Amazon Channels boss joins BAMTech as CEO

Michael Paull

Amazon Channels boss, Michael Paull, has been named CEO of BAMTech – the video streaming technology firm Disney took a US$1 billion (€950 million) stake in last year.

Paull is due to take up his new role next month and will be tasked with driving growth and leading BAMTech’s transformation into an independent company.

He will relocate from Seattle to New York and report directly to BAMTech’s board of directors.

Paull joins from Amazon, where he has worked since 2012 – latterly running Amazon Channels worldwide, where he was responsible for its global content, product, technology, operations and marketing.

Prior to this he oversaw Prime Video and Amazon’s transactional video-on-demand business in the US, and also led the development of Amazon’s Prime Music service.

Paull has 20 years of industry experience and before joining Amazon was executive vice president, global digital business at Sony Music Entertainment.

He has also held senior vice president roles at Fox Mobile Entertainment and Sony Pictures entertainment.

“Michael is a talented and accomplished executive who shares our collective vision for BAMTech as it aggressively explores new means to acquire and distribute video content,” said commissioner of baseball Robert Manfred Jr.

BAMTech started out as the interactive media and internet company of Major League Baseball and is now jointly owned by Major League Baseball Advanced Media (MLBAM), The Walt Disney Company and the National Hockey League (NHL).

Now 14 years old, BAMTech claims to serve 7.5 million total global paid subscribers through OTT products for sports, news and entertainment partners including HBO NOW, the NHL, MLB, the PGA Tour, WWE Network, Riot Games/League of Legends, and Ice Network.

Through a partnership with Discovery, BAMTech also jointly formed BAMTech Europe to move into this market and provide technology services to a broad set of clients across the continent, including Eurosport’s digital products.

Disney bought a US$1 billion stake in BAMTech in August, in a major over-the-top push by the company. Disney said at the time that BAMTech will be a key partner for delivering streamed video and other digital products from both ESPN and Disney-ABC Television Group.