Bob Bakish, president and CEO of Paramount Global, has been named the personality of the year for the upcoming MIPCOM Cannes television confab, which runs from Oct. 16 to 19.Bakish will receive the honor on Tuesday, Oct. 17 at Cannes’ Grand Palais des Festivals after a keynote session where he will discuss Paramount Global’s strategy and major trends shaping the industry.Bakish has led Paramount since 2019 and has overseen the studio’s transformation through the Viacom and CBS merger, overseeing a portfolio of companies across more than 180 countries that includes Paramount Pictures film studio; television networks CBS, Nickelodeon, MTV, Comedy Central, BET, Channel 5 in the UK, Network 10 in Australia and Telefe in Argentina; flagship streaming services Paramount+ and Pluto TV; and the Paramount Pictures film studio.Like all studio heads, Bakish has been at the center of the dual strikes in Hollywood. In May, shortly after the Writers Guild of America went on strike, he explained on a company earnings call how Paramount had been preparing for the possibility of labor action and outlined how the studio’s slate of new releases, its large library and strong offshore production operations would help it weather the work stoppage.Announcing the personality of the year honor, Lucy Smith, director of MIPCOM Cannes said Bakish “personifies exemplary leadership during these transformative times. Perhaps most ‘paramount’ to everyone attending MIPCOM Cannes is Bob’s market-leading growth strategy that sees streaming and third-party international licensing not only co-exist but flourish as business models under one global media company. He is equipping Paramount for its next era, and our Personality of the Year 2023 honor could not be timelier or more relevant.”Bakish said he was “deeply honored” to receive the Personality of the Year honor at what he called a “watershed moment in media” He said he was “excited to share how we’re positioning our business for continued growth as we entertain audiences around the world.”Since 1989, MIPCOM has recognized “ground-breaking visionaries, icons and innovators” in the global television industry with its Personality of the Year award. Previous honorees include Bob Greenblatt, Issa Rae, David Zaslav, Shonda Rhimes, Dana Walden, Simon Cowell and Jeffrey Katzenberg.
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