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Philippe Dauman

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Philippe Dauman
Dauman at the D5: All Things Digital conference in 2007
Born
Philippe Pierre Dauman

(1954-03-01) March 1, 1954 (age 70)
New York City, US[1]
Alma materYale University
Columbia University[2]
Occupation(s)Former president, CEO and chairman of Viacom
SpouseDeborah (Ross) Dauman (1977-present)

Philippe Pierre Dauman[3] (born March 1, 1954) is an American businessman who served as president, CEO and chairman of Viacom from September 2006 until May 20, 2016. Dauman was a longtime associate of the company's chairman Sumner Redstone. Dauman served from 1994 to 2000 as a member of Viacom's executive committee and as executive vice president in charge of strategic transactions, legal and government affairs, human resources and administration, supervising Paramount Pictures Entertainment, Showtime Networks and Simon & Schuster. Dauman was also a director at Redstone-owned CBS Corporation until September 2006.

In February 2016, Viacom's board elected Dauman as Redstone's replacement as chairman.[4][5][6][7]

Early life and education

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Dauman was born and raised in New York City. He is the son of Life magazine photographer Henri Dauman,[8][9] a Holocaust survivor who emigrated from France to the United States in the 1950s.[10] At 13, he got a perfect score on the SAT. At Yale University he fell in love with his roommate's sister, who would become his wife.[11] Dauman married Deborah Ross in September 1977.[12] Dauman graduated from Columbia University School of Law in 1978.[11]

Career

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After graduating from Columbia, Dauman went to work for the law firm of Shearman & Sterling.[11] After two years in the firm's Paris office, he returned to New York to work in the corporate group under partner Stephen Volk.[11] Handling a routine Securities and Exchange Commission form 13D filing for Volk client Sumner Redstone, in 1986 led to an advisory role in Redstone's 1987 hostile takeover of Viacom, a close personal relationship with Redstone, and a seat on Viacom's board of directors.[11] Six years later, Dauman accepted an offer to join Viacom as senior vice president and general counsel, in exchange for $553,000 in salary with a $900,000 bonus.[11] In 1994, he earned $2.3 million, plus options worth millions more.[11] He was Viacom's general counsel from 1993 to 1998.[13][14][15]

In 2009, Dauman and Viacom launched the Get Schooled education initiative with the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, an effort to have American public school students not drop out of school. He also hosted the Get Schooled education conference on September 8, 2009.[16][17][18][19]

Dauman is a member of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences and is president and treasurer of The Philippe and Deborah Dauman Family Foundation, which focuses on education and health. He formerly was a director of Lafarge, and on the board of directors of the KIPP Foundation, a national network of free, open-enrollment, college-preparatory public schools in underserved communities. He was also a member of the Business Roundtable and served on the executive committee of the National Cable & Telecommunications Association, the board of trustees for The Paley Center for Media, the board of trustees of Northwell Health, the executive committee of the Lenox Hill Hospital and the board of trustees and dean's council of Columbia University School of Law.[20]

Dauman took a tough stance on the reproduction of Viacom's content when Viacom sued YouTube in March 2007.[21] Dauman discussed copyright issues with YouTube co-founder Chad Hurley and was interested in working out a deal.[22] Dauman and Chad could not agree over advertising terms, however.[22]

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On May 20, 2016, Dauman and George S. Abrams were removed from the trust that will control Redstone's media empire. Dauman said in a statement: "These steps are invalid and illegal. As court proceedings and other facts have demonstrated, Sumner Redstone now lacks the capacity to have taken these steps. Sumner Redstone would never have summarily dismissed Philippe Dauman and George Abrams, his trusted friends and advisers for decades".[23][24][25][26] The statement also said that Dauman and Abrams' removal is "...a shameful effort by Shari Redstone to seize control by unlawfully using her ailing father Sumner Redstone’s name and signature."[27] Dauman filed suit against Shari Redstone in an effort to keep his position on the Trust.[28][29] The suit was settled and Dauman stepped down in August, 2016.[30]

Personal life

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In 1977, Dauman married Deborah Ross, in an Episcopalian church.[31][32] They have two children, Philippe, Jr., and Alexandre.[3]

