Netflix named former Walt Disney television chairman Peter Rice as its chief content officer on Thursday, replacing Bela Bajaria a day after cutting 1,000 jobs.
The management overhaul follows a six per cent reduction in global headcount, marking the company’s steepest round of layoffs since 2022.
Rice assumes responsibility for Netflix’s worldwide programming slate on October 26. His remit covers scripted and unscripted television series, feature films, and live broadcasts across all geographic territories. Rice previously ran Walt Disney Television and served as chairman of general entertainment at The Walt Disney Company after earlier leadership roles at 21st Century Fox.
Bajaria exits after ten years at the company. She joined Netflix in 2016 following her departure from NBCUniversal, where she ran Universal Television. Netflix co-chief executive Ted Sarandos initially hired her to build an unscripted television slate, alongside licensing deals and co-productions with external studios.
Her rise through the executive ranks accelerated in 2020 when she became head of global television following the departure of Cindy Holland. Netflix promoted Bajaria to chief content officer in January 2023, placing her in charge of commissioning budgets that produced breakout global titles including Squid Game, Bridgerton, Wednesday, Beef, and Stranger Things. Film projects developed during her leadership included KPop Demon Hunters and Frankenstein.
The content department restructuring reaches beyond top leadership. Netflix dismissed film vice president Doug Belgrad and film director Sheroum Kim this week as part of the broader staff reduction.
Streaming operators across Asia-Pacific face tightening production discipline as subscriber growth slows and returns on commissioned originals decline.
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