• by Karlene Lukovitz  @KLmarketdaily, February 11, 2020

Mike Hopkins is stepping down as chairman of Sony Pictures Television to become senior vice president of Prime Video and Amazon Studios.

Hopkins, a former Hulu CEO, will report directly to Amazon chairman and CEO Jeff Bezos when he joins the company on Feb. 24.

He will take over some of the responsibilities of 21-year Amazon veteran and Bezos advisor Jeff Blackburn, who is on a one-year sabbatical this year from his role running Amazon’s entertainment and advertising businesses as senior vice president business and corporate development.

Hopkins’ direct reports are Amazon Studios head Jennifer Salke and Greg Hart, vice president Amazon Video.

"Mike comes to us with over 20 years of industry experience at Fox, Hulu and Sony,” Blackburn said Monday in an internal memo excerpted by The Hollywood Reporter. “He has an extensive track record as a global business leader in media, film and TV — negotiating landmark content and distribution agreements, running marketing operations, leading product/tech teams, and overseeing production of breakthrough television content."

As CEO of Hulu from 2013 to 2017, Hopkins oversaw scripted originals development expansion, including the award-winning hit “The Handmaid’s Tale,” which helped drive subscribers up by more than 200%, according to THR. He also initiated a live-streaming bundle.

Sony Pictures Television will not replace Hopkins’ position, instead transferring his responsibilities to Keith LeGoy and Jeff Frost, respectively presidents of worldwide distribution and U.S. production.

They will now report to Sony Pictures Entertainment chairman and CEO Tony Vinciquerra.

In a memo announcing Hopkins’ departure, Vinciquerra credited him with turning Sony Pictures Television into a “stronger and more nimble” organization.

The company “has undergone essential structural change and realignment — such as combining our networks operations with distribution/home entertainment into a new territory management model and refocusing our network portfolio,” he wrote. “Additionally, SPT has made several significant deals on the M&A front and forged new relationships with top creators and talent.”