Amazon Studios head Jennifer Salke is making one more structural tweak to her team. Salke announced Thursday that Dan Scharf, VP and head of global business affairs, will now also oversee production, studio operations, casting, and studios music.
Scharf, who had already reported to Salke, will continue to do so. The production, studio operations, casting and studios music had previously reported to Amazon Studios’ Albert Cheng. But Cheng, who previously was COO of Amazon Studios, was promoted to Vice President of Amazon Prime Video U.S. in September, and now reports to Mike Hopkins, senior vice president of Prime Video and Amazon Studios.
Scharf has been with Amazon Studios in 2013, negotiating deals including “Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan,” “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel,” “The Boys,” “Coming 2 America” and “The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power.” His oversight has included business affairs for both TV and film.
Also under Scharf’s domain as head of global business affairs, he worked out talent deals with names including Jonathan Nolan and Lisa Joy, Phoebe Waller-Bridge, Donald Glover and Michael B. Jordan.
The exec is also credited with assisting in Amazon Studios’ international expansion and its global synergy efforts.
Scharf previously served as head of business & legal affairs, general counsel for The Jim Henson Company, where he oversaw all business & legal affairs, and corporate legal matters for company. His resume also includes stints as executive director, business affairs at Disney Cable Networks Group and director of business and legal affairs at Fox Television Studios. He began his career by serving as in-house counsel for the Screen Actors Guild.