Amazon hires ViacomCBS streaming president Kelly Day for Prime Video

US tech giant Amazon has hired ViacomCBS Networks International (VCNI)’s president of streaming, Kelly Day, for a newly created role at its Prime Video SVoD service.

Kelly Day

Day has become VP of Prime Video International and will report to Mike Hopkins, the former Sony Pictures Television chairman who joined Amazon as senior VP of Prime Video and Amazon Studios last year.

Day is being brought in to head Amazon’s international content strategy and will start work in January. She will oversee Prime Video’s business and video offerings available in each country and region, including SVoD, TVoD and Channels.

She will work with the regional leaders and country directors to create local content strategies, and she and her team will be what Hopkins described as “key stakeholders” in the development and launching of Amazon Original shows and movies, which will continue to be overseen by Jennifer Salke and James Farrell.

Day joins from ViacomCBS, where she was president of streaming for VCNI. She led the division’s streaming business globally with oversight of the international roll-out of Paramount+, and also managed the expansion of Pluto TV. Prior to that, she was chief operating officer of VCNI.

In a note to staff, Hopkins said: “As I’ve said before, global expansion is a key driver of Prime Video growth and essential to the success of our business. I couldn’t be prouder of all we’ve accomplished in building and scaling Prime Video globally. I look forward to the opportunities that Kelly’s leadership will bring.

“Her insights and expertise on the future of television, the evolution of online business models and the disruption of traditional businesses through emerging technology will help us to be the number one entertainment hub for our customers.”