Netflix Aug. 27 named Rachel Whetstone as its new chief communications officer, replacing Jonathan Friedland, who was reportedly fired for “unacceptably low racial awareness and sensitivity” following separate uses of the racist “N-word” in company meetings.
Whetstone is responsible for leading communications on a global basis, having held similar positions at Facebook, Uber and Google.
“Rachel is a proven communications leader and a strong addition to the Netflix team,” CEO and co-founder Reed Hastings said in a statement. “Her deep knowledge and international expertise will be invaluable as we bring Netflix and its expanding lineup of original content to an increasingly global audience.”
A graduate of Bristol University, Whetstone worked as a political advisor in the U.K. before entering the private sector. She joined Google in 2005 and served as SVP of communications and public policy at Google from 2010 to 2015. She held the same position at Uber from 2015 till 2017, prior to joining Facebook as a VP of communications last year.