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MIPCOM CANNES announced that Bob Bakish, President and CEO of Paramount Global, will be honoured with the prestigious ‘MIPCOM CANNES Personality of the Year’ award at the forthcoming 39th edition of the International Co-Production & Entertainment Content Market (16-19 Oct), presented as part of a keynote session in the world-renowned Grand Auditorium of the Palais des Festivals in Cannes on Tuesday 17 October at 17.00.

Awarded at the world’s greatest gathering of TV and entertainment executives in recognition of outstanding leadership and creative contribution to the industry, Bakish will share from the stage insights from a distinguished career and discuss his approach to evolving a preeminent global content company at a time of dramatic change across the media landscape.

Since 1989, the ‘MIPCOM CANNES Personality of the Year’ award has recognised a short list of the entertainment industry’s most ground-breaking visionaries, icons and innovators for their outstanding achievements in the international content industry, with honourees over the last decade including Bob Greenblatt, Issa Rae, David Zaslav, Shonda Rhimes, Dana Walden & Gary Newman, Simon Cowell and Jeffrey Katzenberg.

One of the industry’s most respected and successful figures, Bakish oversees a powerful portfolio of multiplatform consumer brands, including flagship streaming services Paramount+ and Pluto TV; the Paramount Pictures film studio; and television networks CBS, Nickelodeon, MTV, Comedy Central, BET, Channel 5 in the UK, Network 10 in Australia and Telefe in Argentina, among other properties that together serve audiences in more than 180 countries.

Bakish has led Paramount since 2019, unifying the company created from the recombination of Viacom and CBS, and driving its continued transformation through a strategy to build a next generation media business that spans both traditional and digital markets, with compelling, popular content at its core.

Prior to the merger, Bakish was President and CEO of Viacom since 2016, spearheading the revitalisation of the company and returning it to growth across multiplatform content, distribution and advertising. Bakish previously headed Viacom’s international division as President and CEO of Viacom International Media Networks since 2007, during which he led a period of unprecedented expansion for the business. Bakish joined Viacom in 1997 from Booz Allen & Hamilton, where he was a partner in its Media and Entertainment practice.

“Bob Bakish personifies exemplary leadership during these transformative times.” said Lucy Smith, Director of MIPCOM CANNES. “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 honour could not be timelier or more relevant.”

“I am deeply honoured to receive the MIPCOM CANNES Personality of the Year award at this watershed moment in media,” said Bakish. “The privilege of leading our global team under the storied Paramount brand is as thrilling as ever, and I’m excited to share how we’re positioning our business for continued growth as we entertain audiences around the world.”

More than 260 exhibitors from over 40 countries are confirmed to date for MIPCOM CANNES - the mother of all entertainment content markets – in 2023. Riviera exhibition halls and outdoor Croisette beach exhibition areas are sold out with an initial exhibitor line-up comprising major studios, production and distribution groups (including All3Media International, Amazon MGM Studios Distribution, Banijay Rights, BBC Studios, BETA Film, FOX Entertainment Global, NBCUniversal International, Paramount Global Content Distribution, Federation Studios, France tv distribution, Fremantle, Global Screen, ITV Studios, The Mediapro Studio, Mediawan, Movistar+, Red Arrow Studios International, STUDIOCANAL, The Walt Disney Company, Warner Bros. Discovery and ZDF Studios amongst many others).

MIPJUNIOR also returns to the JW Marriott in the weekend heading into MIPCOM CANNES (13-15 Oct) with a brand-new half-day pre-opening programme beginning at 14.00 on Friday (Oct. 13).

The week-long MIPCOM CANNES conference programme helps define the TV industry year with keynotes from leading global players and thought-leaders, screenings of highly anticipated series and exclusive research presentations. An overview of the Conference Programme schedule can be found here.