In a significant organizational shift at Prime Video, Kelly Day has been appointed to an expanded international role, following the departure of Jennifer Salke last week. According to an internal memo from Prime Video's head, Mike Hopkins, Day will now oversee Amazon’s international originals, in addition to her existing responsibilities as Vice President of Prime Video International.
This restructuring comes after Salke's exit, who had been at the helm for seven years. Her departure has been linked to Amazon's strategic shift, particularly with the highly anticipated new direction for the James Bond franchise. Previously, all original content was ultimately managed under Salke, while James Farrell, who directly oversaw international originals, left earlier this year.
In her new position, Day will be tasked with hiring a new Vice President of International Originals to fill the vacancy left by Farrell. This new executive will report directly to her, further solidifying Day’s influence within the organization. Meanwhile, the heads of regional international originals—Javiera Balmaceda (Latin America, Canada & Australia), Tara Erer (Northern Europe), and Nicole Morganti (Southern Europe)—will report to Day on an interim basis.
Kelly Day joined Amazon in January 2022, bringing extensive experience from her previous roles at ViacomCBS, Discovery, AwesomenessTV, and AOL. As Vice President and Head of International for Prime Video, she has been instrumental in overseeing the service’s operations outside the U.S., managing teams across Europe, Latin America, and the Asia Pacific regions. In April 2022, she also took on responsibilities for Amazon MGM Global Distribution, MGM Scripted Television, and MGM+.
Despite some setbacks, including a recent decision to turn down a hit series from Netflix, Prime Video has seen several original productions achieve significant success over the past year. Hopkins highlighted recent hits such as Culpa Tuya and Max Hall – The World Between Us, alongside returning series like Clarkson’s Farm, Red Queen, and Betty La Fea. He expressed confidence that Day would continue the positive momentum in this area.
Looking ahead, Day will oversee a range of promising upcoming originals, including Newtopia from Korea, Superboys of Malegaon from India, Graduation Trip: Mallorca from Spain, and Costiera from Italy. These projects are expected to play a crucial role in driving growth for Prime Video’s international content.
Following Salke's departure, there was speculation in Europe regarding Day’s potential promotion, which has now been confirmed. Salke is transitioning to a first-look film and television producing deal with the studio, and her position will not be filled as part of a streamlined organizational structure.
Commentary from industry insiders suggested that Salke's background as a television network executive may have hindered her influence, particularly as Amazon prepares for its new James Bond films. This follows Amazon MGM's acquisition of creative control over the franchise in a $1 billion deal earlier this year, a move that further emphasizes the company's commitment to reshaping its entertainment landscape.
