Paramount Acquisitions Chief Zaneri Exits, Lazalde-McPherson Promoted

Barbara Zaneri is departing Paramount Global after a 25-year tenure as chief program acquisitions officer to focus full-time on her nonprofit, the Gold Star Services Network, which supports families who have lost loved ones in U.S. military service. Zaneri was instrumental in building Paramount’s centralized content acquisitions group and securing landmark deals for iconic series such as Friends, The Office, Seinfeld, The Big Bang Theory, Family Guy, and Two and a Half Men, as well as recent hits like Tracker, FBI, and Ghosts. Paramount co-CEO Chris McCarthy praised Zaneri for her visionary leadership, mentorship, and significant impact on the company’s culture and strategy. Virginia Lazalde-McPherson, previously executive vice president and head of strategy and business operations at Showtime, is being promoted to chief acquisitions officer for Showtime and MTV Entertainment Studios. Lazalde-McPherson has played a key role in Showtime’s integration into Paramount+, contributing to shows like Yellowjackets, The Chi, Dexter: Original Sin, and the upcoming Dexter: Resurrection. McCarthy highlighted Lazalde-McPherson’s clarity, collaboration, and deep industry insight as assets for her expanded leadership role.