Monty Sarhan is the founding CEO of SkyShowtime, a streaming service that is a joint venture of Comcast and Paramount Global. Launched in September 2022, SkyShowtime is available in over 20 markets across Europe. It brings together the best entertainment from both companies, including new theatrical releases from Paramount and Universal as well as series from Paramount+, NBCUniversal’s Peacock, Sky, and Showtime.
During his career, Sarhan has worked on several high-profile projects including the launches of streaming services, television networks, video game franchises, and start-ups.
Sarhan was named CEO of SkyShowtime in early 2022, joining from Comcast where he previously served as the Senior Vice President of Content Acquisition for the Cable division and led the team’s finance, operations, and strategy functions.
Prior to that, he was the Executive Vice President and General Manager of the subscription service MGM+ (formerly EPIX), which began as a joint venture of Paramount, Lionsgate, and MGM. As General Manager, he was responsible for the day-to-day management and operations of the company with full P&L responsibility and determined the overall revenue, distribution, and growth strategy for the company. He launched its direct-to-consumer streaming service and secured full national distribution for its networks.
Part of the original team that launched EPIX in 2009, Sarhan previously served as the Executive Vice President of Programming, Strategy & Enterprises for over four years. In that capacity, he had P&L responsibility for EPIX’s programming budget; led the scheduling, program planning, operations, and business & legal affairs teams; and was involved in developing the network’s overall strategic direction and distribution initiatives across traditional MVPDs, vMVPDs, and other digital platforms. He also negotiated the first deals that brought original programming to the service and managed relationships with its studio and film suppliers (MGM, Lionsgate, Roadside Attractions, and Paramount).
Following EPIX’s acquisition by MGM in early 2017, Sarhan was tapped to be the point person on the integration with MGM and oversaw that effort across all areas of the business including operations, human resources, and distribution.
Sarhan was previously Senior Vice President at Paramount’s Media Networks division, where he oversaw all business affairs for EPIX and, as one of the founding members of the EPIX team, worked on nearly every aspect of the network’s launch including distribution, digital strategy, TV Everywhere initiatives, business development, programming acquisitions, and production deals. Sarhan first joined Paramount in 2007 as Vice President, working on deals across Paramount’s Media Networks’ group (including for MTV, VH1, Comedy Central, Nickelodeon, and Spike as well as the group’s internet properties) and the MTV Games group. Sarhan negotiated agreements with Sony, Nintendo and Microsoft that established MTV Games as a publisher and was part of the team that launched the hugely successful Rock Band video game franchise as well as The Beatles: Rock Band, which marked the first time the iconic band’s music was available digitally. In 2013, he briefly served as General Counsel and Senior Vice President of Business Affairs for WWE (NYSE: WWE), before returning to Paramount.
In 2016, Sarhan was nominated to take part in Paramount’s Inspirational Leadership Program, which identifies future leaders of key business groups. Only 35 people from across Viacom’s global team of over 10,000 employees are selected each year. He was the first person ever selected from a Viacom joint venture.
Prior to joining Viacom, Sarhan founded and ran two separate start-ups—developing the concepts and business models, raising money, and growing both to successful exits. Sarhan was the sole founder and CEO of Cracked Entertainment. He acquired CRACKED, the historical competitor to MAD Magazine, and relaunched it as a digital property—CRACKED.com—targeting a new demo with an entirely new editorial formula. It is now one of the country’s leading comedy sites. Before that, Sarhan co-founded and ran a start-up in the financial services/technology space. The company entered into exclusive deals with both Ameritrade and NASDAQ to provide trading technology to emerging stock markets and banks in developing markets.
A graduate of Duke University‘s School of Law, Sarhan earned his undergraduate degree from Tufts University. He is married and lives with his wife, daughter, and two sons in London.
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