Tom Ryan Steps Down as President & CEO of Paramount Streaming: A Legacy of Innovation and Success
Paramount Streaming's President & CEO, Tom Ryan, is stepping down from his position after the company's merger with Skydance Media. He will continue to support the team in an advisory role during the transition to new management. Ryan played a significant role in the growth of Pluto TV and Paramount+, two influential streaming platforms that have become global powerhouses.
As the co-founder and CEO of Pluto TV, Ryan launched the ad-supported streaming service in 2014, which turned profitable in 2020 and has remained successful since then. Under his leadership, the service surpassed $1 billion in annual revenue and played a key role in popularizing the FAST category in the streaming industry. Pluto TV was acquired by Viacom in 2019 for $340 million, and later merged with Paramount.
Since 2020, Ryan has been leading Paramount Streaming, where he oversaw the company's Streaming / DTC division. Under his guidance, the division's revenue grew significantly, reaching $7.6 billion in 2024. In the second quarter of 2025, Paramount Streaming generated $2.2 billion in revenue and increased global profit by over 500% to $157 million, marking a profitable first half of the year.
Ryan also spearheaded the launch of Paramount+ in 2021, which has grown to 78 million subscribers in just four years. The service remains one of the fastest-growing SVOD platforms in the U.S. and globally. Ryan is now exploring new entrepreneurial opportunities and serves as Chairman of Struck Studio, a startup venture studio that has launched several AI-enabled startups across different industries.
In a note to his team, Ryan expressed his gratitude for the journey they shared and the success they achieved together. He highlighted the challenges they overcame, the milestones they reached, and the culture they built as a team. While stepping away from his day-to-day role, Ryan will continue to support the transition to new leadership and is confident in the team's ability to achieve even greater success in the future.
In conclusion, Tom Ryan's departure from Paramount Streaming marks the end of an era for the company, but his legacy of innovation and leadership will continue to inspire the team as they move forward under new management. His contributions to the streaming industry have been significant, and his entrepreneurial spirit will undoubtedly lead him to new ventures and successes in the future.