Jennifer Salke is stepping down from her post at Amazon MGM Studios, with film and TV heads Courtenay Valenti and Vernon Sanders, respectively, now reporting directly to Mike Hopkins.
The news of Salke’s exit was revealed by Hopkins, head of Prime Video, in a staff memo. She has been with the company since 2018. “Original films and series served as the foundation of Prime Video’s growth into one of the world’s leading entertainment destinations, and Jen’s leadership is an undisputed driver of the success we’ve had in this space over the years,” Hopkins said.
Salke is transitioning to a production role, setting up her own entity that will have a first-look deal with Amazon MGM Studios.
“Since I joined in 2018, we set out together to create a new type of global studio that fostered an environment for the world’s most creative talent to do their very best work,” Salke said. “Along the way, we expanded internationally, built out a film business and hired and developed an incredible team. As I’ve been considering my next chapter, I’ve always been searching for that moment where I was positive that our work had set up Amazon MGM Studios for even more success in the long term. When I look at the teams we’ve put in place, our amazing leaders and the incredible slate of films and shows we’ve got in the pipeline, I realized now is that moment. I’m looking forward to continuing doing what I love, cultivating talent, supporting their vision and bringing compelling stories to audiences around the world.”
With Salke’s exit, the company has opted to “flatten our leadership structure a bit and not fill the head of studios role,” Hopkins said. “In line with Amazon’s recent work to streamline reporting lines and accelerate decision-making, we felt this was the best direction for our studio, which will now operate as distinct film and television studios. To that end, Courtenay Valenti (head of film) and Vernon Sanders (head of TV) will now report directly to me, while Sue Kroll will also continue in her role leading global marketing across both film and TV.”
