WBD int’l president Gerhard Zeiler confirms departure following Skydance merger

Gerhard Zeiler, the veteran media exec who has led Warner Bros Discovery’s international operation since 2022, has confirmed he will not be joining the merged Skydance entity.

Gerhard Zeiler

On Friday, Zeiler told colleagues that he was leaving the company in an internal memo, a departure that had been partly expected amid rumours of a leadership run within Australia’s Social Democratic Party.

“I have started writing this message several times, and each time I stopped.
Perhaps because after so many years, it is surprisingly difficult to find the right words to say goodbye. At the end of next week, I will leave the company,” wrote Zeiler.

The exec has been president of international at WBD for the past four years after previously serving as president of WarnerMedia International and president of Turner International. Before that, he was the CEO at Germany’s RTL.

Zeiler’s exit comes after it was yesterday confirmed that Kevin MacLellan, who was Paramount Skydance’s president of international and global content distribution, was also leaving following the close of the merger.

While Skydance has not specifically named a new head of international, JB Perrette is overseeing streaming and networks outside the US in his wide-ranging role as co-chair and chief business officer of Skydance TV and co-chair and chief business officer Skydance direct-to-consumer.

It is understood that Skydance’s leadership team plans to reorganise the international operation of the combined business, with no specific timeline in place for when the new structure will be in place.

“You made me a better leader. You also made me a better listener. And, on more than a few occasions, you made me change my mind. Now it is time for me to leave,” added Zeiler.

“And while I am excited about the next chapter of my life, I would be lying if I said leaving you was easy. It isn’t. I will miss you. It has been one of the greatest privileges of my professional life to work alongside you. From the bottom of my heart, thank you.”