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{{Infobox person
{{Infobox person
| name = Reed Hastings
| name         = Reed Hastings
| birth_name = Wilmot Reed Hastings Jr.
| birth_name   = Wilmot Reed Hastings Jr.
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1960|10|8}}
| birth_date   = {{Birth date and age|1960|10|8}}
| birth_place = [[Boston, Massachusetts]], U.S.
| birth_place   = [[Boston, Massachusetts]], U.S.
| nationality = American
| nationality   = American
| education = [[Stanford University]] (MS)
| education     = [[Stanford University]] (MS)
| occupation = Businessman, entrepreneur, philanthropist
| occupation   = Businessman, entrepreneur, philanthropist
| known_for = Co-founding [[Netflix|Netflix, Inc.]]
| known_for     = Co-founding [[Netflix|Netflix, Inc.]]
| title = Chairman, Netflix, Inc.
| title         = Chairman of Netflix
| awards = <!-- populated in Recognition section -->
| awards       =
| website      =  
}}
}}


'''Wilmot Reed Hastings Jr.''' (born October 8, 1960) is an American billionaire businessman, entrepreneur, and philanthropist who co-founded [[Netflix|Netflix, Inc.]], the streaming entertainment company that fundamentally altered the global media landscape. Hastings served as the chief executive officer of Netflix for more than twenty-five years before transitioning to the role of executive chairman and, subsequently, chairman of the board.<ref>{{cite web |title=Reed Hastings appointed to Anthropic's board of directors |url=https://www.anthropic.com/news/reed-hastings |publisher=Anthropic |date=May 28, 2025 |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref> Under his leadership, Netflix evolved from a DVD-by-mail rental service into one of the world's largest streaming platforms, reshaping the entertainment industry's distribution and production models. Beyond the technology and media sectors, Hastings has been an active figure in education policy, having served as president of the [[California State Board of Education]] and as a prominent advocate for charter schools.<ref>{{cite web |title=California State Board of Education Press Release |url=http://www.cde.ca.gov/nr/ne/yr05/yr05rel8.asp |publisher=California Department of Education |date= |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref> In 2025, he was appointed to the board of directors of [[Anthropic]], the artificial intelligence safety and research company, reflecting his growing interest in AI technologies and their societal implications.<ref>{{cite web |title=Reed Hastings appointed to Anthropic's board of directors |url=https://www.anthropic.com/news/reed-hastings |publisher=Anthropic |date=May 28, 2025 |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref> His career arc—from selling vacuums door-to-door as a teenager and volunteering in the [[Peace Corps]] to building a company valued at hundreds of billions of dollars—has made him one of the most closely studied business leaders in American corporate history.<ref>{{cite news |last= |first= |date=December 5, 2025 |title=Netflix cofounder started his career selling vacuums door-to-door before college—now, his $440 billion streaming giant is buying Warner Bros. and HBO |url=https://fortune.com/2025/12/05/netflix-cofounder-reed-hastings-rags-to-riches-vaccum-salesperson-to-self-made-billionaire-netflix-chairman-career-warner-bros-hbo-purchase/ |work=Fortune |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref>
'''Wilmot Reed Hastings Jr.''' (born October 8, 1960) is an American billionaire businessman who co-founded [[Netflix|Netflix, Inc.]], the global streaming entertainment service that fundamentally altered how audiences consume film and television. Hastings served as chief executive officer of Netflix for more than twenty-five years before transitioning to the role of executive chairman and subsequently chairman of the company's board of directors.<ref>{{cite web |title=Reed Hastings appointed to Anthropic's board of directors |url=https://www.anthropic.com/news/reed-hastings |publisher=Anthropic |date=May 28, 2025 |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref> Before Netflix, he founded Pure Software, an enterprise software company. Beyond his career in technology and entertainment, Hastings has been active in education policy, having served as president of the [[California State Board of Education]] and as an advocate for charter schools.<ref>{{cite web |title=Reed Hastings has a big idea: Kill elected school boards |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/answer-sheet/wp/2014/03/14/netflixs-reed-hastings-has-a-big-idea-kill-elected-school-boards/ |work=The Washington Post |date=2014-03-14 |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref> He has served on the boards of several major technology companies and nonprofit organizations. In 2025, Hastings was appointed to the board of directors of [[Anthropic]], an artificial intelligence safety and research company, reflecting his growing interest in the future of AI technology.<ref>{{cite web |title=Reed Hastings appointed to Anthropic's board of directors |url=https://www.anthropic.com/news/reed-hastings |publisher=Anthropic |date=May 28, 2025 |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref>


