Netflix adds African Telecom Mogul Strive Masiyiwa to Board of Directors

2:47 pm PST 12/16/2020

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Natalie Jarvey

Masiyiwa will replace Susan Rice, who has stepped down from the streamer’s board to join President-elect Joe Biden’s government.

Netflix has found a replacement for Susan Rice on its board of directors, by calling on African billionaire and telecom magnate Strive Masiyiwa for the role.

“We are delighted to welcome Strive to the Netflix board,” Netflix co-founder, chairman and co-CEO Reed Hastings said in a statement. “His entrepreneurship and vision in building businesses across Africa and beyond will provide valuable insights and experience for our board of directors as we work to improve and serve more members around the world.”

Masiyiwa is the Founder and Executive Chairman of Econet Global, the South Africa-based telecom group with operations in Africa, Asia, Europe and Latin America. His appointment highlights the importance of international markets, including Africa, for Netflix as it aims to grow its subscriber base outside of the US and Europe. “I am delighted that Strive is joining our board as we expand more across Africa and the world,” co-CEO Ted Sarandos said in a statement.

He replaces Susan Rice on the Netflix board. Rice, former U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations and National Security Adviser to President Barack Obama, stepped down from the streamer’s board after more than two years on December 10 to take up a position as director of the White House Interior Policy Council. to accept the government. of President-elect Joe Biden.

Born in Zimbabwe and educated in the UK, Masiyiwa, 59, founded Econet Global in 1998 to provide mobile phone services in Botswana and Zimbabwe. He is on several other boards including Unilever, National Geographic Society and Stanford University.

“Netflix is ​​at the forefront of bringing great entertainment from around the world to anyone in the world, and I look forward to working with the board and all stakeholders to continue the tradition of innovation and growth,” said Masiyiwa in a statement. statement.

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