Bela Bajaria, Netflix’s Chief Content Officer, has been instrumental in transforming the streaming platform over the past nine years—overseeing its foray into live events, sports, and international hits like Bridgerton and Emily in Paris. But before joining Netflix in 2016, Bajaria faced a major career setback that she now views as one of her most valuable learning experiences, according to CNBC.
Prior to her Netflix tenure, she served as President of Universal Television, where she spearheaded successful collaborations with top talent such as Tina Fey and Mike Schur. Despite her accomplishments, she was publicly let go after five years—a moment she now recalls as a “big public failure.”
Speaking at the 2025 Changemakers Summit in Los Angeles, Bajaria reflected on how the experience reshaped her perspective. “You hear all these quotes about how failure is important and you’re not trying hard enough if you’re not failing,” she said in conversation with CNBC’s Julia Boorstin. “And all of that is true—but when you actually fail, no one wants to talk about it.”
She highlighted the particular pressure on women to appear flawless. “We’re supposed to be perfect,” she said, noting that being fired often carries stigma, especially for women in leadership.
The immediate aftermath was difficult. She questioned her worth, wondering why her accomplishments and relationships suddenly seemed to count for nothing. But the outpouring of support from colleagues, and the wave of new opportunities that followed, helped shift her mindset. “The phone rang, offers came in, and I realized—it all mattered. How I treated people, what I contributed, it all mattered.”
That realization brought her peace. “I could look in the mirror and know I had no shame. I was proud of the work I did,” she said. “In retrospect, I’m so grateful it happened. I’m not afraid of being fired. It’s actually very liberating.”
Since then, Bajaria has helped Netflix broaden its scope to include high-profile live content like comedy specials, award shows, WWE, and NFL games. Under her leadership, Netflix led the awards circuit last year, with 107 nominations across 35 titles—more than any other studio at the Oscars and Emmys.