== Early Life ==
== Early Life ==


Wilmot Reed Hastings Jr. was born on October 8, 1960, in [[Boston, Massachusetts]].<ref>{{cite web |title=Netflix Management — Reed Hastings |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090131090615/http://ir.netflix.com/management.cfm?bio=8195#8195 |publisher=Netflix, Inc. |date= |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref> Before pursuing higher education, Hastings worked as a door-to-door vacuum salesman during his teenage years, an experience that would later be cited as an early exercise in the kind of persistence and direct customer engagement that would characterize his business approach.<ref>{{cite news |last= |first= |date=December 5, 2025 |title=Netflix cofounder started his career selling vacuums door-to-door before college—now, his $440 billion streaming giant is buying Warner Bros. and HBO |url=https://fortune.com/2025/12/05/netflix-cofounder-reed-hastings-rags-to-riches-vaccum-salesperson-to-self-made-billionaire-netflix-chairman-career-warner-bros-hbo-purchase/ |work=Fortune |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref>
Wilmot Reed Hastings Jr. was born on October 8, 1960, in [[Boston, Massachusetts]].<ref>{{cite web |title=Netflix Flex to the Max |url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2007-09-23/netflix-flex-to-the-max |work=Bloomberg |date=2007-09-23 |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref> As a teenager, Hastings worked as a door-to-door vacuum salesman, a job that provided him with early entrepreneurial experience and an understanding of direct sales.<ref>{{cite news |title=Netflix cofounder started his career selling vacuums door-to-door before college—now, his $440 billion streaming giant is buying Warner Bros. and HBO |url=https://fortune.com/2025/12/05/netflix-cofounder-reed-hastings-rags-to-riches-vaccum-salesperson-to-self-made-billionaire-netflix-chairman-career-warner-bros-hbo-purchase/ |work=Fortune |date=December 5, 2025 |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref>


After completing his undergraduate studies, Hastings joined the [[United States Peace Corps]], serving as a volunteer teacher. The Peace Corps experience had a formative influence on Hastings, exposing him to international development challenges and shaping his later interest in education reform.<ref>{{cite web |title=Peace Corps Online — Reed Hastings |url=http://peacecorpsonline.org/messages/messages/467/2019928.html |publisher=Peace Corps Online |date= |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref> His time in the Peace Corps also instilled in him a sense of public service that he would carry throughout his career, manifesting in his extensive philanthropic work and education policy advocacy.
After completing his undergraduate education, Hastings joined the [[United States Peace Corps]], through which he served as a volunteer teacher.<ref>{{cite web |title=Peace Corps Online — Reed Hastings |url=http://peacecorpsonline.org/messages/messages/467/2019928.html |publisher=Peace Corps Online |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref> The Peace Corps experience was formative for Hastings, exposing him to different cultures and educational systems. The period between his undergraduate studies and his graduate work at Stanford represented a time of personal growth and exploration that later informed both his approach to business leadership and his commitment to education reform.


== Education ==
== Education ==


Hastings earned a [[Bachelor of Arts]] degree from [[Bowdoin College]], a private liberal arts college in [[Brunswick, Maine]].<ref>{{cite web |title=Netflix Management — Reed Hastings |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090131090615/http://ir.netflix.com/management.cfm?bio=8195#8195 |publisher=Netflix, Inc. |date= |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref> He subsequently pursued graduate studies at [[Stanford University]], where he received a [[Master of Science]] degree in computer science.<ref>{{cite web |title=Stanford News Service — Reed Hastings |url=http://news-service.stanford.edu/news/2000/april5/hastings-45.html |publisher=Stanford University |date=April 5, 2000 |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref> The technical training at Stanford provided Hastings with the foundation in software engineering that would prove instrumental in his founding of both Pure Atria, an earlier software company, and later Netflix. His Stanford education placed him within the network of Silicon Valley entrepreneurs and technologists who would become key collaborators and contacts throughout his career.
Hastings earned a [[Bachelor of Arts]] degree from [[Bowdoin College]], a liberal arts college in [[Brunswick, Maine]]. He subsequently attended [[Stanford University]], where he received a [[Master of Science]] degree in computer science.<ref>{{cite web |title=Stanford University News Service — Reed Hastings |url=http://news-service.stanford.edu/news/2000/april5/hastings-45.html |publisher=Stanford University |date=2000-04-05 |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref> His graduate education at Stanford provided him with the technical foundation that would underpin his first company, Pure Software, and later inform the technology-driven approach that defined Netflix's operations and competitive strategy.


