Ted Sarandos

Ted Sarandos joined Netflix in the year 2000, initially serving as the company's chief content officer. At the time, Netflix was still primarily operating as a DVD-by-mail rental service. Sarandos was brought in to help the company transition into acquiring and eventually producing original content.

He was instrumental in transitioning Netflix from a DVD distributor into a major producer and distributor of streaming film and television. He spearheaded the company's aggressive strategy of licensing high-demand content and later launching original series like 'House of Cards.' This shift fundamentally changed the global entertainment landscape.

Sarandos has served as the co-chief executive officer (co-CEO) of Netflix since 2020. He shares this top leadership role with Greg Peters, taking over the position from the company's co-founder Reed Hastings. He continues to guide the company's global content acquisition and production strategy.

Before joining Netflix, he spent several years working in the home video retail industry, specifically at the now-defunct chain West Coast Video. He eventually became a regional vice president there, gaining extensive experience in consumer home entertainment trends. This background heavily influenced his early approach to content licensing at Netflix.