Shari Redstone
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| Shari Redstone | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Name | Shari Redstone |
| Birth date | 14 April 1954 |
| Birth place | Boston, Massachusetts |
| Nationality | American |
| Alma mater | Harvard College; Boston University School of Law |
| Occupation | Media executive; businesswoman |
| Years active | 1980s–present |
| Known for | Leadership of National Amusements; role in ViacomCBS corporate governance |
| Spouse | Gilbert Levin (divorced) |
| Parents | Sumner Redstone; Phyllis Gloria Raphael |
Shari Redstone is an American media heir and business executive known for her leadership of National Amusements and prominent role in corporate governance disputes involving Viacom, CBS Corporation, and Paramount Global. She has been a central figure in negotiations, mergers, and litigation that shaped the modern media industry, influencing entities such as ViacomCBS, Paramount Pictures, CBS Television Network, MTV Networks, and National Amusements subsidiaries. Her activities intersect with notable executives and institutions including Leslie Moonves, Sumner Redstone, Bob Bakish, and legal forums in Massachusetts and Delaware.
Early life and education
Born in Boston, Massachusetts, she is the daughter of media magnate Sumner Redstone and Phyllis Gloria Raphael, and grew up amid the family's ownership of National Amusements and investments in Paramount Pictures and CBS Corporation. She attended Harvard College where she studied political science and graduated with a bachelor's degree, later earning a Juris Doctor from Boston University School of Law. During her formative years she was exposed to executives and institutions such as Viacom Inc., Westinghouse Electric Corporation, MCA Inc., and legal advisors in New York City, shaping her understanding of corporate structure, fiduciary duty, and shareholder relations.
Career
Her early career included work as an attorney and participation in managerial roles tied to the family's holdings, interfacing with entities like Paramount Pictures, CBS Television Studios, and regional theater operations under the National Amusements umbrella. Over decades she participated in board-level decisions affecting networks such as CBS, cable brands including MTV, and film studios such as Paramount Pictures. Her strategic involvement connected her with corporate leaders and boards including Les Moonves, Sumner Redstone, Tom Freston, and Philippe Dauman during periods of consolidation and regulatory review involving the Federal Communications Commission and competition reviews referencing the Department of Justice's antitrust interests.
Role at National Amusements and corporate governance
As a principal of National Amusements, she has exercised voting power and governance influence over major media companies, participating in stewardship and succession planning for assets like CBS Corporation and Viacom. She has been involved in governance debates over executive leadership at ViacomCBS (later Paramount Global), working with and sometimes opposing executives such as Bob Bakish, Leslie Moonves, Tom Freston, and board members including Shari Redstone's contemporaries and independent directors drawn from firms like Silver Lake Partners and advisory groups linked to Moody's Corporation and Standard & Poor's. Her governance role has engaged investment banks, proxy advisory firms such as Institutional Shareholder Services, and legal counsel specializing in Delaware General Corporation Law litigation and fiduciary standard disputes.
Legal disputes and litigation
Her tenure in family-controlled media governance precipitated high-profile litigation in venues including the Supreme Judicial Court of Massachusetts and the Delaware Court of Chancery over board control, voting trusts, fiduciary duties, and succession issues involving Viacom Inc. and CBS Corporation. Disputes involved parties such as Sumner Redstone, Les Moonves, and independent directors, and touched on corporate actions scrutinized by law firms and judges familiar with precedents from cases concerning Time Warner, News Corporation, and other conglomerates. Litigation outcomes influenced merger activity, proxy fights, and board compositions, with implications for shareholders including institutional investors like Vanguard Group, BlackRock, and State Street Corporation.
Philanthropy and public activities
She has engaged in philanthropic activities and public-facing initiatives connected to cultural institutions, education, and healthcare, supporting organizations and partners such as Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard University, Boston University, and community foundations in Massachusetts. Her public activities have intersected with advocacy networks and nonprofit boards, drawing attention from media outlets including The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, Variety, and The Hollywood Reporter.
Personal life
She was married to Gilbert Levin; the couple divorced. Her family relations center on her father Sumner Redstone and other relatives involved in the ownership structure of National Amusements. She resides primarily in the Boston area and has maintained a private personal profile while continuing public roles tied to board service and media industry governance.
Category:Living people Category:1954 births Category:American businesspeople Category:Boston University School of Law alumni Category:Harvard College alumni