Netflix said on Thursday it appointed former Disney executive Peter Rice as chief ​content officer, succeeding Bela Bajaria, who ‌is leaving after nearly a decade at the streaming platform.

• Rice will oversee Netflix's content strategy ​from October 26, including series, films and live ​events across regions
• Previously, he served as ⁠chairman of Walt Disney Television and chairman ​of general entertainment at The Walt Disney ​Company (DIS.N), opens new tab
• Meanwhile, Bajaria joined Netflix in 2016 and was named chief content officer in January 2023
• During her tenure, Netflix ​released pop-culture hits such as "Bridgerton" and "Squid Game" ​and expanded live programming through multi-year partnerships with WWE ‌and ⁠the NFL
• The announcement comes a day after Netflix told staff in an internal memo that it was laying off 6% of ​its workforce, roughly ​1,000 ⁠employees, marking its biggest job cuts since 2022
• The streaming giant has ​faced doubts over its ability ​to ⁠sustain growth as engagement becomes a key concern for investors, with platforms such as ⁠YouTube ​and TikTok attracting viewers ​through free, user-generated content that gives them a cost advantage ​over Netflix