Ynon Kreiz, as David Ellison’s right-hand man in the Paramount-Warner Bros. merger. Discovery, receives a big pay raise compared to his salary as CEO of Mattel.
Kreiz, 61, signed an initial five-year employment contract with Paramount. It will debut on October 5, a day before Paramount completes its $111 billion merger with Warner Bros.
Kreiz’s first year salary at Paramount-WB (official name has not been revealed) will total more than $46.5 million, the company revealed in an SEC filing Thursday. This includes a one-time signing award of restricted stock units valued at $31.5 million.
For comparison, as CEO of Mattel, Kreiz received total compensation in 2025 of $15.1 million (including a $1.6 million salary).
At Paramount-WBD, Kreiz will receive an annual base salary of $5 million (effective upon closing of the merger). He is also eligible for an annual bonus targeted at $4.9 million. In addition to the signing grant of $31.5 million in RSUs, he will receive 1.25 million shares of the Company’s Class B common stock (the “Pre-Closing Grant”). Additionally, within 15 days of the closing of WBD, Kreiz will be granted RSUs with an aggregate grant date value of up to $5.1 million (prorated based on the portion of the first year of his employment remaining after the merger closes).
On the one-year anniversary of his employment, Kreiz will receive an annual stock award of $20.1 million, according to the filing.
It should be noted that Kreiz’s stock awards (except for the signature grant) will vest in equal quarterly installments over a three-year period, subject to his continued employment with the company until the applicable vesting date.
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