Netflix Communications Chief Rachel Whetstone, Public Policy VP Dean Garfield To Exit

EXCLUSIVE: In a significant changing of the guard in Netflix‘s senior executive ranks, Chief Communications Officer Rachel Whetstone and Global Public Policy VP Dean Garfield are leaving the company.

The news has just been shared with staffers in an internal memo. Co-CEO Ted Sarandos intends to conduct a search for a Chief Global Affairs Officer, whose portfolio will include both policy and communications. No one as yet has been identified for the role, and external candidates will be in the mix, a person familiar with the process tells Deadline. Whetstone declined the opportunity to be considered for the combo post, while Garfield has spent his career in the policy realm but has not worked in communications.

“For nearly six years, Rachel and Dean have been not just leaders, but true partners,” Sarandos said in a statement. “Their counsel, dedication, and passion have shaped our company and contributed to our success. Greg and I are incredibly grateful to them both, and wish them all the best for the future.”

Whetstone joined Netflix in 2018 after a lengthy run in tech, including senior posts at Google, Uber and Facebook. Prior to her stint in Silicon Valley, Whetstone had been a fixture in political PR, advising a number of elected officials in her native Britain.

Garfield came to Netflix in 2019, bringing a background in entertainment and technology lobbying. He has held posts at the Motion Picture Association and the Recording Industry Association of America. Immediately prior to Netflix, he spent 10 years as CEO of the Information Technology Industry Council.

The consolidation of the communications and policy roles is a sign of the times at Netflix, which has been streamlining its workforce in recent months, though not to the extent of traditional media cutbacks.