Promotion for David Nevins, Richard Parsons Resigns from CBS Corp.

There have been a number of executive shakeups at CBS Corporation, where Richard Parsons has resigned from the board of directors and David Nevins has been named chief creative officer as well as chairman of Showtime Networks.

Effective immediately, Strauss Zelnick will assume Parsons’ position as interim chairman of the board at CBS Corporation. Zelnick has held roles across the entertainment industry, including recorded music at BMG Entertainment, motion pictures and television programming at 20th Century Fox and international TV distribution at Columbia Pictures. In 2001, he founded the media-focused private equity firm ZMC (Zelnick Media Capital), and he currently serves as CEO and chairman of the board of directors of Take-Two Interactive Software.

“The reason for my departure relates to the state of my health,” said Parsons. “As some of you know, when I agreed to join the board and serve as the interim chair, I was already dealing with a serious health challenge—multiple myeloma—but I felt that the situation was manageable. Unfortunately, unanticipated complications have created additional new challenges, and my doctors have advised that cutting back on my current commitments is essential to my overall recovery. I trust CBS’s distinguished Board, now led by Strauss Zelnick, as well as CBS’s strong management team led by Joe Ianniello, will continue to successfully guide this Company into its very bright future.”

Nevins, meanwhile, will take on oversight of programming, marketing and research across CBS Television Studios, the CBS Television Network’s Entertainment division, Showtime Networks and, in conjunction with CBS Interactive, programming for CBS All Access. He will also oversee CBS’s interest in The CW. As chairman and CEO of Showtime Networks, Nevins manages the company’s programming, distribution, business development, finance, marketing, creative, digital media, scheduling, research, acquisitions, network operations, home entertainment, business affairs and corporate communications teams, as well as Showtime Sports and Smithsonian Networks.

“David has a brilliant creative mind and an impressive track record of success at Showtime and in the entertainment industry,” said Joe Ianniello, president and acting CEO of CBS Corporation. “He is a forward-thinking leader who has driven programming excellence and subscriber growth for the cable network and its growing over-the-top service. The combination of David working with the outstanding and proven creative leaders we have in place will continue to build our position as a global premium content powerhouse.”

“We have great strength in the creative leadership across the Company’s content divisions, and I am excited to get to work with the talented teams that run CBS’ programming services,” said Nevins. “Together, we are committed to growing our businesses, offering industry-leading shows that are among the most powerful and most loved across broadcast, streaming and premium cable.”

Additionally, Christina Spade has been appointed to the position of executive VP and chief financial officer at CBS Corp. Spade has served as executive VP, CFO and strategy for Showtime Networks since February 2013.

“Chris has been a successful financial executive at one of our most profitable businesses for a little over two decades,” said Ianniello. “I’ve been fortunate to work closely with Chris as a key member of the Showtime leadership team, and I am confident that she will now make even greater contributions in her new role.”