Jane Wiseman, the Executive Vice President and Head of Originals for Paramount+, is exiting her role after 14 months as the streaming platform undergoes a massive leadership overhaul. The shift comes as creative oversight for Paramount+ is consolidated under HBO Max leadership following the official close of the merger between Paramount and Warner Bros. Discovery under the Skydance banner.
According to a memo issued by Casey Bloys, who now heads the combined Skydance streaming operation, Sarah Aubrey will take the lead on original programming for both Paramount+ and HBO Max. Aubrey, the current Head of Originals for HBO Max, will now oversee the creative direction of both platforms, effectively centralizing the production pipelines of the two former rivals.
The leadership changes are part of a broader restructuring following the merger that was finalized in early October 2026. While the creative teams are merging, TheWrap reports that Paramount+ and HBO Max will continue to operate as separate applications with distinct programming slates in the short term. However, the move signals a definitive “HBO-centric” approach to the future of the combined company’s streaming strategy.
The New Leadership Roster
The consolidation brings HBO Max leadership into positions of power over Paramount’s existing library. Along with Aubrey’s expanded role, the new Direct-to-Consumer (DTC) structure follows the departure of Cindy Holland, the former Paramount Chair of Direct-to-Consumer, who left the company shortly before Wiseman’s exit was confirmed. Wiseman’s departure marks the end of a prolific, albeit brief, tenure where she oversaw the greenlighting or renewal of 44 series, including high-profile projects like Landman, MobLand, and The Madison.
Impact on Paramount+ Programming
While the leadership transition is immediate, the impact on current production schedules for major franchises remains a point of observation for the industry. Wiseman was instrumental in managing the expansion of the “Taylor Sheridan universe” and other tentpole series that defined the Paramount+ brand. Under the new hierarchy, these projects will now fall under the purview of Aubrey and her team.
As confirmed in the SEC filings related to the merger’s closing, the strategic goal of the consolidation is to streamline costs and unify the creative vision across the conglomerate’s various platforms. While fans of series like Landman or The Madison may not see immediate changes to their favorite shows, the long-term development of new originals will now be filtered through the established HBO Max executive lens.
For now, subscribers to both services will not see a change in how they access content, as the unification of the actual streaming apps into a single product has not yet been scheduled. The focus remains on the executive “shakeup” intended to align the creative output of two of the industry’s largest content libraries.