== Career ==
== Career ==


=== Early Career and Pure Atria ===
=== Pure Software ===


Following his graduate studies at Stanford, Hastings entered the technology sector. He founded Pure Software, a company that developed tools for troubleshooting software. The company grew through a series of mergers and was eventually renamed Pure Atria. In 1997, Pure Atria was acquired by Rational Software in a deal that provided Hastings with the financial resources and entrepreneurial confidence to pursue his next venture.<ref>{{cite news |last= |first= |date=April 23, 2006 |title=Netflix CEO |url=https://www.usatoday.com/tech/products/services/2006-04-23-netflix-ceo_x.htm |work=USA Today |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref> The experience of building and selling Pure Atria gave Hastings practical lessons in managing fast-growing technology companies—lessons he later applied at Netflix with greater ambition and on a far larger scale.
After completing his master's degree at Stanford, Hastings founded Pure Software, a company that developed tools for software troubleshooting and debugging. The company grew through a series of acquisitions and eventually merged with Atria Software to form Pure Atria Corporation. The merged entity was subsequently acquired by Rational Software in 1997. The experience of building, scaling, and ultimately selling Pure Software gave Hastings a practical education in corporate management and the challenges of leading a rapidly growing technology company. Hastings later reflected on the management lessons — both positive and negative — he took away from his time at Pure Software, particularly regarding corporate culture and decision-making processes.<ref>{{cite news |title=Netflix Founder Reed Hastings on Scaling High-Trust Culture & Bold Judgment |url=https://fs.blog/knowledge-project-podcast/reed-hastings/ |work=Farnam Street |date=June 5, 2025 |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref>


=== Founding of Netflix ===
=== Founding of Netflix ===


In 1997, Hastings co-founded Netflix, Inc., initially as a DVD-by-mail rental service that challenged the then-dominant brick-and-mortar video rental model. The company's founding story has become a well-known part of Silicon Valley lore. Netflix launched its website in 1998 and quickly differentiated itself from competitors such as [[Blockbuster LLC|Blockbuster]] by offering a subscription-based model with no late fees—a direct contrast to the fee structures that had frustrated many video rental customers.<ref>{{cite news |last= |first= |date=September 23, 2007 |title=Netflix: Flex to the Max |url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2007-09-23/netflix-flex-to-the-max |work=Bloomberg Businessweek |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref>
In 1997, Hastings co-founded Netflix, Inc., which initially operated as a DVD-by-mail rental service. The company launched in 1998 and distinguished itself from traditional video rental stores by offering a subscription-based model without late fees — a feature that proved enormously popular with consumers.<ref>{{cite news |last= |first= |date=2006-04-23 |title=Netflix CEO has his eye on the future |url=https://www.usatoday.com/tech/products/services/2006-04-23-netflix-ceo_x.htm |work=USA Today |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref> The origin story of Netflix has been the subject of considerable public interest. The company's early years involved significant financial risk and competition with established brick-and-mortar video rental chains, most notably Blockbuster.


The subscription model proved popular, and the company grew steadily through the early 2000s. Netflix went public in 2002, and Hastings became a prominent figure in the technology and media industries. Throughout this period, he served as chief executive officer, guiding the company through the critical transition from a start-up competing with established video rental chains to a publicly traded corporation with a rapidly expanding subscriber base.<ref>{{cite news |last= |first= |date=April 23, 2006 |title=Netflix CEO |url=https://www.usatoday.com/tech/products/services/2006-04-23-netflix-ceo_x.htm |work=USA Today |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref>
Netflix's subscription model, which allowed customers to rent DVDs for a flat monthly fee with no due dates or late charges, represented a departure from the prevailing industry model and attracted a growing subscriber base throughout the early 2000s.<ref>{{cite news |title=Netflix Flex to the Max |url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2007-09-23/netflix-flex-to-the-max |work=Bloomberg |date=2007-09-23 |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref>


=== Transition to Streaming ===
=== Netflix's Transition to Streaming ===


One of Hastings's most consequential decisions was the strategic pivot from physical DVD delivery to digital streaming. Netflix launched its streaming service in 2007, a move that initially supplemented its DVD business but gradually became the company's primary offering.<ref>{{cite news |last= |first= |date=February 8, 2008 |title=Netflix |url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB120251714532955425 |work=The Wall Street Journal |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref> This transition required significant investment in technology infrastructure and content licensing, and it represented a substantial bet on the future of internet-delivered entertainment.
Under Hastings's leadership as CEO, Netflix undertook a strategic pivot from physical DVD distribution to digital streaming, a transition that began in 2007 and would prove to be one of the most consequential business decisions in modern media history. The shift to streaming required substantial investment in technology infrastructure, content licensing, and eventually original content production. Hastings guided the company through this period of transformation, which included significant risks and periods of subscriber discontent — most notably the 2011 controversy surrounding the attempted separation of the DVD and streaming businesses under the names Qwikster and Netflix, respectively, which Hastings ultimately reversed after a public backlash.<ref>{{cite web |title=Outside the Box |url=https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2014/02/03/outside-the-box-2 |work=The New Yorker |date=2014-02-03 |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref>


