Sumner Redstone, Billionaire Media Mogul Behind ViacomCBS, Dead at 97

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In a statement, president and CEO of ViacomCBS Bob Bakish called Redstone a "brilliant visionary, operator and dealmaker, who single-handedly transformed a family-owned drive-in theater company into a global media portfolio."

"He was a force of nature and fierce competitor, who leaves behind a profound legacy in both business and philanthropy," said Bakish. "ViacomCBS will remember Sumner for his unparalleled passion to win, his endless intellectual curiosity, and his complete dedication to the company."

In his 2001 memoir A Passion to Win, Redstone reflected on his career and mused about aging in the cutthroat business he helped shape.

"Chronological age has little to do with intellectual capacity, the ability to work, the ability to lead," he wrote, according to Variety. "In fact, I often surprise my younger colleagues by being the first to accept and, indeed, suggest new ideas and new agendas when the assumption is I will hold on to the old ones like a bulldog. … I still want to be No. 1."

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