References

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  1. ^ Chozick, Amy. "The Man Who Would Be Redstone". The New York Times. Retrieved 21 May 2016.
  2. ^ Cityfile profile
  3. ^ a b "The Man Who Would Be Redstone". The New York Times. 23 September 2012. Retrieved 4 February 2016.
  4. ^ Jessica Toonkel (4 February 2016). "Viacom names CEO Dauman as chair; Shari Redstone opposed". Reuters. Retrieved 4 February 2016.
  5. ^ "Viacom CEO Philippe Dauman becomes chairman, succeeds Sumner Redstone". Los Angeles Times. 4 February 2016. Retrieved 4 February 2016.
  6. ^ "Philippe Dauman Succeeds Sumner Redstone as Viacom Chairman". The New York Times. 5 February 2016. Retrieved 4 February 2016.
  7. ^ Jessica Toonkel (4 February 2016). "Viacom names CEO Dauman as chair; Shari Redstone opposed". Reuters. Retrieved 4 February 2016.
  8. ^ fr:Henri Dauman
  9. ^ Brigid McMenamin, The Trophy Lawyers, Forbes, November 6, 1995, 132, excerpted at length in the Wall Street Journal's law blog
  10. ^ Berrin, Danielle (2016-04-28). "From a Holocaust survivor, America gets the CEO of Viacom". Jewish Journal. Retrieved 2018-01-24. When he finally emigrated to America in the 1950s, he quickly married a non-Jewish woman with whom he had two children. One of those children is Philippe Dauman, the CEO of Viacom
  11. ^ a b c d e f g Brigid McMenamin, The Trophy Lawyers, Forbes, November 6, 1995, 132.
  12. ^ "Pay Articles from September 1977 Part 1 - Site Map - The New York Times". The New York Times. Retrieved 2016-01-07.
  13. ^ "Who's Who at Viacom". WSJ. 5 September 2006. Retrieved 21 May 2016.
  14. ^ "Freston Out, Dauman in As Viacom's CEO". Washington Post. Retrieved 21 May 2016.
  15. ^ "Viacom dumps Freston as CEO - The San Diego Union-Tribune". The San Diego Union-Tribune. Retrieved 21 May 2016.
  16. ^ Ted Johnson (7 September 2009). "Viacom launches Get Schooled". Variety. Retrieved 21 May 2016.
  17. ^ "Companies, Nonprofits Launch 'Schooled'". AdWeek. 28 August 2009. Retrieved 21 May 2016.
  18. ^ "Messages With a Mission, Embedded in TV Shows". The New York Times. 2 April 2009. Retrieved 21 May 2016.
  19. ^ "Get Schooled". getschooled.com. Retrieved 4 February 2016.
  20. ^ "PPD Investments, LLC, Our Principal". Retrieved 1 Aug 2019.
  21. ^ Richmond, Riva. "Google's YouTube, Viacom talk deals but ready for court". Market Watch. The Wall Street Journal. Retrieved April 5, 2011.
  22. ^ a b Paczkowski, John. "Viacom CEO Philippe Dauman". D|All Things Digital. The Wall Street Journal. Retrieved April 5, 2011.
  23. ^ "Viacom Chief Says Sumner Redstone Has Removed Him From Trust". The New York Times. 21 May 2016. Retrieved 21 May 2016.
  24. ^ Keach Hagey (21 May 2016). "Viacom CEO Calls Attempt to Remove Him from Redstone Trust 'Illegal'". WSJ. Retrieved 21 May 2016.
  25. ^ Lucas Shaw; Edvard Pettersson (21 May 2016). "Redstone's Empire Shaken as Viacom CEO Fights Ouster From Trust". Bloomberg.com. Retrieved 21 May 2016.
  26. ^ Peter Elkind (20 May 2016). "Redstone Ousts Viacom CEO from Trust That Will Control Viacom, CBS - Fortune". Fortune. Retrieved 21 May 2016.
  27. ^ Jessica Toonkel (21 May 2016). "Sumner Redstone removes Viacom CEO and board member from trust". Reuters. Retrieved 21 May 2016.
  28. ^ Jessica Toonkel (23 May 2016). "Viacom CEO Dauman sues to stay on Sumner Redstone trust". Reuters. Retrieved 23 May 2016.
  29. ^ Steel, Emily (23 May 2016). "Viacom Chief Challenges Sumner Redstone's Competency in Lawsuit". The New York Times. Retrieved 23 May 2016.
  30. ^ Joe Flint; Sarah Rabil (19 Aug 2016). "Viacom CEO Philippe Dauman to Step Down in Settlement With National Amusements". WSJ. Retrieved 14 Aug 2020.
  31. ^ "Deborah Ross Married to Philippe Dauman". The New York Times. 25 September 1977. Retrieved 4 February 2016.
  32. ^ "Deborah Ross to Wed Sept. 24". The New York Times. 3 July 1977. Retrieved 4 February 2016.
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