Amazon is restructuring its EMEA Prime Video business in a move which may result in job losses for staff in Africa and the Middle East.
Prime Video is set to reroute original programming funding towards two priority regional groups ‘EU Established’, which includes the UK, Germany, Italy, France and Spain, and ‘EU Emerging’, which covers Benelux the Nordics and Central and Eastern Europe.
Consequently, investment for original programming in sub-Saharan Africa and MENA will decrease as part of what Prime Video’s vice-president and general manager for EMEA Barry Furlong described in an internal memo as a “rebalance and pivot” of resources.
Furlong said Prime Video will be “increasing investment in emerging European locales, matching resource with the growth and opportunity we are seeing in those countries” which will “prioritise resources on what matters most to customers” and “focus on the areas that drive the highest impact and long-term success”.
Investment to sub-Saharan Africa and the Middle East and North Africa will reduce to “prior levels”. Amazon is currently in a consultation period, including these territories, having outlined plans to “eliminate several hundred roles” around the world last week. Furlong thanked his staff for its “continued professionalism” during this “uncertain time for many of you”.
Amazon had previously outlined an uptick of investment in Africa having previously commissioned LOL: Last One Laughing Naija, LOL ZA, Ebuka Turns Up Africa, and Water And Garri. However, it is understood it will not likely be greenlighting new local originals in the regions for the foreseeable future.
Europe reshuffle
The two newly created regional divisions will see expanded remits for execs Brigitte Ricou-Bellan, Prime Video’s country director for France, who will oversee EU Established, while Ritchie Ordonez, country director for Benelux, CEE and Turkey, will take the reins for EU Emerging.
In their widened roles, Ricou-Bellan and Ordonez steer business, programming and operational management, with country programming and content strategy bosses reporting into them.
Country specific content and programming strategies will continue to be led by individual leaders in each country, who steer local Amazon MGM Studios content and Prime Video’s service experience.
Elsewhere, Amazon is to recruit a director of EU content and programme strategy, who will lead a “strategic regional programming function” and will work closely with US and international colleagues Amazon MGM Studios’ global content pipeline.
The moves come after a sustained period of flux for Amazon. UK originals chief Dan Grabiner, who had been given an expanded remit covering European countries in early 2023 exited the business in September to set up his own outfit, replaced by Tara Erer, head of originals in the UK and Northern Europe.
This week, Amazon folded its Prime Video originals business in South-East Asia.
This story first appeared on Screen’s sister site Broadcast
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