Strategy Simplified S18E16: Paramount’s 3 CEOs and 18K Employees?! | The Real Power of Private Markets (June 10, 2025)
Jun 10, 2025
The discussion dives into the unusual setup of Paramount's leadership, with three CEOs managing a vast workforce amid layoffs. It unveils staggering statistics about private companies, highlighting their dominance over publicly traded firms in the U.S. The podcast also delves into challenges facing the streaming industry, including intense competition and consumer frustrations. Additionally, it addresses the impact of frequent layoffs on company morale and brand image, advocating for more compassionate decision-making during workforce reductions.
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Private Markets Outpace Public
- The U.S. has under 4,000 publicly traded companies and over 60,000 private firms backed by PE or VC.
- Most business innovation and activity happens in private markets, not public ones.
Paramount's Large Workforce
- Paramount employs about 18,600 full and part-time employees, indicating a very staff-heavy business.
- The company is cutting 3.5% of its U.S. workforce despite macroeconomic headwinds and industry challenges.
Three CEOs at Paramount
- Paramount Global is uniquely led by three CEOs, which complicates executive decision-making and communications.
- This trio leadership structure poses challenges especially when announcing layoffs or crisis communications.