The shift was not without controversy. In 2011, Netflix announced a plan to separate its DVD and streaming businesses, with the DVD service to be rebranded as "Qwikster." The announcement was met with widespread customer backlash and a significant drop in the company's stock price. Hastings publicly acknowledged the misstep and reversed the decision, keeping both services under the Netflix brand. The episode became a case study in corporate communication and strategic reversal, and Hastings was credited with handling the crisis with unusual candor for a chief executive.<ref>{{cite news |last= |first= |date= |title=Outside the Box |url=https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2014/02/03/outside-the-box-2 |work=The New Yorker |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref>
Netflix's investment in original programming, beginning with series such as ''House of Cards'' and ''Orange Is the New Black'', further differentiated the service and helped drive subscriber growth both domestically and internationally. The company's expansion into international markets during the 2010s transformed Netflix from an American streaming service into a global entertainment platform operating in over 190 countries.


Despite the Qwikster setback, the streaming strategy proved transformative. Netflix expanded internationally, entering markets across Europe, Asia, and Latin America. The company also began investing heavily in original content production, launching series such as ''[[House of Cards (American TV series)|House of Cards]]'' and ''[[Orange Is the New Black]]'' that attracted critical acclaim and large audiences. Under Hastings's leadership, Netflix became one of the largest producers and distributors of entertainment content in the world.<ref>{{cite news |last= |first= |date= |title=Outside the Box |url=https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2014/02/03/outside-the-box-2 |work=The New Yorker |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref>
Hastings's management philosophy at Netflix attracted significant attention in business circles. The company's culture memo, which emphasized concepts such as "freedom and responsibility," radical candor, and a high-performance workforce, became one of the most discussed corporate culture documents in Silicon Valley. Hastings articulated a management approach that included generous severance packages as a tool for maintaining organizational quality and a preference for retaining only top performers.<ref>{{cite news |title=Netflix Founder Reed Hastings on Scaling High-Trust Culture & Bold Judgment |url=https://fs.blog/knowledge-project-podcast/reed-hastings/ |work=Farnam Street |date=June 5, 2025 |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref>


=== Corporate Culture and Management Philosophy ===
By December 2025, Netflix's market capitalization had reached approximately $440 billion, and the company was reported to be pursuing the acquisition of [[Warner Bros.]] and [[HBO]], representing a potential further consolidation of Hastings's legacy in reshaping the global entertainment industry.<ref>{{cite news |title=Netflix cofounder started his career selling vacuums door-to-door before college—now, his $440 billion streaming giant is buying Warner Bros. and HBO |url=https://fortune.com/2025/12/05/netflix-cofounder-reed-hastings-rags-to-riches-vaccum-salesperson-to-self-made-billionaire-netflix-chairman-career-warner-bros-hbo-purchase/ |work=Fortune |date=December 5, 2025 |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref>


Hastings became known for articulating a distinctive corporate culture at Netflix, emphasizing high performance, radical transparency, and employee autonomy. The company's culture document, sometimes referred to as the "Netflix Culture Deck," was shared publicly and attracted widespread attention in the technology industry and business media.<ref>{{cite web |title=Netflix Founder Reed Hastings on Scaling High-Trust Culture & Bold Judgment |url=https://fs.blog/knowledge-project-podcast/reed-hastings/ |publisher=Farnam Street |date=June 5, 2025 |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref>
=== Transition from CEO to Chairman ===
 
Hastings served as CEO of Netflix for over twenty-five years. He eventually stepped down from the CEO role, with [[Ted Sarandos]] assuming leadership of day-to-day operations. Hastings transitioned first to the role of executive chairman and then to chairman of the board of directors.<ref>{{cite web |title=Reed Hastings appointed to Anthropic's board of directors |url=https://www.anthropic.com/news/reed-hastings |publisher=Anthropic |date=May 28, 2025 |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref> In his capacity as chairman, Hastings has continued to comment publicly on Netflix's strategic direction. In early 2026, when co-CEO Ted Sarandos expressed interest in Netflix pursuing theatrical film distribution and "winning box office," Hastings offered a more cautious perspective, suggesting a degree of strategic divergence — or at least ongoing discussion — regarding the company's approach to theatrical releases.<ref>{{cite news |title=Ted Sarandos Says He Wants to "Win Box Office." Reed Hastings Doesn't Sound So Sure |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/business/business-news/reed-hastings-comments-netflix-theatrical-movies-1236476465/ |work=The Hollywood Reporter |date=2026-01 |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref>


