Netflix CCO Rachel Whetstone to exit company as it combines comms, public policy | PR Week

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Global public policy VP Dean Garfield is also reportedly leaving the company as part of the streamer’s plans to restructure the roles under a single chief global affairs officer, according to numerous reports.

by Jess Ruderman October 29, 2024

LOS GATOS, CA: Netflix chief communications officer Rachel Whetstone is departing the streaming giant after six years, according to several media reports.

In an internal memo shared with staffers, co-CEO Ted Sarandos told employees that Whetstone and global public policy VP Dean Garfield are both leaving the company, Deadline first reported.

Sarandos plans to conduct a search for a chief global affairs officer, whose portfolio will include both policy and communications, according to reports. The company, which is considering external candidates, has not identified a hire for the role, a person familiar with the process told Deadline.

Whetstone declined to be considered for the position, according to Deadline, while Garfield does not have communications experience.

Whetstone joined Netflix to lead communications in 2018, reporting at the time to former CEO Reed Hastings, who now serves as chairman while Sarandos and Greg Peters are co-CEOs.

Whetstone’s purview has encompassed corporate communications, reputation, telling the Netflix story and overall messaging.

Whetstone was ranked No. 32 on PRWeek’s 2024 Power List.

Netflix representatives did not respond to requests for comment.

Whetstone joined Netflix after a year at Facebook as VP of corporate comms. Her portfolio at the social media company initially included WhatsApp, Instagram and Messenger, but was expanded to a lead corporate comms role.

Previously, Whetstone was SVP of communications and public policy at Uber following nearly 10 years at Google, most recently as SVP of communications and public policy.

Garfield joined Netflix in 2019 as VP of public policy. Previously, he served as president and CEO of the Information Technology Industry Council following roles as EVP and chief strategic officer of the Motion Picture Association of America and VP of legal affairs for the Recording Industry Association of America.

"For nearly six years, [Whetstone] and [Garfield] have been not just leaders, but true partners. Their counsel, dedication and passion have shaped our company and contributed to our success," Sarandos said in an emailed statement. "[Peters] and I are incredibly grateful to them both, and wish them all the best for the future."

Netflix beat top- and bottom-line expectations in Q3 as it posted a 15% increase in revenue to $9.83 billion. Net income in the period was $2.36 billion, up from $1.68 billion a year earlier. The streamer added 5.1 million subscribers in Q3, beating expectations, and giving it 282.7 million memberships across all of its pricing tiers.

Starting in 2025, Netflix will no longer update investors on subscriber numbers, as it shifts its focus to revenue and other financial metrics as performance indicators.

The company is projecting full-year revenue for 2025 of between $43 billion and $44 billion, expecting much of that growth to come from a “healthy increase in paid memberships,” according to CNBC.

This story was updated on October 30 with comment from Sarandos.