Leaked audio: What David Ellison told employees at the first Skydance town hall
Skydance CEO David Ellison addressed employees after the Paramount-WBD merger closed, forming a new Hollywood giant.
Media mogul David Ellison addressed Skydance employees for the first time at a companywide town hall following the Paramount-WBD merger closing on Tuesday. Ellison welcomed Warner Bros. Discovery employees and thanked Paramount staffers for their patience during the combined company's inaugural town hall. The $110 billion merger had closed hours before Ellison took the stage, with Bruno Mars' hit song "I Just Might" playing in the background.
Ellison acknowledged the long and challenging journey of acquiring WBD, stating that it was not easy but one he would relive in a heartbeat. The Skydance CEO outlined the company's four top priorities: excelling in storytelling, becoming the most technologically advanced media company, leading in a competitive market, and earning trust daily.
The combined entity will face off against industry giants like Disney, Netflix, Amazon, and Google's YouTube. Warner Bros. Discovery co-CEO Ynon Kreiz oversees the merger integration and day-to-day operations, while Ellison formulates Skydance's creative and technology strategies. Although the merger required significant cost cuts, layoffs are not expected to contribute to most of the savings.
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