Key elements of the Netflix culture under Hastings included a "keeper test," in which managers were encouraged to evaluate whether they would fight to keep each employee, and a policy of generous severance for those who did not meet the company's high performance standards. Hastings has described the use of severance as a management tool, designed to ensure that transitions were handled humanely while maintaining the overall quality of the workforce.<ref>{{cite web |title=Netflix Founder Reed Hastings on Scaling High-Trust Culture & Bold Judgment |url=https://fs.blog/knowledge-project-podcast/reed-hastings/ |publisher=Farnam Street |date=June 5, 2025 |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref> The Netflix approach to corporate culture generated both admiration and criticism, with some observers praising its clarity and others questioning whether its intensity placed excessive pressure on employees.
=== Board Service and AI Interests ===


=== Transition from CEO to Chairman ===
Throughout his career, Hastings has served on the boards of directors of several prominent technology companies. He was appointed to the board of directors of [[Facebook]] (now [[Meta Platforms]]) in June 2011.<ref>{{cite web |title=Facebook Names Reed Hastings to Its Board of Directors |url=http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/facebook-names-reed-hastings-to-its-board-of-directors-124429638.html |publisher=PR Newswire |date=2011-06-23 |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref> He departed the Facebook board in 2019.<ref>{{cite news |title=Netflix CEO Reed Hastings to depart Facebook board of directors |url=https://www.cnbc.com/2019/04/12/netflix-ceo-reed-hastings-to-depart-facebook-board-of-directors.html |work=CNBC |date=2019-04-12 |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref> In October 2012, he was appointed to the board of directors of [[Microsoft]].<ref>{{cite web |title=Microsoft Names Reed Hastings to Board of Directors |url=http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/news/Press/2012/Oct12/10-09ReedPR.aspx |publisher=Microsoft |date=2012-10-09 |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref>


After more than twenty-five years as chief executive officer of Netflix, Hastings stepped back from the CEO role. He transitioned first to the position of executive chairman and subsequently to chairman of the board, handing day-to-day operational leadership to successors while maintaining a significant role in the company's strategic direction.<ref>{{cite web |title=Reed Hastings appointed to Anthropic's board of directors |url=https://www.anthropic.com/news/reed-hastings |publisher=Anthropic |date=May 28, 2025 |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref> As chairman, Hastings continued to comment publicly on Netflix's strategic decisions, including the company's approach to theatrical film releases and its broader content strategy.<ref>{{cite news |last= |first= |date=2025 |title=Ted Sarandos Says He Wants to "Win Box Office." Reed Hastings Doesn't Sound So Sure |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/business/business-news/reed-hastings-comments-netflix-theatrical-movies-1236476465/ |work=The Hollywood Reporter |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref>
In May 2025, Hastings was appointed to the board of directors of [[Anthropic]], the artificial intelligence safety and research company. The appointment reflected Hastings's growing engagement with AI technology and its potential applications.<ref>{{cite web |title=Reed Hastings appointed to Anthropic's board of directors |url=https://www.anthropic.com/news/reed-hastings |publisher=Anthropic |date=May 28, 2025 |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref> In December 2025, Hastings discussed artificial intelligence and its implications for the future of television and entertainment in a public conversation with Bloomberg, signaling his interest in the intersection of AI and the media industries he helped transform.<ref>{{cite news |title=Bloomberg Talks: Reed Hastings Talks AI |url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/audio/2025-12-11/bloomberg-talks-netflix-s-reed-hastings-talks-ai-podcast |work=Bloomberg |date=December 11, 2025 |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref>


By late 2025, Netflix had grown into a company valued at approximately $440 billion, and was reported to be pursuing the acquisition of [[Warner Bros.]] and [[HBO]]—a deal that, if completed, would represent one of the largest media transactions in history.<ref>{{cite news |last= |first= |date=December 5, 2025 |title=Netflix cofounder started his career selling vacuums door-to-door before college—now, his $440 billion streaming giant is buying Warner Bros. and HBO |url=https://fortune.com/2025/12/05/netflix-cofounder-reed-hastings-rags-to-riches-vaccum-salesperson-to-self-made-billionaire-netflix-chairman-career-warner-bros-hbo-purchase/ |work=Fortune |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref>
=== Education Advocacy ===


=== Board Memberships and AI Involvement ===
Hastings has maintained a long-standing involvement in education policy. He served as president of the [[California State Board of Education]] from 2000 to 2004.<ref>{{cite web |title=California Department of Education — Reed Hastings |url=http://www.cde.ca.gov/nr/ne/yr05/yr05rel8.asp |publisher=California Department of Education |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref> In this role and in his subsequent philanthropic activities, Hastings became a prominent advocate for charter schools, arguing that they provide valuable educational alternatives to traditional public schools.


