Barry Poznick is stepping down as general manager of unscripted television at Amazon MGM Studios and shifting into a producer role, marking a significant change for one of the most active reality suppliers in the U.S. market. Beginning January 1, 2026, he will move into a three-year first-look production deal with the studio after nearly a decade in his current post.
Under the new arrangement, Poznick will remain closely tied to the company’s unscripted slate as an executive producer, acting as a creative bridge between production companies, network partners and the studio. He is expected to continue overseeing franchises such as The Voice, Shark Tank, multiple Real Housewives series, Vanderpump Rules and an upcoming American Gladiators revival, among other formats.
Poznick joined MGM in 2016 as president of Alternative Television, at the time reporting to Mark Burnett. He went on to help steer more than 20 seasons of Survivor and led the acquisitions of Evolution Media and Big Fish Entertainment, the production outfits behind several Real Housewives installments and other reality brands. He also launched an international unit based in the U.K. to expand the company’s global unscripted footprint.
Following Amazon’s 2022 purchase of MGM, Poznick transitioned into the combined company as general manager of unscripted TV. In that role he helped deliver titles for Prime Video including quiz show Are You Smarter Than a Celebrity?, the adventure competition 007: Road to a Million and a reimagined American Gladiators. An internal memo from Amazon’s global TV chief Peter Friedlander praised Poznick’s track record in scaling hit franchises and understanding international formats, casting the move to a producer deal as the next phase of a long-running partnership.
Day-to-day oversight of Amazon MGM’s unscripted division will now rest with a broadened leadership team. Executives Lucilla D’Agostino and Kitty Gambel will continue to guide creative development, while Justin Dudek remains in charge of physical production and Dom Bird oversees international unscripted. Business affairs head Ryan Singer and production finance chief Tony Barbagiovanni also stay in place, giving the unit continuity as Amazon consolidates its studio operations under a single global television structure.
