Paramount streaming chief leaves ahead of Warner Bros. deal
Cindy Holland has left Paramount as chair of direct-to-consumer, clearing the path for HBO's Casey Bloys to lead the combined Paramount HBO Max streaming business after the Warner Bros. Discovery deal, as CEO David Ellison prioritizes HBO stability through the transition. The exit, effective immediately, is the clearest signal yet of who will run the merged streamer.
Key Takeaways
- Holland stepped down as Paramount Skydance's direct-to-consumer chair on Sept. 29, 2026.
- Ellison is optimizing for HBO stability, backing Casey Bloys to lead post-merger streaming.
- Paramount+ and HBO Max are slated to combine after Paramount's Warner Bros. Discovery acquisition.
- Holland oversaw Paramount+ and Pluto TV and cited record subscribers, engagement, and hits like Landman.
According to Deadline, Holland announced the abrupt departure in a staff memo. She said she and Ellison had discussed her role and the future of the combined businesses.
"David is optimizing for HBO stability as we move into this next chapter, and I fully support that," Holland wrote. "To this end today will mark my last day here."
Who will run Paramount and HBO Max streaming after the deal?
With Holland gone, Casey Bloys — chairman and CEO of HBO and HBO Max Content — is positioned to lead streaming for the combined Paramount-Warner operation. The Wall Street Journal reported that Ellison has tapped Bloys to oversee streaming once the companies combine, calling it his first major executive call ahead of Paramount's planned acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery.
Ellison had already said HBO Max and Paramount+ would merge into one platform after the deal. That made a leadership choice between Holland and Bloys almost inevitable, since neither top streaming executive was expected to report to the other.
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Why does Cindy Holland's exit matter now?
Holland joined Ellison's orbit in January 2025 as an advisor, then became chair of direct-to-consumer in August 2025, overseeing Paramount+ and Pluto TV. In her memo, she listed three early goals: advising on the Warner Bros. Discovery acquisition, transforming Paramount+ and reviving Pluto TV, and building a strong team — all of which she said were accomplished in just over a year.
She credited the DTC group with growing Paramount+ to an all-time subscriber high, its best retention on record, and double-digit growth in engagement and revenue. The slate included more than 40 new and returning series, plus records for Landman and Dutton Ranch, alongside major live sports pushes with UFC and other rights deals.
Ellison praised Holland as "one of the most exceptional executives in our industry," saying Paramount+ reached new heights and Pluto TV saw its biggest transformation in a decade under her watch.
What happens to Paramount+ programming next?
Holland's exit raises questions about lieutenants such as Paramount+ Head of Originals Jane Wiseman, a longtime collaborator from Netflix and Sister. Bloys has signaled he wants to keep his senior HBO team intact after WBD is acquired.
Holland, a key architect of Netflix's early originals including House of Cards and The Crown, also helped land the Duffer Brothers at Paramount. She endorsed the Paramount-WBD combination as serving artists and audiences, saying she looks forward to what the teams accomplish in the "next, momentous chapter."