In addition to his role at Netflix, Hastings has served on the boards of several major technology companies. He was appointed to the board of directors of [[Facebook]] (now [[Meta Platforms]]) in 2011.<ref>{{cite web |title=Facebook Names Reed Hastings to Its Board of Directors |url=http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/facebook-names-reed-hastings-to-its-board-of-directors-124429638.html |publisher=PR Newswire |date= |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref> He served on the board of [[Microsoft]] beginning in 2012.<ref>{{cite web |title=Reed Hastings joins Microsoft Board of Directors |url=http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/news/Press/2012/Oct12/10-09ReedPR.aspx |publisher=Microsoft |date=October 9, 2012 |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref> Hastings departed the Facebook board in 2019.<ref>{{cite news |last= |first= |date=April 12, 2019 |title=Netflix CEO Reed Hastings to depart Facebook board of directors |url=https://www.cnbc.com/2019/04/12/netflix-ceo-reed-hastings-to-depart-facebook-board-of-directors.html |work=CNBC |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref>
In 2014, Hastings attracted attention for publicly advocating the elimination of elected school boards, arguing that they impeded effective education reform. He proposed replacing them with appointed boards that could, in his view, more effectively govern school districts.<ref>{{cite web |title=Netflix's Reed Hastings has a big idea: Kill elected school boards |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/answer-sheet/wp/2014/03/14/netflixs-reed-hastings-has-a-big-idea-kill-elected-school-boards/ |work=The Washington Post |date=2014-03-14 |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref> This position generated both support and opposition within the education reform community.


In May 2025, Hastings was appointed to the board of directors of [[Anthropic]], an artificial intelligence safety and research company focused on building reliable and interpretable AI systems.<ref>{{cite web |title=Reed Hastings appointed to Anthropic's board of directors |url=https://www.anthropic.com/news/reed-hastings |publisher=Anthropic |date=May 28, 2025 |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref> The appointment reflected Hastings's growing engagement with the AI sector. In a December 2025 appearance at a Bloomberg event, Hastings discussed artificial intelligence and its potential impact on the future of television and media.<ref>{{cite news |last= |first= |date=December 11, 2025 |title=Bloomberg Talks: Reed Hastings Talks AI |url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/audio/2025-12-11/bloomberg-talks-netflix-s-reed-hastings-talks-ai-podcast |work=Bloomberg |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref>
Hastings has donated significant sums to education-related causes and charter school organizations. His education philanthropy has been a consistent element of his public profile alongside his technology career.


== Education Policy and Advocacy ==
In November 2025, Hastings commented publicly on the potential impact of artificial intelligence on schools, suggesting that the role of teachers would evolve in response to AI tools. He stated: "I think the teacher's role is going to move more towards a social worker focusing on social emotional learning."<ref>{{cite news |title=Netflix's Reed Hastings on the Impact of AI on Schools |url=https://www.the74million.org/article/netflixs-reed-hastings-on-the-impact-of-ai-on-schools/ |work=The 74 |date=November 20, 2025 |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref> This comment reflected both his long-standing interest in education reform and his newer engagement with artificial intelligence.


Hastings has been a significant figure in American education policy. He served as president of the [[California State Board of Education]], a role in which he helped shape policy for the state's public school system.<ref>{{cite web |title=California State Board of Education Press Release |url=http://www.cde.ca.gov/nr/ne/yr05/yr05rel8.asp |publisher=California Department of Education |date= |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref>
== Personal Life ==


Hastings has been a prominent advocate for charter schools, supporting efforts to expand the number of publicly funded, independently operated schools across the United States. His advocacy has included both financial contributions to charter school organizations and public statements in favor of educational reform. In 2014, he drew attention for proposing the elimination of elected school boards, arguing that they impeded effective education governance.<ref>{{cite news |last= |first= |date=March 14, 2014 |title=Netflix's Reed Hastings has a big idea: Kill elected school boards |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/answer-sheet/wp/2014/03/14/netflixs-reed-hastings-has-a-big-idea-kill-elected-school-boards/ |work=The Washington Post |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref> The proposal generated significant debate among education policymakers and commentators.
Hastings has maintained a relatively private personal life compared to many technology industry executives of comparable prominence. He has been involved in various philanthropic activities beyond education, including contributions to environmental and social causes. In 2016, Hastings was among a group of business leaders who publicly endorsed [[Hillary Clinton]] for president of the United States.<ref>{{cite news |title=Business leaders endorse Hillary Clinton |url=https://www.politico.com/story/2016/06/business-leaders-endorse-hillary-clinton-224706 |work=Politico |date=2016-06 |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref>


