Paramount Global has appointed Lee Sears EVP, head of international advertising sales and integrated marketing.
He will report to Pam Kaufman, president and CEO of international markets, global consumer products and experiences, and to John Halley, president of Paramount Advertising.
In this role, Sears will lead Paramount’s international advertising organisation, formerly known as Velocity International, as a newly aligned group under the global sales organization with oversight of sales, monetisation and strategy for Paramount’s D2C streaming business. In addition, he will oversee ad sales for Paramount’s linear pay-TV portfolio outside the US and the UK, including linear sales, sponsorship, and brand solutions, social and digital, and live events.
Commenting on the appointment, Kaufman said: “Lee is a tremendous asset to our organisation, with deep experience running ad businesses, partner relations and leading ad sales teams. I am confident Lee’s leadership will further position Paramount as an advertising powerhouse, a trusted partner and a must-buy for advertisers and marketers around the world.”.
Sears added: “The depth and breadth of Paramount’s portfolio is one of our biggest strengths, and I am honoured to take on this role at such a pivotal time for Paramount’s global advertising business. With global sales strategies, aligned closely with our in-market expertise, I am confident Paramount will maximise the scale of our incredible content for partners worldwide”.
Prior to the appointment, Sears was EVP and head of digital, ad Sales & events, overseeing Velocity International, the company’s full-service brand solutions division, which integrated clients into cultural conversations with custom content across all platforms and experiences.
Prior to Velocity International, Sears worked under Paramount’s international division for five years in various executive roles, including head of trading and director of sales and partnerships at MTV International.
