Elaine Paul has departed Hulu after nearly six years as chief financial officer to join Amazon Studios as CFO/VP of finance. She started at the ecommerce company’s studio division on July 15, reporting to Dan Jedda, VP of digital, advertising and corporate development finance for Amazon, a company rep said.
Paul’s move to Amazon, first reported by The Information, comes after Disney cut a deal with Comcast to gain full operational control of Hulu (and eventually buy out Comcast’s stake in the streaming venture). Hulu has launched a search for a new CFO.
Meanwhile, Doug Hott, who served as Amazon Studios’ head of finance, strategy and business development since 2015, has left the company, the rep confirmed. Hott’s exit was reported previously by THR.
Prior to joining Hulu in 2013, Paul worked at Disney for 19 years, most recently as SVP of corporate strategy, business development and technology. In that role, she led various acquisitions, new business initiatives, and strategic investments — including Disney’s original investment in Hulu in 2009, as well as the merger of Disney-owned joint ventures A&E and Lifetime. Previously, she had served as VP of business development for the Walt Disney Internet Group.
Before Disney, Paul was an associate at consulting firm McKinsey & Co. and a financial analyst at Morgan Stanley. She holds a degree in economics from Stanford University and an MBA from the Harvard Business School.