Netflix chief content officer Bela Bajaria is leaving the streaming giant after 10 years, and former Disney and Fox executive Peter Rice will replace her starting October 26. The move was first reported by Puck and confirmed in coverage by Variety, which describes it as a major executive shake-up.
Rice will lead Netflix's global content organization, overseeing scripted and unscripted series, film and live events across every region. The change lands in the same week Netflix cut around 1,000 jobs, or 6% of its workforce — the largest layoff in the company's history, according to Variety.
Bela Bajaria's decade at Netflix
Bajaria arrived at Netflix in 2016, months after being let go from NBCUniversal, where she was president of Universal Television. Co-CEO Ted Sarandos first hired her to build out an unscripted division as well as licensing and studio co-productions. She was promoted to head of global in 2020 when Cindy Holland left, and named chief content officer in January 2023.
Her tenure produced some of the platform's biggest hits, from Bridgerton and Squid Game to Stranger Things and Wednesday. She also expanded Netflix into live sports and events. In a statement, Sarandos thanked her for "a decade of dedication, innovation, creativity and leadership," saying she helped broaden the content offering and ran a world-class global slate.
- Bela Bajaria joined Netflix in 2016 after serving as president of Universal Television at NBCUniversal.
- She launched Netflix's unscripted division, then became head of global in 2020 and chief content officer in January 2023.
- Her slate included Bridgerton, Squid Game, Stranger Things, Wednesday, Adolescence and Beef, plus films such as KPop Demon Hunters.
