Amazon MGM Studios Hires Warner Bros. Discovery Veteran Buddy Marini to Lead Japan
Amazon MGM Studios has appointed Buddy Marini as head of its Japan operations, effective March 6. Based in Tokyo, Marini will oversee the development and production of local originals across film, television series, and anime, and work with Amazon's global teams to distribute Japanese content on Prime Video. He reports to Nicole Clemens, who joined Amazon in June 2025 to lead international operations. Marini was most recently managing director of Warner Bros. Discovery Japan, where he led a team of 300 people across streaming, original production, pay-TV networks, and licensing. Earlier in his career, he founded the manga platform Mangamo, served as CEO of Hulu Japan, and managed Avex Asia in Hong Kong. Prime Video's current anime slate includes "Fist of the North Star: Hokuto No Ken," "The Ghost in the Shell," and "From Old Country Bumpkin to Master Swordsman." Amazon's APAC chief Gaurav Gandhi said last month the company aims to be "the preferred destination for anime content globally."