Sumner Redstone, chairman and CEO of National Amusements, which owns 80% stakes in Viacom and CBS, named Tad Jankowski and Jill Krutick as trustees of the Sumner M. Redstone Irrevocable Trust.
The trust will control Redstone’s assets, including National Amusements, when he dies or becomes incapacitated. On Friday, Redstone removed Viacom CEO Philippe Dauman and another Viacom director as trustees, a move that was seen as giving Redstone’s daughter Shari Redstone an advantage in the power struggle over the $40 billion media empire.
“This is my trust and my decision. I have picked those who are loyal to me and removed those who are not,” said Redstone, who is chairman emeritus at Viacom and CBS after stepping down as executive chairman of both companies in April.
Redstone also named Krutick and Kimberlee Ostheimer, his oldest granddaughter, to be members of the board of directors of National Amusements.
Jankowski is executive VP and general counsel of National Amusements.
Krutick is a former media executive and equity analyst.
Dauman has challenged his removal in a lawsuit filed Monday in Massachusetts. Redstone has asked a California court to confirm his ability to remove Dauman and the other former trustee, George Abrams.
