Netflix has hired former PepsiCo exec Sergio Ezama as its next chief talent officer

• Netflix has hired the PepsiCo exec Sergio Ezama as its next chief talent officer.
• Ezama, who is from Spain, had worked out of Barcelona, Geneva, Moscow, and New York for PepsiCo.
• His hiring underscores the increasingly global nature of the streamer's workforce.

Netflix has hired the PepsiCo exec Sergio Ezama as its next chief talent officer.

Ezama will leave his post as PepsiCo's global chief talent officer and chief human-resources officer for the food and beverage giant's global functions and groups to join the streaming company starting in mid-September.

His hiring underscores the increasingly global nature of Netflix's workforce.

Ezama, who is from Spain, has worked out of Barcelona, Spain; Geneva; Moscow; and, most recently, New York for PepsiCo. He held a variety of roles during his 20 years at the company and worked with talent around the world.

"He has a truly global perspective that will be critical as we continue to build teams around the world - enabling us to better serve the needs of members everywhere," Greg Peters, Netflix's chief operating officer and chief product officer, who oversaw hiring for the position, said.

Ezama will work remotely from New York to start but ultimately will operate out of several different offices. The company has locations in Los Gatos, California; Los Angeles; Amsterdam; Spain; Seoul, South Korea; Tokyo; Brazil; and more.

At PepsiCo, Ezama has championed since the pandemic started a permanent flexible-work model, in which employees decide with their managers how to split their time between the office and remote work.

Ezama replaces Jessica Neal, who left the streaming company in April after four years leading human resources. Netflix has shuffled its top ranks in the past year, with Ted Sarandos stepping up as co-CEO alongside Reed Hastings in July 2020 and Bela Bajaria moving into the top TV job in September.

As talent chief, Ezama will be a key steward of Netflix's unique corporate philosophy, which made waves when it was first released more than a decade ago for its tenets such as "freedom and responsibility," radical transparency, and an unlimited-vacation and -expense policy.

Ezama will also be responsible for adapting that culture as the company grows globally.

"It's a privilege to join Netflix, and I am looking forward to building upon its culture of transparency, freedom and excellence so that all employees - whatever their background - can do the best work of their lives," Ezama said in a statement.

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