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Ynon Kreiz

Incoming Co-Chief Executive Officer, Skydance

Search every verified Ynon Kreiz interview, podcast appearance, and on-the-record quote — each transcript cross-checked by AI and human review to confirm speaker identity. Ynon Kreiz, who recently became co-chief executive officer at Skydance alongside David Ellison, appeared on CNBC's "Squawk Box" in October 2026 to discuss the company's planned $110 billion acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery. During the interview, Kreiz stated that the company is in "full execution mode" and outlined plans to generate more than $6 billion in synergies over three years through technology, marketing consolidation, real estate optimization, and some labor reductions. He described the effort as "re-engineering how we work" and "reinventing the business model," emphasizing that the focus is not solely on cost reduction but also on improving performance and building a long-term, high-performing company. In a separate appearance, Kreiz received the 2026 Botwinick Prize in Business Ethics from the Bernstein Center for Leadership and Ethics at Columbia Business School. In a conversation with faculty director Modupe Akinola, he discussed Mattel's evolution from a toy manufacturing company to an IP and brand management company, describing consumers as "fans that have an emotional relationship with our brands." He also reflected on the decision-making behind the "Barbie" movie, noting that the goal was to create something "very different, very original" by tackling the company's most complicated brand and opting for a live-action film. Kreiz also addressed Mattel's sustainability efforts, saying the company invests in doing "the right thing for the planet" while balancing commercial priorities.

Recent appearances

Verified interview transcripts

Notable quotes

“We wanted to do something very different, very original. This was early days when we were looking to implement our IP strategy. So the question actually to begin with was, 'What is our most complicated brand?' Of course, it was Barbie. So we said, 'Okay, let's make it even more complicated and make a live-action movie because an animated movie would've been a lot easier,' not easy, but easier. And of course, if you m”

“Mattel used to think of itself as a toy manufacturing company, and we evolved the company to become from a manufacturing company, to become an IP company, and now a brand management company. And the biggest change in how we think about people who buy our product, they're not just consumers. They're not just consumers who buy items off a shelf. They are fans that have an emotional relationship with our brands. And whe”

“Market has its own vagaries. Only thing we can do is continue to focus and execution. We have been buying back a lot of our stocks, and just announced new program to acquire 1.5 billion over next 3 years. Up until now we have acquired 21% of the float, and for us time, we see that as a great investment and continue to believe in value of the stock and take advantage of our strong balance sheet and free cash flow.”

“We agree with Mack that market has not recognized what the progress we made over last few years, and more importantly, the potential value of company and our business going forward. And with shareholders that have a point of view, we always listen and are respectful of our shareholders and here to create value for our shareholders.”

“We do support the toy association advocacy for zero tariffs on toys to ensure that safe and affordable products remain accessible to everyone given that toys are such an essential part of children's lives.”

“We don't see that happening. We believe that production in other countries where uh, we can be efficient and more productive is the best balance between manufacturing in international outside of the US and continue to develop product in terms of design and creativity in in America.”

Other executives at Skydance

  • Robert Bakish, Former President, Chief Executive Officer & Director

The summary and quote tags on this profile are produced with AI assistance from verified, first-person interview transcripts, then checked by our team to confirm the speaker's identity and the accuracy of every quote. See how we verify →