Nickelodeon has tapped Paramount Players President Brian Robbins to head up the kids network.
Robbins will manage the creative and business operations at Nickelodeon and will look to evolve the brand for a new generation of audiences. Robbins, who effectively replaces former Nickelodeon president Cyma Zarghami who left the network in June, will report to Viacom president and CEO Bob Bakish.
Robbins most recently served as President of Paramount Pictures’ Paramount Players division, where he worked closely with Nickelodeon and Viacom’s other brands to identify talent and properties to be developed into co-branded feature films, including Dora the Explorer and Rugrats.
Wyck Godfrey, President of Paramount Pictures’ Motion Picture Group, will oversee day-to-day operations at Paramount Players, with support from Robbins during a transition period in which the company will look for Robbins' successor.
Prior to leading Paramount Players, Robbins co-founded the multi-platform media company Awesomeness in 2012 and served as Chief Executive Officer.
“Brian is a creative powerhouse who has spent his career on the frontlines of our industry, anticipating and driving changes in television, film and digital media,” said Bakish in a statement. “With his unmatched credentials in kids’ entertainment and his firsthand knowledge of Nickelodeon, I have asked Brian to drive the innovation and transformation that will ensure the brand remains the dominant force with young audiences.”
