MIPCOM CANNES has announced that Dan Cohen, Chief Content Licensing Officer, Paramount, President, Republic Pictures and one of the most influential figures in the international distribution industry, will give a Media Mastermind keynote at the forthcoming 40th edition of the International Co-Production and Entertainment Content Market in Cannes (21-24 October 2024).
During this main stage conversation, Cohen will share insights into the worldwide content licensing strategy he leads within the multi-faceted global studio, and additionally be joined in Cannes by special guests. The keynote will be presented in the world-renowned Grand Auditorium of the Palais des Festival in Cannes on Tuesday 22 October at 15.00.
As head of Paramount’s global content licensing and all post-theatrical distribution operations, Cohen oversees the monetising of an extensive and expanding portfolio of original content that airs or streams on CBS, The CW, and Paramount+ with Showtime, as well as programming from Paramount Pictures, CBS Studios, CBS News, CBS Media Ventures, the MTV Entertainment Studios, Nickelodeon, Miramax and third-party partners.
President of Republic Pictures since March 2023, Cohen has additionally overseen a revitalising of the label under Paramount Global through critically and commercially successful releases that include the multi-award-winning Blackberry, William Friedkin’s final film The Caine Mutiny Court-Martial, the Jodie Comer-led apocalyptic thriller The End We Start From, The Greatest Night in Pop and Rob Peace, both of which debuted at Sundance earlier this year as well as September 5 which premiered at the Venice Film Festival and Mother Mother which just premiered at this year’s Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) and Millers In Marriage scheduled to premiere this week at TIFF. Cohen also runs worldwide home entertainment for Paramount Global, overseeing the distribution of one of the industry’s largest library of film and television titles.
“Dan Cohen drives one of the biggest licensing portfolios in Entertainment.” said Lucy Smith, Director of MIPCOM CANNES and MIP LONDON. “The breadth of Paramount’s brands and distribution platforms combined with their commitment to third party licensing is second to none. An audience with Dan Cohen offers a masterclass study in creativity and monetisation, informed by his decades of experience on the international stage adapting to new technologies, audience behaviours and opportunities. We warmly welcome him warmly back to Cannes.”
Dan Cohen said: “MIPCOM Cannes has consistently been a critical beat in our annual sales cycle in the ever-changing global content licensing landscape,” said Cohen. “I’m honored to be delivering a keynote address at the landmark 40th edition of the market as it is a valued opportunity which MIPCOM provides for our global team to gather together and with our clients.”
Prior to joining Paramount, Cohen spent 20 years at Disney/ABC, where he served as executive vice president of pay television and digital sales for home entertainment and television distribution for the Walt Disney Studios. In this role, he distributed catalogue and properties such as Disney, Pixar, Marvel, Lucasfilm, ABC and Disney Channel to businesses around the globe. Cohen was also responsible for securing two of the most significant landmark television deals in U.S. history – Netflix in 2012 and Starz in 1999 – negotiating exclusive, multi-year deals and licensing agreements.
Paramount Global Content Distribution will also host the World Premiere Screening of the highly anticipated CBS Studios series Watson on the eve of the market on Sunday 20 October at 18.00, also in the Palais des Festivals’ Grand Auditorium. Attended by title lead and executive producer Morris Chestnut and executive producer and showrunner Craig Sweeny, the new medical drama inspired by the characters from Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s Sherlock Holmes mysteries, is set to air mid-season 2024-25 on CBS.
