Amazon TV Head Vernon Sanders Exits After Seven Years

Vernon Sanders is exiting as the head of global television at Amazon MGM Studios after seven years at the company.

Sanders’ departure was his own choice, Variety has learned, though he will remain at Amazon for the transitional period as his successor is selected. He announced his decision in a memo sent to staff on Wednesday, noting that his work as an executive made him “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.”

Mike Hopkins, head of Amazon MGM Studios and Amazon Prime Video, wrote in his own memo that Sanders “has served as a foundational presence” on the studio’s leadership team and that he has been “has been instrumental in driving the growth” of Amazon’s top series. Among the company’s top series during Sanders’ tenure are “The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power,” “Fallout,” “The Boys,” “Jack Ryan” and “The Summer I Turned Pretty,” which released its series finale today before the announcement of a follow-up movie.

Sanders joined what was then known as Amazon Studios in 2018, serving as co-head of television with Albert Cheng, who later went on to serve as chief operator and then head of Prime Video before entering his current role focused on Amazon’s use of AI tools. Previously, Sanders served as an executive vice president of current programming at NBC before entering an overall deal at Universal Television as a producer.

Read Sanders’ memo in full below.

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