Viacom has appointed Brian Robbins as president of Nickelodeon, effective immediately.
He will report directly to Bob Bakish, president and CEO of Viacom.
In his new role, Robbins will manage the creative and business operations at Nickelodeon and be responsible for evolving the brand for a new generation of young audiences, including further bolstering its content pipeline through a mix of new and legacy franchises, and accelerating its push into next-generation platforms and feature film.
Robbins most recently served as president of Paramount Pictures’ Paramount Players division, where he worked closely with Nickelodeon and Viacom’s other brands.
He will will remain integrally involved in the development, production and marketing of all Nickelodeon co-branded films with Paramount Players.
With Robbins’ appointment to Nickelodeon, Paramount Pictures has begun a comprehensive search for a successor to lead Paramount Players. In the interim, Wyck Godfrey, president of Paramount Pictures’ Motion Picture Group, will oversee day-to-day operations at Paramount Players, with support from Robbins during a transition period.
Commenting on the appointment, Bakish said: “Brian is a creative powerhouse who has spent his career on the frontlines of our industry, anticipating and driving changes in television, film and digital media. With his unmatched credentials in kids’ entertainment and his first hand knowledge of Nickelodeon, I have asked Brian to drive the innovation and transformation that will ensure the brand remains the dominant force with young audiences.”
Robbins added: “Nickelodeon is one of the entertainment industry’s most vibrant and ground-breaking brands, with iconic properties, a deep culture of creativity and invention, and an incredibly talented team of kids’ entertainment professionals. I’m thrilled to return to Nickelodeon and draw on its many strengths – including its rich library and rapidly growing studio production business – to deliver must-see content to kids on every platform around the world. During this time of upheaval in big media, I can’t wait to disrupt the disrupters.”
Prior to leading Paramount Players, Robbins co-founded the multi-platform media company Awesomeness in 2012 and served as CEO. He also co-founded the production company Tollins/Robbins Productions and was the founder and president of Varsity Pictures
