The company said it was in part making the move and reshuffling its legal department as ‘the law department has never been more critical’ as the media landscape changes. Miss D’Alimonte, who replaces the company’s longtime top lawyer Michael Fricklas, had been a deputy general counsel. She joined the company in 2012 from Shearman & Sterling, where she had been deputy practice group leader of the firm’s global mergers & acquisitions group. 

Praise

Viacom’s new CEO Bob Bakish praised D’Alimonte’s ‘distinctive understanding of our company and strategic vision’. Miss D’Alimonte will officially take up her new position on the 15th of April with Mr Fricklas remaining at the company for a number of months.

Second team promotion

Separately, Viacom announced that it was promoting a third Shearman alumnus, Keyes Hill-Edgar, executive vice president and general counsel of Viacom Media Networks. His title changes from Head of Business Affairs to Head of Global Business Affairs. His responsibilities will expand to include oversight of ‘Viacom International Media Networks, Content Distribution and the Media Networks’ labour, guild and production legal matters’. Mr Hill-Edgar will continue to oversee business and legal affairs for the company’s domestic media networks, which includes Nickelodeon, MTV, Comedy Central and numerous other channels.