Former Netflix content chief Cindy Holland will lend her expertise to David Ellison and Skydance as the company looks to close its acquisition of Paramount Global.
Holland has been named a “senior advisor” to Ellison and Skydance, “where she will lend her expertise and insights on the streaming business.”
Holland had been global CEO of Sister, the production company founded in 2019 by Elisabeth Murdoch Stacey Snider and Jane Featherstone. Holland joined Sister in July 2023 with a mandate to grow its global production business.
“Sister has always been synonymous with quality storytelling, creative integrity and an extraordinary team and I am very proud to have been a part of it,” Holland said in a statement. “I’m grateful to Liz, Jane and the whole team for their partnership, and I look forward to collaborating with them on projects in the future. I’ve had a longstanding relationship with David and the senior team at Skydance and I’m energized by the opportunity to work closely with them.”
However, with global TV production on the downswing, Sister determined that it would lean into the parts of its business that were already profitable, and to shut down its Los Angeles office at the end of 2024. The company still plans to produce and sell shows for the U.S. market, but will shift its focus to its U.K. core.
Sister CFO Chris Fry will serve as interim CEO of the company while it searched for a new leader.
“Cindy is a brilliant, talented executive and anyone would be fortunate to work with her. I’m truly grateful for her stewardship and her leadership, and hope we’ll collaborate together in a new capacity for many years,” Murdoch added. “These are challenging times for production companies, requiring difficult decisions. The Board believes, as I do, that we can significantly boost sustainable growth and strengthen our Group by doubling down on our proven track record of successfully producing from the UK for a worldwide audience. Our exceptional UK base for Sister film and television operations that sells and produces for the US and the world will be our model moving forward. I’m thankful for the work of the SISTER US film and television team, and we will take care of them.”