ViacomCBS International Studios Launches Unified Sales Structure

ViacomCBS International Studios (VIS) has put in place a new unified division, ViacomCBS International Studios Distribution, which will encompass all studio sales business, including co-productions, presale, formats, tape sales and co-developments.

The company’s former international program sales division—which previously focused on tape and format sales for network-branded content outside Latin America, including the Nickelodeon library and MTV formats—is now combined with VIS’s sales division, which previously focused on VIS original content revenues only.

Lauren Marriott has been appointed senior VP of sales and business operations and distribution lead for the U.K., and Laura Burrell will serve as VP of international formats, both effective immediately. Marriott will dually report to Pierluigi Gazzolo, president of studios and streaming for ViacomCBS Networks International (VCNI), and Arran Tindall, chief commercial officer and executive VP of commercial and content distribution for VCNI. Burrell will report to Kate Laffey, VP of VIS.

Gazzolo said, “As we continue to expand our studio’s global footprint, our new content sales division will allow us to unlock efficiencies and simplify client touchpoints, enabling us to take full advantage of the unprecedented demand for quality content worldwide. ViacomCBS International Studios is critical to ViacomCBS’ overall content ecosystem, and I am confident that Lauren and Laura are ideally suited to lead our now-streamlined content sales division. ”

Marriott commented, “As a one-stop-shop for all content, our sales division will support crucial priorities across our studio and media networks business. I look forward to this new chapter and helping support VIS’s growth and diversification as we continue to become a key competitor in the global content business.”

Burrell said: “In today’s media landscape, there has never been a more important time for ViacomCBS to have a truly global content library. I’m excited to take on this new role and support VIS in delivering hit global formats for every platform worldwide.”