Amazon hires former Sony executive for top video entertainment role

Amazon has hired former Sony executive Mike Hopkins to head up Prime Video and its movie and television studios. Hopkins is set to join Amazon on February 24 and will report directly to CEO Jeff Bezos, an Amazon spokesperson confirmed to CNBC. In his new role, Hopkins will oversee Amazon’s streaming service Prime Video and Amazon Studios, its movie and television unit. Hopkins most recently served as chairman of Sony Pictures Television. He joined Sony in 2017 after spending four years as CEO of Hulu. Hopkins will assume the entertainment duties that were overseen by Jeff Blackburn, Amazon’s senior vice president of business and corporate development. Jennifer Salke, the head of Amazon Studios, and Greg Hart, vice president of Amazon Video, will now report to Hopkins.