Reed Hastings

American billionaire, Reed Hastings, is the former Chairman and CEO of Netflix, an ingenious internet media provider. A pioneer in the field of online streaming, Hastings has paved the way for the user experience of media platforms we see today. Invested in utilising his presence in the industry, and further afield, Hastings dedicates much of his time as a board member to non-profit organisations and speaking at events globally as an authority on business, remaining ahead of the game in technology and educational philanthropy.

Netflix is a global streaming service, which has over 167 million subscribers internationally, thanks to the ingenuity of the Chairman and CEO; Hastings. Co-founding the business in 1997, Hastings brought to market a visionary concept which started as a DVD rental, and adapted with every new technological advancement, to become the market leader it is today. Innovation, technical acumen and entrepreneurial vision allowed Hastings to build the multi-billion dollar business, and secure the 2012 Emmy Engineering Award, a testament to his impact on the industry.

A graduate of Stanford University, Hastings achieved a Masters in Computer Science and prior a degree in Maths, evidencing his analytical mindset. On finishing his studies, Hastings completed an eclectic range of jobs, from teaching maths to software engineering, utilising his skill set to become proficient in the technology industry. His respect and dedication for the education he received, and afforded him the opportunity to progress in the industry inspired Hastings future involvement in education reform, and to take the position of President of California State Board of Education in 2000. Reed has also sat on the Board of Microsoft and on the Board of Directors of Facebook.

After 25 years spent spearheading international streaming with Netflix, Reed announced that he would be resigning as the CEO of Netflix on the 19th of January 2023. Much of his time is dedicated to international speaking engagements, where he has been called on to share a keynote on his illustrious career and the qualities that drove him to achieve such ambitions. Previously Hastings has spoken at the Royal Television Society, New York Times and a powerful TED talk on ‘How Netflix Changed Television’, making him a truly insightful and inspiring speaker.