Netflix has hired high-profile Facebook exec Rachel Whetstone to lead the company’s communications globally.
Whetstone fills the role of Chief Communications Officer, which has been vacant since June, after the firing of Jonathan Friedland following his use of the N-word in meetings on two separate occasions.
“Rachel is a proven communications leader and a strong addition to the Netflix team,” said Netflix CEO Reed Hastings in a press release. “Her deep knowledge and international expertise will be invaluable as we bring Netflix and its expanding lineup of original content to an increasingly global audience.”
Whetstone joined Facebook just last year as vice-president of communications, overseeing the WhatsApp, Instagram and Messenger teams, after holding the position of senior VP of Communications and Public Policy at both Uber and Google.
A graduate of Bristol University, Whetstone worked as a Conservative political advisor in the UK before entering the private sector. From a wealthy East Sussex family, she’s also an alumnus of exclusive girls’ boarding school Benenden, which boasts Princess Anne among its graduates.
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