Skydance Media is bidding farewell to a key executive as Jesse Sisgold, former president and COO of the company, prepares to take on a new role at RedBird Capital Partners.
Sisgold, who most recently led Paramount’s Paramount Sports Entertainment division, will join RedBird Capital Partners as a senior C-suite advisor across the firm’s sports and entertainment portfolio. His transition marks the end of a significant chapter in his career, having played a pivotal role in Skydance’s growth and strategic partnerships since 2014.
According to a memo shared by Skydance CEO David Ellison with The Hollywood Reporter, Sisgold’s departure was met with both appreciation and optimism. Ellison praised Sisgold’s foundational contributions, highlighting his role in shaping Skydance’s strategy, securing critical partnerships, and driving expansion into areas like Skydance Animation Madrid.
“He was integral to building our interactive business, raised the capital that fueled our growth and forged relationships that fundamentally changed the trajectory of the company,” Ellison wrote. “He helped lead us through the merger with Paramount. There are very few parts of Skydance that Jesse hasn’t touched, shaped or made better.”
Sisgold joined Skydance in 2014 as president of strategy and business affairs, later becoming COO and leading Skydance Sports. Following Paramount’s acquisition of Skydance, he spearheaded the creation of Paramount Sports Entertainment, expanding its reach across sports storytelling, gaming, and fan engagement. Under his leadership, the division renewed its NFL partnership and secured ten Sports Emmy nominations.
Ellison’s full memo to staff, included below, underscores the deep personal and professional bond between the two executives. “You can’t tell the story of Skydance without Jesse,” Ellison wrote. “When we were 14 people working out of a bungalow on the Paramount Lot, Jesse was there—helping imagine, build and shape the future we’re living today.”
The memo also reflects on Sisgold’s entrepreneurial spirit, noting his desire to “see around corners, find the next opportunity and figure out how to turn an idea into something real.” Ellison expressed excitement for Sisgold’s next venture, adding, “It’s the kind of work you’d expect from him… after more than a decade of doing exactly that here, he wants the freedom to do it across a much broader landscape.”
Ellison highlighted the strategic alignment between Sisgold’s move and Skydance’s ongoing collaboration with RedBird Capital Partners, a relationship Sisgold helped cultivate since its inception. “In 2019, Jesse, Gerry Cardinale and I sat down together. None of us knew exactly where it would lead, but what grew out of that meeting would help transform Skydance—and Gerry would become a great partner and friend along the way.”
While Sisgold is departing his formal role, Ellison emphasized that this transition is not a finality but a continuation of shared goals. “I don’t really think of this as Jesse leaving Skydance. He helped build this place. He is part of its DNA. And he will always be part of this family.”
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