Warner Bros. Discovery sued Amazon, alleging the internet giant engaged in an “illegal” campaign of “inducing contracted employees” of WBD to “breach their employment agreements” — including HBO marketing veteran Pia Barlow.
In its lawsuit, WBD alleged that “Amazon has chosen to ride on the coattails of other well-established Hollywood mainstays such as Plaintiffs” by poaching their employees “rather than build its entertainment-production workforce from the ground up.”
Warner Bros. Discovery said “there is perhaps no better example of Amazon’s lawless employee shopping spree” than its hiring of Barlow, formerly senior VP of originals marketing at HBO Max. Amazon MGM Studios announced Friday that it had hired Barlow in the newly created role as head of original series marketing. Barlow is slated to start at Amazon on Aug. 3, reporting to global head of marketing Sue Kroll.
According to WBD’s lawsuit, Barlow’s employment contract was not set to expire until Oct. 31, 2027. Barlow “freely and expressly committed to remain employed” with WarnerMedia Services “for the duration of the term,” the lawsuit said. “Though it was aware of Barlow’s ongoing contractual commitment to WMS, of which WBD is a beneficiary, Amazon has brazenly and deliberately induced Barlow to breach the employment agreement by packing up and decamping to Amazon more than 16 months before its expiration.”
