Skydance has announced the addition of three new members to its board of directors including former Activision Blizzard CEO Bobby Kotick and Laurene Powell Jobs. Co-CEO Ynon Kreiz also joined the board. The company named former UK Prime Minister Tony Blair as an advisor to the firm.
These appointments come alongside existing leadership including David Ellison who serves as both chairman and CEO of Skydance. Kreiz holds the role of co-CEO according to TheWrap. The board also includes Barclays PLC Vice Chair Barbara Byrne; Unrivaled Sports Chairman and CEO Andy Campion; RedBird Capital Partners Founder Gerry Cardinale; and RedBird Chairman John Thornton.
Additional members are Oracle Executive Vice Chair Safra Catz; Skydance President Andy Gordon; Silver Lake Managing Director Justin Hamill; former Paramount Pictures Chair and CEO Sherry Lansing; and Lawrence Investments LLC President Paul Marinelli. David Ellison expressed enthusiasm about the new board members in a statement saying he was pleased to welcome both Kotick and Powell Jobs.
Skydance became the name of the newly combined company on October 6 after Paramount completed its acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery.
Ellison also noted that their combined experience would help Skydance build into a company that honors the legacies of Paramount and Warner Bros. Discovery. Ellison emphasized how these individuals bring fresh perspectives and deep industry knowledge to the company’s future direction.
Kotick will serve on the board's nominating and governance committee in a role that aligns with his extensive background in corporate leadership. He joined Activision in 1991 after acquiring a significant interest in the company. During his tenure he led the company through major growth and was chairman from 1991 to 2008.
Beyond Activision Kotick has served on boards of The Coca-Cola Company; Yahoo! Inc.; and Macromedia Inc. He also held leadership roles at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art and founded the Call of Duty Endowment. Ellison praised Kotick’s ability to predict how consumers interact with entertainment especially in adapting to new platforms and business models.
Laurene Powell Jobs brings leadership experience from her role as founder and president of the Emerson Collective since 2011. She is the lead investor in Anonymous Content and Concordia Studio and is a majority investor and board chair of The Atlantic. Jobs also serves on the boards of several organizations including the Waverley Street Foundation; College Track; and the Ford Foundation.
She is a member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences and has been involved in education climate and community-focused initiatives. Ellison highlighted her work in creating enduring institutions and driving societal change through both venture investing and philanthropy.
Tony Blair will act in a personal capacity as an advisor to Skydance.
He is the executive chairman of the Tony Blair Institute for Global Change which focuses on helping leaders govern in the age of AI. Ellison said Blair’s global leadership experience and innovation focus make him a valuable addition to Skydance’s strategic direction.
According to an SEC filing both Kotick and Powell Jobs are eligible for the company's non-employee director compensation program. They will receive a pro-rated annual award upon their appointments and may also qualify for future awards if they continue serving after stockholder meetings. Both have also signed standard indemnification agreements with the company for directors and officers.
