NEW YORK–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Viacom, Inc., (NASDAQ: VIAB, VIA) has named Pamela Kaufman to the new role of President, Viacom/Nickelodeon Global Consumer Products, with global oversight of the consumer products business across Viacom Media Networks and Paramount Pictures. Kaufman will lead worldwide licensing and merchandising and provide strategic focus on maximizing Viacom’s portfolio of brands and iconic franchise properties, including Nickelodeon’s PAW Patrol, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and SpongeBob SquarePants, MTV’s Jersey Shore: Family Vacation, Comedy Central’s South Park, Paramount Pictures’ The Godfather and Grease, among others. She will report to Cyma Zarghami, President of Nickelodeon, and David Lynn, President and CEO of Viacom International Media Networks.
Bob Bakish, President and Chief Executive Officer of Viacom, said, “Expanding and diversifying our consumer products businesses around the world is a key strategic initiative that will help drive Viacom’s future growth. The exceptional leadership and vision Pam has demonstrated at Nickelodeon make her a natural fit for this exciting new position, and her appointment will accelerate our efforts in building this important global business.”
A Nickelodeon veteran, Kaufman previously served as President of Consumer Products and Chief Marketing Officer for Nickelodeon, overseeing both business and franchise strategy for Nick’s multi-billion-dollar global consumer products business. The force behind some of Nickelodeon’s most iconic, long-lasting franchises including SpongeBob SquarePants, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and PAW Patrol, her vision and commitment to brand-building has led to ground-breaking partnerships and a winning consumer products portfolio across all retail aisles and classes of trade.
Under her leadership, Kaufman’s teams have delivered exciting and innovative products and designs for all demos and aisles in every market. Kaufman has also forged deep partnerships with top worldwide retailers and leading licensing partners across all lines of business, in addition to the development of cutting-edge collaborations with some of the biggest names in fashion, sports and social media, including Jeremy Scott, Carmelo Anthony, Vans, New York lifestyle brand KITH, (RED) and teen sensation JoJo Siwa.
Kaufman has received numerous industry accolades, including Advertising Age’s Entertainment Marketer of the Year, Brandweek’s Grand Marketer of the Year, License Global’s list of Influentials, and Multichannel News’ roster of Wonder Women. A passionate advocate for women and families, Kaufman is also a board member of Bottomless Closet, a not-for-profit that prepares women for workplace success, and of the Pace Women’s Justice Center.
About Nickelodeon
Nickelodeon, now in its 39th year, is the number-one entertainment brand for kids. It has built a diverse, global business by putting kids first in everything it does. The company includes television programming and production in the United States and around the world, plus consumer products, digital, recreation, books and feature films. Nickelodeon’s U.S. television network is seen in more than 90 million households and has been the number-one-rated kids’ basic cable network for 22 consecutive years. For more information or artwork, visit http://www.nickpress.com. Nickelodeon and all related titles, characters and logos are trademarks of Viacom Inc. (NASDAQ: VIA, VIAB).
About Viacom
Viacom is home to premier global media brands that create compelling entertainment content – including television programs, motion pictures, short-form content, games, consumer products, podcasts, live events and social media experiences – for audiences in 183 countries. Viacom’s media networks, including Nickelodeon, Nick Jr., MTV, BET, Comedy Central, Paramount Network, VH1, TV Land, CMT, Logo, Channel 5 (UK), Telefe (Argentina), Colors (India) and Paramount Channel, reach approximately 4.3 billion cumulative television subscribers worldwide. Paramount Pictures is a major global producer and distributor of filmed entertainment. Paramount Television develops, finances and produces original programming for television and digital platforms.
For more information about Viacom and its businesses, visit www.viacom.com. Keep up with Viacom news by following Viacom’s blog at blog.viacom.com and Twitter feed at www.twitter.com/viacom.
