Observed Signal · Oct 12, 2026 · Hiring · Source: DWDL · Impact: 2/5 · Sentiment: Positive
Philip Pratt Named Disney+ Local Originals Head for DACH
Philip Pratt, former head of German originals at Amazon MGM Studios, will join The Walt Disney Company in early 2027 as Vice President of Original Production for Germany, Austria, and Switzerland (DACH). He will oversee all local Disney+ productions in the region, reporting to Angela Jain, Head of Content EMEA. The position had been vacant since Benjamina Mirnik-Voges's departure in April 2025. Disney's Country Manager for DACH, Eun-Ky Park, stated the company plans to triple its investment in local productions, and Disney aims to triple its international original series volume on Disney+ within three years. Pratt brings over a decade of experience, having led Prime Video German originals including 'Maxton Hall'. Disney highlights its local production success with over 30 nominations and 13 awards for German originals since 2021, underscoring its strategic focus on expanding local content to drive subscriber growth.
Hiring of a senior executive at a major streaming platform to lead local content production, signaling increased investment in DACH region, which could impact the local production ecosystem and ad-funded content opportunities.
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Key Takeaways & Evidence Grounding
- Philip Pratt will join Disney as VP, Original Production for DACH in early 2027.
- Pratt previously led German originals at Amazon MGM Studios for over 11 years.
- He will report to Angela Jain, Head of Content, Disney+ EMEA.
- Disney plans to triple its investment and international original series volume on Disney+ within three years.
- The position was vacant since Benjamina Mirnik-Voges left in April 2025; German originals have received over 30 nominations and 13 awards since 2021.
Connected Companies & Entities
4 Entities mapped“He will oversee all local productions for the streaming service Disney+ in the region.”
“Philip Pratt joins The Walt Disney Company as VP Local Originals for DACH.”
“Philip Pratt previously led German originals at Amazon MGM Studios for over a decade.”
“Pratt oversaw German original productions for the streaming service Prime Video as Head of Original Productions.”
Ontology Mapping & Concepts
Related Market Signals & Shifts
Recent verified developments and strategic activity across this market segment.
Philip Pratt leaves Amazon MGM Studios Germany
Philip Pratt, head of German Originals for Prime Video and Head of German Originals at Amazon MGM Studios Germany, has left the company after more than eleven years to pursue an opportunity outside Amazon. His departure was communicated internally by Tara Erer on August 3, 2026 and Pratt also announced it on LinkedIn; he has not disclosed his next role. Pratt became Head of German Originals at MGM Studios Germany in 2018 and led German original programming for eight years, overseeing titles including LOL: Last One Laughing, Maxton Hall and Perfekt Verpasst. A successor has not been named; Pratt’s direct reports will report to Tara Erer in the interim, while Petra Hengge (series), Verena Schilling (films) and Volker Neuenhoff (entertainment) retain responsibilities. Amazon says ongoing and planned projects should not be affected. Pratt joined Amazon in 2015 after roles including leading Watchever’s German content unit and founding Jakun Media.
Disney+ Announces German Content Highlights
At the Screenforce Festival, Disney (via Disney+) highlighted upcoming local content for its German service. The article notes Disney+ has become the number-three streaming service in Germany behind Netflix and Prime Video. Disney+ will expand its local originals slate later this year with titles including the historical series Vienna Game (expected November), City of Blood, and a reality format called Yacht Deals. The piece was published on Horizont by David Hein on 2026-07-02.
Disney Germany ramps up content and rebrands TV channel
The Walt Disney Company is intensifying its presence in Germany with a renewed slate of local programming for Disney+ and a rebranding of its free-to-air channel. After a long gap in German originals, Disney+ will launch three local shows in quick succession—the dystopian vampire series City of Blood (Sept 16), the reality soap Yacht Deals Monaco (two weeks later) and the historical dramedy Vienna Game (in November). The article notes the departure of Benjamina Mirnik-Voges, VP Original Productions for Disney+ in the German-speaking region, whose role remains unfilled. At the Screenforce Festival, Disney announced that the Disney Channel will be renamed Disney TV by year-end to position the linear channel as a broader showcase for paid Disney+ content and to unlock additional advertising budgets via Disney Advertising in Germany while keeping restrictions around children's programming.
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