In November 2025, Hastings commented publicly on the potential impact of artificial intelligence on schools. He suggested that the role of teachers would evolve as AI technologies became more prevalent, stating that he believed "the teacher's role is going to move more towards a social worker focusing on social emotional learning."<ref>{{cite news |last= |first= |date=November 20, 2025 |title=Netflix's Reed Hastings on the Impact of AI on Schools |url=https://www.the74million.org/article/netflixs-reed-hastings-on-the-impact-of-ai-on-schools/ |work=The 74 |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref> The remarks added a new dimension to Hastings's longstanding engagement with education policy, connecting his interest in technology to his advocacy for school reform.
Hastings has demonstrated a personal interest in outdoor recreation, particularly skiing. In early 2026, he acquired a stake in [[Powder Mountain]], a ski resort in [[Utah]], with reports noting his genuine affinity for the resort's slopes and culture.<ref>{{cite news |title=Powder Mountain Has New Leadership From an Unlikely Place |url=https://www.skimag.com/news/netflix-reed-hastins-buys-stake-powder-mountain/ |work=Ski Magazine |date=2026-02 |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref>


== Political Activity ==
He has resided in [[Santa Cruz, California]].<ref>{{cite news |title=Santa Cruz Sentinel — Reed Hastings |url=http://www.santacruzsentinel.com/archive/2006/July/12/local/stories/03local.htm |work=Santa Cruz Sentinel |date=2006-07-12 |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref>


Hastings has been politically active, particularly in California state politics. He has made financial contributions to political campaigns and causes. In 2016, he was among a group of business leaders who publicly endorsed [[Hillary Clinton]] in the presidential election.<ref>{{cite news |last= |first= |date=June 2016 |title=Business leaders endorse Hillary Clinton |url=https://www.politico.com/story/2016/06/business-leaders-endorse-hillary-clinton-224706 |work=Politico |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref> His political contributions have included donations related to California campaigns and ballot measures.<ref>{{cite web |title=Campaign Finance — Reed Hastings |url=http://cal-access.sos.ca.gov/Campaign/Committees/Detail.aspx?id=1315905&session=2009&view=late1 |publisher=California Secretary of State |date= |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref>
== Recognition ==


Hastings's political involvement has extended beyond direct campaign contributions. His education advocacy, particularly his support for charter schools and criticism of elected school boards, has placed him at the intersection of education policy and political debate. His positions have drawn both support from those who favor market-oriented education reforms and criticism from advocates of traditional public school governance.<ref>{{cite news |last= |first= |date=March 14, 2014 |title=Netflix's Reed Hastings has a big idea: Kill elected school boards |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/answer-sheet/wp/2014/03/14/netflixs-reed-hastings-has-a-big-idea-kill-elected-school-boards/ |work=The Washington Post |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref>
Hastings has received recognition for his role in transforming the entertainment industry through Netflix. The company's disruption of traditional media distribution — first through DVD-by-mail and then through streaming — earned Hastings a reputation as one of the most influential figures in modern media and technology.


== Personal Life ==
His appointment to the boards of major technology companies including Facebook, Microsoft, and Anthropic reflects the regard in which he is held within the technology industry. Stanford University has recognized him as a notable alumnus.<ref>{{cite web |title=Stanford University News Service — Reed Hastings |url=http://news-service.stanford.edu/news/2000/april5/hastings-45.html |publisher=Stanford University |date=2000-04-05 |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref>


Hastings has maintained a relatively private personal life compared to some of his peers in the technology industry. He has been reported to have interests outside of business and technology, including outdoor recreation. In early 2026, it was reported that Hastings had acquired a stake in [[Powder Mountain]], a ski resort in [[Utah]], reflecting what was described as a longstanding connection to the area and a personal interest in skiing.<ref>{{cite news |last= |first= |date=2026 |title=Powder Mountain Has New Leadership From an Unlikely Place |url=https://www.skimag.com/news/netflix-reed-hastins-buys-stake-powder-mountain/ |work=Ski Magazine |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref>
Hastings's management philosophy and the Netflix corporate culture he helped create have been the subject of extensive analysis in business media and academic settings. The Netflix culture memo he co-authored became one of the most widely circulated corporate culture documents in Silicon Valley, and his subsequent book on Netflix's management approach further disseminated his ideas about organizational design, talent management, and corporate decision-making.


Hastings's financial holdings have included significant stakes in Netflix, Inc. His stock transactions and insider holdings in the company have been a subject of public record and investor interest.<ref>{{cite web |title=Reed Hastings Insider Trading |url=https://www.insidermole.com/insider/hastings-reed |publisher=InsiderMole |date= |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref>
His work in education policy, including his tenure as president of the California State Board of Education and his advocacy for charter schools, has earned recognition — and in some cases criticism — from education policy observers and practitioners.


