Paramount Global’s International Chief Raffaele Annecchino goes “On leave”

Paramount Global’s International CEO Raffaele Annecchino has been placed “on leave,” according to an internal note seen by Deadline.

A short statement revealed the exec, who is considered to be a key lieutenant of Paramount President and CEO Bob Bakish in Europe, was no longer in post but provided no further details of the situation. “Effective today, Raffaele Annecchino, President, Paramount International Studios, Networks and Streaming, is on leave from the company,” the note read.

Annecchino will be replaced in the interim by JC Acosta, President, International Studios, Streaming and Networks for Southern Europe, Latin America, Middle East and Africa; Maria Kyriacou, President, Australia, Canada, Israel and UK; and Mark Specht, Executive VP and Managing Director, Central and Northern Europe and Asia, the memo notes.

Annecchino has been leading the role out of Paramount+ and Pluto TV in Europe, recently handing Marco Nobili and Olivier Jollet key new roles to turbo-charge the expansion. He also had ultimate oversight of international networks such as Channel 5 in the UK, Telefe in Argentina and Network Ten in Australia, and oversaw the Indian joint venture Viacom18, which this week bagged the lucrative Indian subcontinent rights to the Indian Premier League cricket.

He has had a long run at Paramount, working through its previous guise as ViacomCBS. He joined MTV Networks International back in 1997, having previously worked at Turner.

Based in Madrid, he reported directly to Bakish. Deadline