Netflix Names Disney Vet Peter Rice as Content Chief — SkimNews
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- Peter Rice joins Netflix as Chief Content Officer beginning October 26, overseeing all content including scripted and unscripted series, film, and live events.
- Bela Bajaria is exiting Netflix after what Co-CEO Ted Sarandos called "a phenomenal decade," with Sarandos crediting her with launching unscripted programming, live events, sports content, and hits including Squid Game, The Diplomat, and the WWE deal.
- Rice was ousted from his role as Chairman of Walt Disney Television and General Entertainment in June 2022, replaced by Dana Walden; most recently he served as Head of Ceremonies and Content for the LA28 Olympic and Paralympic Games since July 2025.
- Sarandos framed the swap as an opportunity for Netflix's UCAN (US/Canada) market, where he said the company has "an outsize impact in creating big, buzzy hits" and where Rice's experience could "take our slate to the next level."
- The announcement lands the same week as Netflix layoffs, with Sarandos scheduling a companywide town hall for October 21 to address the week's changes.
Why it matters: Netflix is swapping a decade-long internal content architect for a Disney veteran in the same week it has cut unscripted casting and development staff — a combination that goes beyond a routine personnel refresh. Sarandos himself flagged the US/Canada market as where Netflix needs to "seize on this moment," and Rice's track record running live-event tentpoles (Super Bowl, NBA Finals, Olympics) points to where leadership wants the slate to go.
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