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Leslie Moonves    

President and CEO, CBS Corp.

Leslie Moonves is Chairman and CEO of CBS Corporation, one of the world’s leading media enterprises. In this role, he serves as the Chairman of the board of directors and oversees all operations of the Company, including the CBS Television Network, The CW (a joint venture between CBS Corporation and Warner Bros. Entertainment), CBS Television Studios, CBS Studios International, CBS Television Distribution, CBS Consumer Products, CBS Home Entertainment, CBS Films, CBS Interactive, Showtime Networks, CBS Sports Network, Pop (a joint venture between CBS Corporation and Lionsgate), Smithsonian Networks, Simon & Schuster, CBS Television Stations, CBS Radio and CBS EcoMedia.

Moonves came to CBS in 1995 as president of CBS Entertainment, after serving as president of Warner Bros. Television, where his team developed hit shows like “Friends” and “ER.” Once at CBS, Moonves and his team took the Network from last to first place in the ratings, launching hit shows like “Everybody Loves Raymond,” SURVIVOR and “CSI: Crime Scene Investigation.” Moonves was promoted to president and CEO of CBS Television in 1998 and became Chairman in 2003. He was later named co-president and co-chief operating officer of Viacom and Chairman of CBS in 2004, overseeing domestic and international broadcast television operations as well as its radio division and outdoor advertising operations. In 2006, when Viacom split its businesses into two publicly traded companies, Moonves was named president and CEO of the newly formed CBS Corporation, which has since been one of the best-performing companies in media.

Under Moonves’s direction, the CBS Television Network has been #1 in viewers for 14 of the last 15 years, and currently has television’s #1 drama, NCIS; television’s #1 comedy, THE BIG BANG THEORY; television’s #1 news program, 60 MINUTES; as well as time period-leading shows on virtually every night of the week. At the same time, the Company’s premium cable service, Showtime Networks, has generated millions of new subscribers on the heels of its successful owned series, such as RAY DONOVAN, BILLIONS, “Dexter” and THE AFFAIR, as well as the critically acclaimed, Emmy- and Golden Globe Award-winning series HOMELAND.

The Company’s push to sell its shows around the world has made international distribution sales a significant revenue source, with CBS content licensed to more than 200 markets in more than 30 languages across multiple media platforms. That emphasis on exploiting content has also enabled CBS to strike lucrative, multi-year deals with the industry’s biggest online distributors, including Netflix and Amazon.

CBS’ other divisions have also been robust under Moonves’s leadership, including interactive media. The Company’s acquisition of CNET, Inc. in 2008 helped make CBS Interactive the premier online content network for information and entertainment and a top 10 internet property in the U.S. In publishing, Simon & Schuster routinely releases hundreds of New York Times bestsellers every year, including dozens that make it to #1, and is the publishing home of some of the world’s most recognized and prize-winning authors. Simon & Schuster is also a leader in digital publishing, with titles available across all major platforms and formats. In local broadcasting, CBS-owned TV stations are among the most-watched in the country, and CBS Radio is home to the most popular radio stations in the U.S.

By distinguishing CBS as a producer and seller of world-class content across all mediums, Moonves has helped CBS Corporation grow in value, revenue and market share while identifying and developing key new revenue streams for future growth.

Moonves was inducted into the Television Academy Hall of Fame in 2013 and Broadcasting and Cable’s Hall of Fame in 2004. He was also awarded the Milestone Award from the Producers Guild of America (2013) and named MIPCOM 2007 Personality of the Year. Additionally, Moonves is the previous recipient of the Career Achievement Award from the Casting Society of America, the Television Showmanship Award from the Publicists Guild of America and the Gold Medal Award from the International Radio and Television Society Foundation (IRTS).

Moonves currently serves on the board of trustees for the American Film Institute and the Paley Center for Media and is also on the board of directors of ZeniMax Media and the board of councilors at the University of Southern California’s School of Cinematic Arts.

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