Warner Bros sues Amazon over poaching of senior executive

Warner Bros Discovery has initiated legal action against Amazon.com Services LLC, accusing the tech giant of unlawfully luring away one of its top marketing executives, Pia Chaozon Barlow, before the end of her fixed-term contract. The lawsuit was filed in the Los Angeles Superior Court and alleges that Amazon intentionally interfered with Barlow’s employment agreement, induced her to breach her contract, and engaged in practices amounting to unfair competition.

According to the complaint, Barlow, a veteran marketing executive with experience at HBO, Netflix, Twentieth Century Fox Film, and Amazon MGM Studios, signed a three-year employment contract with Warner Bros Discovery (WBD) that was set to run until October 31, 2027. WBD claims Barlow resigned in June 2026, nearly a year and a half before her contract was scheduled to expire, after accepting a senior position at Amazon.

WBD maintains that Amazon was aware of Barlow’s contractual obligations. The company alleges that after learning of her planned departure, it formally notified Amazon in writing about the fixed-term contract, but Amazon proceeded with its job offer and recruitment efforts. The lawsuit claims Amazon “deliberately induced Barlow to breach the employment agreement by packing up and decamping to Amazon more than 16 months before its expiration.” Furthermore, WBD says Amazon promised to defend and indemnify Barlow and cover her legal fees should WBD take steps to enforce the contract.

Under California law, it is possible for companies to face legal claims if they intentionally interfere with an existing contractual relationship. WBD’s complaint argues that Amazon’s actions meet this threshold, amounting to intentional interference with contractual relations, inducing breach of contract, intentional interference with prospective economic advantage, and unfair competition.

To prevail in court, Warner Bros Discovery must demonstrate that Barlow’s contract was valid and enforceable, that Amazon had knowledge of the contract, that Amazon actively encouraged Barlow to leave early, and that WBD suffered damages as a result. The company is seeking compensatory and punitive damages, as well as injunctive relief to stop Amazon from further such conduct.

WBD also alleges that Amazon has targeted other senior executives under fixed-term contracts, though the complaint does not specify any additional individuals.

Barlow’s career spans over two decades and includes leadership roles in marketing campaigns for hit series such as “House of the Dragon,” “Hacks,” and the upcoming “Harry Potter” series. At Amazon MGM Studios, she will serve as Vice President of Series Marketing, responsible for overseeing marketing for Prime Video’s U.S. and global original series.

Neither Amazon nor Barlow has publicly responded to the allegations, and no statements have been made in court at the time of publication. The legal dispute brings into focus ongoing tensions in the entertainment and technology sectors over the poaching of top talent, contract enforceability, and the permissible bounds of corporate recruitment strategies in competitive industries.