Paramount’s chief technology officer Phil Wiser is stepping down at the end of May, effective May 29, after seven years at the company. In a farewell memo, Wiser cited a shift back to “Silicon Valley tech roots,” while Paramount’s chief product officer said hi
When Phil Wiser told Paramount’s tech team he would be leaving at the end of May. it landed at the heart of a bigger transition already under way.. Paramount has been accelerating its digital strategy since David Ellison became CEO last August. promising investments in technology and data to narrow the gap with Netflix.
Wiser’s message, shared with colleagues Friday morning, was direct: he is stepping away after seven-plus years with the company.. “Writing this and sharing this news is harder than I expected. ” he wrote in his farewell memo. later saying he is “heading back to my Silicon Valley tech roots to advance some ideas on enterprise AI.” He added that he remains “energized and excited” about what he called an expanding AI revolution.
Paramount’s leadership is already rearranging the tech bench to keep the momentum.. In a follow-up email. Dane Glasgow. Paramount’s chief product officer. said Wiser is departing at the end of May and that the company will not replace him with a new chief tech officer.. Instead, Glasgow said Wiser’s responsibilities will be divided among four executives who will report to him.
Those executives are Laksh Nathan, EVP and chief information officer; Jim Harrison, EVP of infrastructure & media technology; Frank Governale, SVP of production technology & operations; and Carlo Joseph, chief information security officer.
Glasgow credited Wiser with building technology foundations as Paramount scaled its global direct-to-consumer business.. “Phil has played a meaningful role in shaping our technology strategy during his time here. ” Glasgow wrote. adding that Wiser helped “advance our technical and digital capabilities” while strengthening “technology foundations” during that growth.
Wiser’s memo reflected on far more than a job change.. He said he was not retiring, but described the decision as something he had planned alongside the company’s transition.. A person familiar with the move said Wiser may look to work with tech startups. and that his step down on May 29 was part of a planned transition.
In his final missive. Wiser emphasized the work behind the scenes as Paramount reworked its technology systems through major corporate shifts.. He joined the company in September 2018 after serving as the tech chief for Hearst and Sony.. During his tenure, the company weathered the Viacom-CBS merger, a rebrand to Paramount, the Paramount-Skydance tie-up, and the COVID-19 pandemic.
Glasgow also linked Wiser’s influence to modernization and integration. In the email to employees, he said Wiser’s leadership “further contributed to the modernization of our platforms and the integration of data and technology across our brands.”
As Paramount pushes deeper into digital product development, Wiser’s departure comes during a phase of experimentation and consolidation.. Paramount has embraced a “tech-forward” approach since Ellison became CEO. telling employees that prioritizing investments in advanced technology and data capabilities is key to narrowing the gap with Netflix in streaming.
In recent months. Paramount+ has launched a short-form video feed and explored adding video podcasts and interactive elements such as shopping features and sports stats.. The company is also pursuing “convergence. ” combining the tech platforms for its namesake streamer and Pluto TV. in an effort that involves bringing key tech teams together.
Wiser’s memo offered a window into how leadership intends to move forward.. After listing key accomplishments. including what he described as “one final win together — Oracle Fusion in just 15 months. ” Wiser returned to the human side of the transition.. “What I am most grateful for is not the accomplishments — as remarkable as they are,” he wrote.. “It is the people.”
He told his team they are positioned for what comes next as technology and AI accelerate. and he said the foundation his group built—“infrastructure. the platforms. the operational discipline. the AI capabilities”—is a “genuine competitive advantage.” Wiser will stay with the company through the end of May. and he asked employees to stay in touch as he heads into what he described as his next chapter in enterprise AI.
Stay Scrappy! Phil
Paramount Phil Wiser CTO David Ellison tech transformation Paramount+ Pluto TV convergence enterprise AI Oracle Fusion media technology information security