David Decker Lands Top Content Sales Role At Skydance With Jay Askinasi Overseeing Ads, Ray Hopkins Leading Distribution

Skydance has named its top executives across content licensing, advertising and distribution.

David Decker will become President, Content Sales, Jay Askinasi has been named Chief Revenue Officer, Advertising and Ray Hopkins has been appointed President, Distribution.

The trio will report to JB Perrette, Co-Chair & Chief Business Officer, Skydance TV and Skydance DTC.

Decker’s appointment is significant as the company heads into Mipcom. He was previously named President, Content Sales for Warner Bros. Discovery in 2023 and will oversee sales of the Paramount and WBD television library to international broadcasters, streamers and third-party platforms in the U.S.

It’s not clear what this move means for Kevin MacLellan, who was President, Global Content Distribution & International at Paramount or Don McGregor, who was the company’s global licensing chief.

Askinasi was previously Chief Revenue Officer at Paramount, having joined last year from Roku. Hopkins was previously President of U.S. Networks Distribution at Paramount since 2019, having joined CBS in 2013.

“Bringing together the incomparable portfolios of Paramount Skydance and Warner Bros. Discovery creates an extraordinary combination of iconic brands, world-class storytelling, deep creative relationships and talented teams around the globe which offers tremendous opportunities for our commercial partners,” said Perrette. “By combining our strengths and uniting our teams, we will build on the incredible legacies of both companies to serve audiences and partners in new and more innovative ways and shape an even more ambitious future. Jay, David and Ray are hugely talented and respected leaders with deep experience, strong industry relationships and a shared commitment to our partners and our people. There is tremendous opportunity ahead of us, and I look forward to working closely with them as we build the next generation media and entertainment organization.”