Bela Bajaria

Chief Content Officer, Netflix

Bela Bajaria was named Head of Global TV in 2020, overseeing English language and local language scripted and unscripted series around the world. Bajaria leads the team for all of television, responsible for hit series including Bridgerton, The Queen’s Gambit, Lupin, and Cobra Kai.

Previously, she oversaw local language originals, managing the teams behind shows such as La Casa de Papel (Spain), The Witcher (Poland), Lupin (France), Dark Desire (Mexico), Sacred Games (India), Kingdom (Korea), Blood & Water (South Africa), and Sintonia (Brazil).

Bajaria joined Netflix in November 2016 to oversee Netflix’s push into unscripted programming including the critically acclaimed Queer Eye, Nailed It!, and Tidying Up with Marie Kondo, as well as talk series with David Letterman and Hasan Minhaj. Bajaria also oversaw some scripted originals such as the hit series Never Have I Ever and YOU.

Previously, Bajaria was President of Universal Television, where she made history as the first woman of color to oversee a studio. There she shepherded creative programming including the Emmy-nominated Netflix comedy Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt, as well as hit primetime broadcast series Brooklyn Nine-Nine, The Mindy Project, and Chicago Fire. Earlier, she held two key posts simultaneously: Senior Vice President, Cable Programming for CBS TV Studios, and Senior Vice President of Movies and Miniseries for CBS Network.

Bajaria has been honored by THR’s Women in Entertainment list, Variety’s LA Women’s Impact Report, and named one of Fortune’s Most Powerful Women in 2020.

She currently serves on the LA Board of Governors for the Paley Center and the Board of LA’s Saban Community Clinic; she was honored with its Lenny Somberg Award in 2018. Bajaria has been honored by the “I Have a Dream” Foundation of LA, The March of Dimes Foundation, and was given the Industry Leadership Award from the LA Indian Film Festival.