"Executives Depart as Netflix Searches for New Global Relations Manager"
Netflix Inc. (NASDAQ:NFLX) has announced that Dean Garfield, Vice President of Global Public Policy, and Rachel Whetstone, Communication Director, will be leaving the company. This development comes as Netflix co-CEO Ted Sarandos is seeking candidates for a newly created global relations director position that will encompass both public policy and communication responsibilities.
According to a source familiar with internal developments at Netflix, the search for the right person to fill the global relations director role is ongoing. It has been noted that Garfield, who has been with Netflix since 2019, lacks experience in communications, while Whetstone, who joined the streaming service in 2018, has shown no interest in the new position, which has led to their impending departures.
Garfield's background includes serving as the CEO of the Information Technology Industry Council and holding various roles at the Motion Picture Association. Whetstone boasts nearly twenty years of rich experience dealing with communications and policy at leading U.S. technology companies. Her resume includes stints at Google, now part of Alphabet Inc. (NASDAQ:GOOGL), Uber Technologies Inc. (NYSE:UBER), and the company formerly known as Facebook, Meta Platforms Inc. (NASDAQ:META).
The establishment of the global relations director role indicates a strategic move by Netflix to consolidate its public policy and communication efforts under a single leadership position. As the company navigates the complexities of the global entertainment sector, the new role is expected to play a key part in shaping Netflix's external relations and policy strategies.
The process of identifying a suitable candidate for this critical role is ongoing, and further updates are expected as the search progresses.