Kelly Day No Longer President Of Viacom Digital Studios, Stefanie Schwartz Taking Over As EVP And GM

Veteran digital video executive Kelly Day is no longer leading Viacom Digital Studios (VDS).

Day, who’s been president of VDS since it launched in 2017, told staffers in a memo today that, “While I will no longer be part of the VDS team, I won’t be too far away. I’ll continue to support the team through this transition until I announce what’s next for me.”

She is in discussions to take on another senior role at ViacomCBS (the media conglomerate formed last month by Viacom and CBS’s all-stock, $12 billion merger), but nothing is set in stone yet, people familiar with the matter told Variety.

While in charge of VDS, Day was involved in some of Viacom’s biggest digital video acquisitions—notably VidCon and AwesomenessTV, both snapped up in 2018. Day was more than familiar with Awesomeness; prior to joining VDS, she spent three years as the tween/teen-targeted digital property’s chief business officer and chief digital officer. Prior to that, she spearheaded original programming efforts as CEO of online video platform Blip, which was acquired by Maker Studios in 2013 and shuttered two years later. She also spent nearly 15 years total in senior leadership roles at Discovery and AOL, and briefly served as vice president of wedding platform The Knot.

As for VDS, Day’s former title there appears to have been eliminated entirely. Stefanie Schwartz

, who’s been with Viacom for more than 20 years—most recently as VDS’s executive vice president of strategy and operations—and is ostensibly taking Day’s place, has been named executive vice president and general manager of VDS rather than president.

The merger and ViacomCBS’s subsequent management reorganization appears to be a potential reason for Day’s exit. The reorg put (now former) CBS Interactive president and CEO Marc DeBevoise in charge as ViacomCBS’s new chief digital officer—a role that has him overseeing all of the conglomerate’s digital ventures, VDS included. Day previously reported directly to Viacom’s president and CEO Bob Bakish, who’s now ViacomCBS’s president/CEO.

“Stef has been integral to the success of VDS over the past two years, providing critical leadership across many areas of the business, including strategy, business operations, and partner management,” DeBevoise wrote in a staff memo, per Variety. “Under Kelly’s leadership, VDS has become a leader in digital and branded content and I’m truly grateful for her support and guidance through this process.”

In her own staff memo, Schwartz praised Day for “her fearless leadership in bringing Viacom Digital Studios to life.”

VDS’s future as part of ViacomCBS involves a plan to “continue to make great content across our social footprint” and “the opportunity to grow our business and expand our reach in new ways,” Schwartz added.