After weeks of speculation, Vernon Sanders is leaving Amazon MGM Studios where he was Head of Global TV. The news comes six months after the departure of his longtime boss, Jennifer Salke. He will stay on for several weeks to help with the transition.
Sanders, who has been at Amazon for more than seven years, and Mike Hopkins, Head of Prime Video & Amazon MGM Studios, just shared the news with the company staff in separate memos, which you can read in full below.
Salke’s March exit as Head of Amazon MGM Studios raised questions about Sanders’ future. The initial indications were that he would stay put, and, in a restructuring announced just two weeks ago, he further expanded his turf by adding oversight of MGM Alternative Television.
But there has also been chatter in the background about Hopkins reaching out to top TV executives of the likes of Peter Friedlander, who recently left as Netflix head of UCAN Scripted Series, and Casey Bloys, Chairman and CEO, HBO and Max Content, who is under contract and not available.
There had been speculation that Hopkins might bring in a high-level TV executive with Sanders staying on. That now won’t be the case.
In his memo, Sanders thanked both Salke and Hopkins.
“I want to express my deepest gratitude to Jennifer Salke for inviting me to this company and being a role model for how to be bold, take risks and be human,” he said. “To Mike Hopkins, your steadfast leadership has been instrumental in shaping Prime Video’s new vision and success. Thank you for your personal guidance and support, throughout this past year.”
Sanders did not list career highlights but noted that he was leaving “with a profound sense of accomplishment and immense gratitude.”
Hopkins did. Calling Sanders “a foundational presence in our leadership team since joining in 2018,” Hopkins noted, “He has been instrumental in driving the growth of Prime Video and the creative evolution of Amazon MGM Studios, having overseen global series like The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power, The Boys, and Jack Ryan, while also greenlighting new commercial and critically-acclaimed hits such as Fallout, Reacher, The Summer I Turned Pretty, Mr. and Mrs. Smith, Jury Duty, Cross and more.”
With Sanders, who had worked for Salke at NBC before she brought him in shortly after she got the top Amazon MGM Studios job, comes the end of a company culture installed by her that he carried on.
Here is Sanders’ email:
Dear Colleagues,
After a little over seven years at Amazon MGM Studios, I am writing to share my decision to step down as Head of Global Television. Looking back to those early days, two things struck me immediately about Amazon: the exceptionally smart people and the vast, endless horizon of what’s possible within this company. Seven years later, those same attributes continue to thrive here.
Throughout my tenure, the company has repeatedly entrusted me with expanded responsibilities and new challenges. While I have been deeply honored by that growth in scope, I’ve found myself increasingly distant from what originally drew me to this industry – the day-to-day creative process of making television. Earlier this summer, I made the decision to return to those creative roots.
I want to express my deepest gratitude to Jennifer Salke for inviting me to this company and being a role model for how to be bold, take risks and be human. To Mike Hopkins, your steadfast leadership has been instrumental in shaping Prime Video’s new vision and success. Thank you for your personal guidance and support, throughout this past year.
By nature, I’ve always been a people person, and the extraordinary talent here has made every day remarkable. The brilliant minds, the creative spirits, and the collaborative energy have been truly inspiring. Together, we’ve pushed boundaries and created something truly special.
We are all indebted to our incredible creators, talented actors, and tireless crews who bring our shows to life – they are the heart and soul of everything we do.
I leave with a profound sense of accomplishment and immense gratitude. The successes we’ve achieved together make me incredibly proud. I have absolute confidence in this team’s continued success and the exciting journey ahead. 2026 will be our best year yet! I have committed to ensuring a seamless transition over the next few weeks as he works through succession plans.
Thank you all for being part of this amazing chapter.
As my mom would say, it’s been a great ride.
With gratitude and appreciation,
Vernon
Hopkins’ memo:
Team,
As Vernon just shared with the group, he has made the decision to leave his role as Head of TV at Amazon MGM Studios. Vernon has served as a foundational presence in our leadership team since joining in 2018. He has been instrumental in driving the growth of Prime Video and the creative evolution of Amazon MGM Studios, having overseen global series like The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power, The Boys, and Jack Ryan, while also greenlighting new commercial and critically-acclaimed hits such as Fallout, Reacher, The Summer I Turned Pretty, Mr. and Mrs. Smith, Jury Duty, Cross and more. Beyond the shows themselves, Vernon has forged deep partnerships with top creative talent across the industry over the course of his career and his creative leadership balanced large-scale, globally resonant franchises with distinct and diverse storytelling. This approach strengthened our position as a magnet for talent and a consistent place for customers around the world to find shows they love.
On both a personal and professional level, Vernon will be missed by everyone here at Amazon, and I can’t thank him enough for his work, while also wishing him the very best on whatever he chooses to explore next in his career. Thankfully, he’s agreed to stay on during a transition period as we work to bring on a new leader for this team.
Please join me in thanking Vernon for his leadership over the years and wishing him the best on his next chapter.
–Mike
