MUMBAI: Pam Kaufman, the executive who turned a “yellow sea sponge” into a global merchandising juggernaut, has announced her departure from Paramount after more than two decades with the entertainment giant.
Kaufman, who served as chief executive of international markets and global consumer products, will leave at the end of the year, though she plans to stay on as a consultant. Her exit comes as David Ellison and Jeff Shell take the reins of the newly restructured media company.
During her tenure, Kaufman transformed Paramount’s consumer products division into a $7bn retail business. She oversaw the expansion of iconic franchises including SpongeBob SquarePants, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, and Paw Patrol across more than 170 international markets. Under her watch, the company struck lucrative partnerships with brands from Stella McCartney to Supreme, many of which sold out within minutes of launch.
The executive, who began her career at Nickelodeon in the 1990s, became the network’s first chief marketing officer in 2008. She launched over 20 television programmes and helped the company achieve $1bn in revenue. Her marketing prowess was perhaps best demonstrated with the Kids’ Choice Awards, where she nearly tripled voter participation.
Kaufman’s international expansion efforts included launching Nickelodeon-themed resorts in Mexico and the United States, whilst the gaming division she oversaw produced hits like Star Trek Fleet Command, which has racked up 20m downloads.
“We built billion-dollar franchises,” Kaufman wrote in her farewell post on LinkedIn. “We turned a yellow sea sponge into a global icon.”
The departure marks the end of an era for Paramount, which has been grappling with the rapid shift to streaming whilst trying to maintain its traditional television and film businesses. Kaufman played a crucial role in supporting the international rollout of Paramount+ and Pluto TV.
Beyond Paramount, Kaufman sits on the boards of Lindblad Expeditions, Stella McCartney, and the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Foundation. She will remain in these roles.
“I’ve truly had the slime of my life,” she quipped, referencing Nickelodeon’s trademark green goo, “in the ‘in between’ with all of you.”
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