Amazon’s Media Chief Jeff Blackburn Announces Plans to Retire in 2023

Amazon.com’s high media govt Jeff Blackburn plans to retire at first of 2023, the e-commerce big mentioned on Friday.

The corporate mentioned that the media and leisure companies, led by Blackburn since Could final 12 months, shall be overseen by two present executives, Mike Hopkins and Steve Increase, who will report on to Chief Government Officer Andy Jassy.

The companies embrace Prime Video, Amazon Studios, Music, Audible, Video games, and Twitch.

Blackburn, who additionally served as senior vp at Amazon, joined Amazon in 1998 and guided the corporate via its preliminary public providing prospectus at Deutsche Financial institution.

He left Amazon briefly in February 2021, earlier than returning once more in Could 2021.

“I’ve determined to spend 2023 in another way, giving extra time to household, and really feel strongly that is the correct determination for me,” mentioned Blackburn.

Over the previous 12 months and a half, Blackburn was a key determine behind the success of exhibits like Rings of Power in addition to the acquisition of film studio MGM this 12 months, mentioned Amazon.

In the meantime, Amazon witnessed mass layoffs in November this 12 months, which are actually claimed to increase into subsequent 12 months, as said by CEO Andy Jassy. The corporate has knowledgeable employees in its units and books divisions about layoffs. A number of workers had been additionally supplied a voluntary buyout supply.

Amazon has already notified that it could lay off about 260 company employees at numerous amenities within the state. For these being laid off, Amazon is providing severance packages. It’s one among the many many tech corporations which might be witnessing mass layoffs this 12 months. Meta and Twitter additionally introduced job cuts in November, shedding hundreds of workers.