Amazon Prime Video Southeast Asia is making significant changes to its operations in Singapore, including a reduction in its originals team and a shift to a leaner operating model. This move is part of the global wave of redundancies announced by Amazon earlier this week. According to an internal note from Prime Video’s Vice President, Asia Pacific, Gaurav Gandhi, the streamer is decreasing its investments in South East Asia (SEA) and focusing on a leaner local operating model to support the SEA territories.
As a result of this strategic shift, Amazon Prime Video Southeast Asia will be exiting the local originals game and will see a major reduction in headcount at its Singapore office. Almost all staff members associated with this side of the business will be let go. However, programs and films from the SEA region that are set to launch in 2022 and 2023 or are currently in production will not be affected. They will continue to be released as planned.
Instead of producing new originals, Prime Video Southeast Asia will focus on licensing local and pan-regional content, particularly from South Korea, the Japanese anime market, and India. This new content strategy will be complemented by the streaming platform’s existing U.S. offering. The intention is to provide a diverse range of content to cater to the preferences of the Southeast Asian audience.
This change in strategy will have a significant impact on the Singapore office, with around 25 employees remaining to work on Prime Video across the Southeast Asia region. David Simonsen, Director of Prime Video in Southeast Asia, will continue to lead the scaled-back team. Simonsen, who joined Prime Video in September 2022, was initially responsible for business and marketing activities in Indonesia, Thailand, and the Philippines.
Under the new operating model, Simonsen will work more closely with centralized business teams.
Gandhi’s note also emphasized that there would be no change in the investment focus on other Asia-Pacific (APAC) territories, including Japan and India. This suggests that Amazon continues to see potential for growth and success in these markets and remains committed to investing in content and infrastructure to cater to customers’ needs.
Amazon’s strategic shift in Southeast Asia represents a significant change from the plans outlined by Gandhi at the APOS conference last year. Gandhi had previously expressed the intention to expand Prime Video’s local-language content slate in the region. The Singapore office, while in earlier stages of development compared to other APAC territories, was poised for growth. However, the recent decision signals a change in priorities and a focus on streamlining operations.
It’s worth noting that despite the changes, Aparna Purohit, the head of Indian originals, will remain in her position, as India continues to be a major focus for Amazon. Similarly, Thai originals chief Darin Darakananda is unaffected by the redundancies, indicating that certain APAC territories are still crucial to Amazon’s content strategy.
Amazon Prime Video Southeast Asia is undergoing a strategic shift and adopting a leaner operating model. This change involves a reduction in the originals team, an exit from the local originals game, and a focus on licensing content from key markets such as South Korea, Japan, and India. While this streamlined approach may result in job losses at the Singapore office, Prime Video remains committed to the APAC region, particularly Japan and India. The ultimate goal is to provide a diverse and engaging range of content to attract and retain customers across Southeast Asia.
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