Bakish Robert M

About Bakish Robert M

Robert M. Bakish is a U.S. media and entertainment executive best known for serving as President and Chief Executive Officer of Viacom, later ViacomCBS and ultimately Paramount Global. Company filings and official investor materials show that he joined Viacom in 1997 and advanced through a series of operating and strategy roles before reaching the top leadership position. His early career at the company included service as Executive Vice President, Operations and Viacom Enterprises; Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of MTV Networks Advertising Sales; and Senior Vice President, Planning, Development and Technology. He later led MTV Networks International, where he was responsible for the company’s international expansion. In 2011, Bakish was named President and CEO of Viacom International Media Networks. In that role, he oversaw Viacom’s business outside the United States and helped broaden the company’s international portfolio, including brands such as MTV, Nickelodeon, Comedy Central, BET, Paramount Channel, Spike, and Nick Jr. Public company disclosures also describe his involvement in key international assets and partnerships, including Viacom18 in India and Channel 5 in the United Kingdom. He became Acting CEO of Viacom in 2016 and was then appointed permanent CEO later that year. Following the 2019 merger of Viacom and CBS, he became President and CEO of ViacomCBS. As chief executive of the combined company, Bakish focused on integration across television, film, and streaming assets, with strategic emphasis on scale, content distribution, and the growth of Paramount+ and related platforms. His leadership profile is associated with global expansion, portfolio management, digital transformation, and brand development in a highly competitive entertainment market. He also served on the board of Avid Technology beginning in 2009, adding governance experience in a technology company closely tied to the media production ecosystem. Bakish earned a B.S. in Operations Research and an M.B.A. from Columbia University.