Paramount ads leader Jay Askinasi is making moves.
Today, Askinasi, in an internal memo obtained by ADWEEK, announced that Paramount is hiring Danielle Carney, Amazon Ads’ former head of live sports and video sales, as its new head of U.S. ad sales. The company is also bringing on Chris Brady, former Tribeca Enterprises president and global chief commercial officer, as evp of Paramount Media Labs, a role designed to help develop brand integrations and partnerships.
The moves are effective March 9, with both execs reporting to Askinasi.
An Amazon Ads spokesperson confirmed Carney’s departure, saying, “We appreciate her contributions to the Amazon Ads organization and wish her well in her future endeavors.”
Carney has more than 15 years in the ad industry and has been at Amazon for more than four years, being integral to Amazon and Prime Video’s sports strategy, including its efforts around Thursday Night Football, the company’s NBA and WNBA offerings, and Prime Video’s approach to a multi-sport upfront offering.
In his memo, Askinasi said that Carney’s expertise across entertainment, sports, and technology is “invaluable” for Paramount.
“She will play a critical role in connecting our most valuable assets with brand marketers and agency partners, helping deliver a seamless, client-first experience across the Paramount ecosystem,” Askinasi said.
The hires are among Askinasi’s first big moves as Paramount’s CRO after leaving Roku late last year. Askinasi noted that the announcements come as Paramount preps for the upfront and evolves its team structure and go-to-market strategy.
“This is a pivotal moment for our business—and an opportunity to build something truly differentiated together,” Askinasi said in the memo.
The news comes as Paramount is about to have a lot more inventory on its hands.
Paramount is in the midst of acquiring Warner Bros. Discovery after beating out Netflix with a new bid of $31 per share, prompting the streamer to drop out of WBD negotiations. Ad experts told ADWEEK that if the deal goes through, it could rewrite the TV advertising landscape, bringing more scale and negotiating power to the upfront.
