Seven communications executives leave as Skydance sets its merged press team

Seven senior communications executives are leaving the combined Paramount and Warner Bros. Discovery operation, and the new team is taking shape. Melissa Zukerman, Skydance's chief communications officer, named the senior leaders in an internal memo, as Deadline reported on 30 October 2026.

The departing executives are Joe Libonati, who played a key communications role during the merger process, and Arielle Falkowitz, senior vice president of corporate relations and events at Warner Bros. Discovery. They are joined by Megan Klein, senior vice president of corporate communications at Warner Bros. Discovery, and Adrienne O'Hara, executive vice president and chief communications and public affairs officer at the same company. Karen Shosfy, senior vice president of corporate communications at Paramount, is also leaving. Heather Wagoner, senior vice president of internal communications, creative and brand at Skydance, and Dennis Williams, senior vice president of corporate responsibility at Warner Bros. Discovery, complete the list.

Several people are staying on in new roles. Laura Watson is deputy chief communications officer at Paramount, reporting to Zukerman. Deborah Marcus holds the head of corporate social responsibility role in the new structure. Virginia Fout is joining Skydance as head of events.

Zukerman's own path is a short one. She served as Paramount's chief communications officer for 12 months before continuing in the same job at Skydance, according to Provoke Media. Skydance describes her as leading its global communications strategy.

The communications team sits under the company's two co-chief executives, David Ellison and Ynon Kreiz. Ellison founded Skydance Media in 2010 and is chairman and chief executive of Paramount. Kreiz, a former chief of toy maker Mattel, joins as co-CEO. The pair announced their leadership team on 5 October 2026, ahead of the anticipated close of the Warner Bros. Discovery acquisition, according to a Skydance press release.

The communications changes are part of a wider reshuffle. On 28 October, Variety reported that George Cheeks, co-chair of Skydance TV, had sent a staff memo setting out titles for his direct reports and how the studio will work after Warner Bros.

Why does a press team matter to viewers? Communications staff handle announcements for the films and series people watch, and they answer the press on the company's behalf. When those people change, the way new titles are introduced and explained can change with them.

For the people leaving, the news is personal. Each of the seven has spent years inside a company that now has a different shape. The new structure is still settling, and more moves may follow as it does.