also evolve how we organize our teams.”
Additionally, Ryan announced that CTO of streaming Vibol Hou would expand his role to “oversee the combined group of product, program, engineering and operations teams responsible for innovating, building and operating our global flagship Paramount+ and Pluto TV products.” Hou previously served as CTO of Pluto prior to its acquisition by Viacom in 2019 and stayed on through the restructuring, as did Ryan, who co-founded Pluto.
“Under Vibol’s direction, the newly merged teams will collaborate closely to identify efficiencies and drive forward new product features and technological innovations that will enhance our direct-to-consumer portfolio and solidify our position as an industry leader,” the memo continued.
Paramount’s streaming branch has continued to undergo reorganizations since the ViacomCBS merger several years ago, which left the company with a slew of streamers to sort through, including CBS All Access, Showtime, Pluto and BET+. Most recently, Showtime and Paramount+ were combined to produce a single streaming service.
“Thank you for continuing to be nimble and tenacious as we adapt to the industry’s changing tides,” Ryan concluded. “I remain confident about the bright future of our streaming platforms and look forward to working with Vibol and the wider organization to make great things happen as we enter the next inning of streaming.”
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