Paramount has appointed Reemah Sakaan as President of 5, its UK public service broadcaster.
Sakaan joins on 27 January and will report to Kevin MacLellan, Paramount’s President, International and Global Content Distribution.
In the role, she will lead 5 and oversee its growth strategy as the broadcaster continues to expand its streaming presence. Ben Frow, Chief Content Officer, 5, along with the commissioning, content and marketing teams, will report into Sakaan, alongside commercial distribution and product. She will also work closely with Lee Sears, Paramount’s President of International Ad Sales.
Sakaan was most recently Global CEO of BritBox International, operating in 8 markets including the United States, Canada, Australia, Africa and the Nordics. She was a founder and Chief Creative Officer when BritBox launched in 2017, and became Global CEO in 2020. Paramount said the business grew annually by 25% under her leadership, and in 2024 she oversaw BBC Studios’ acquisition of ITV’s share of the service before stepping down in 2025.
During her time at BritBox, Sakaan negotiated supply deals with Amazon, Apple, Google and Comcast, and commissioned and co-produced a slate of UK originals, including International Emmy-winning Irvine Welsh’s Crime, After the Flood and Beyond Paradise, as well as new Agatha Christie adaptations.
Before BritBox, she held senior marketing roles at ITV, including during the launch of ITV Hub, and at the BBC, where she was Head of Marketing for BBC One and part of the iPlayer launch team.
Sakaan succeeds Sarah Rose, who left Paramount at the end of 2025 to join The Royal Foundation as CEO.