== Legacy ==
== Legacy ==


Reed Hastings's influence on the media and technology industries is reflected in the scale and reach of Netflix, which grew under his leadership from a small DVD-by-mail start-up into a global streaming service with hundreds of millions of subscribers. The company's success contributed to a broader transformation of the entertainment industry, accelerating the shift from physical media and traditional broadcast television to on-demand digital streaming. The term "Netflix effect" has been used in media commentary to describe the company's impact on viewing habits, content production, and the business models of competing studios and networks.<ref>{{cite news |last= |first= |date= |title=Outside the Box |url=https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2014/02/03/outside-the-box-2 |work=The New Yorker |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref>
Reed Hastings's legacy is defined primarily by his role in co-founding and leading Netflix through its transformation from a DVD-by-mail service into one of the world's dominant entertainment platforms. The company's rise contributed to the decline of physical video rental stores, altered the economics of film and television production, popularized the concept of "binge-watching," and prompted virtually every major media company to launch its own streaming service. The term "Netflix effect" has been used to describe the broader disruption of traditional media distribution models.


Hastings's corporate culture philosophy, particularly the emphasis on radical transparency, high performance, and employee autonomy, has influenced management practices at technology companies beyond Netflix. The Netflix Culture Deck, which Hastings helped create and made publicly available, has been downloaded and studied by executives and human resources professionals across industries.<ref>{{cite web |title=Netflix Founder Reed Hastings on Scaling High-Trust Culture & Bold Judgment |url=https://fs.blog/knowledge-project-podcast/reed-hastings/ |publisher=Farnam Street |date=June 5, 2025 |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref>
Under Hastings's leadership, Netflix pioneered the use of data analytics and algorithmic recommendation in content curation and, later, in informing decisions about content production. The company's willingness to invest heavily in original programming — and to release entire seasons of series simultaneously rather than on a weekly schedule — represented a break with established television industry practices that has since been adopted, in various forms, by competitors.


In the education sphere, Hastings's advocacy for charter schools and his service on the California State Board of Education have made him one of the more prominent business figures to engage in education policy. His willingness to use his platform to challenge established governance structures—such as elected school boards—has placed him among a cohort of technology industry leaders who have sought to apply private-sector thinking to public institutions.<ref>{{cite news |last= |first= |date=March 14, 2014 |title=Netflix's Reed Hastings has a big idea: Kill elected school boards |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/answer-sheet/wp/2014/03/14/netflixs-reed-hastings-has-a-big-idea-kill-elected-school-boards/ |work=The Washington Post |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref>
Hastings's influence extends beyond entertainment into technology governance through his board service at companies including Facebook, Microsoft, and Anthropic, and into education policy through his advocacy for charter schools and his philanthropy. His public commentary on the potential impact of artificial intelligence on both entertainment and education positions him as a figure whose influence continues to evolve beyond the company he co-founded.<ref>{{cite news |title=Netflix's Reed Hastings on the Impact of AI on Schools |url=https://www.the74million.org/article/netflixs-reed-hastings-on-the-impact-of-ai-on-schools/ |work=The 74 |date=November 20, 2025 |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Bloomberg Talks: Reed Hastings Talks AI |url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/audio/2025-12-11/bloomberg-talks-netflix-s-reed-hastings-talks-ai-podcast |work=Bloomberg |date=December 11, 2025 |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref>


His appointment to the board of Anthropic in 2025 signaled a new phase in his career, as Hastings brought his experience in scaling a global technology company to the emerging field of AI safety and governance.<ref>{{cite web |title=Reed Hastings appointed to Anthropic's board of directors |url=https://www.anthropic.com/news/reed-hastings |publisher=Anthropic |date=May 28, 2025 |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref>
Netflix's reported pursuit of acquiring Warner Bros. and HBO as of late 2025 suggested that the company Hastings built continued to reshape the entertainment landscape even after his transition from the CEO role.<ref>{{cite news |title=Netflix cofounder started his career selling vacuums door-to-door before college—now, his $440 billion streaming giant is buying Warner Bros. and HBO |url=https://fortune.com/2025/12/05/netflix-cofounder-reed-hastings-rags-to-riches-vaccum-salesperson-to-self-made-billionaire-netflix-chairman-career-warner-bros-hbo-purchase/ |work=Fortune |date=December 5, 2025 |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref>


== References ==
== References ==
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[[Category:Peace Corps volunteers]]
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Revision as of 00:47, 24 February 2026



Reed Hastings
BornWilmot Reed Hastings Jr.
8 10, 1960
BirthplaceBoston, Massachusetts, U.S.
NationalityAmerican
OccupationBusinessman, entrepreneur, philanthropist
TitleChairman of Netflix
Known forCo-founding Netflix, Inc.
EducationStanford University (MS)

Wilmot Reed Hastings Jr. (born October 8, 1960) is an American billionaire businessman who co-founded Netflix, Inc., the global streaming entertainment service that fundamentally altered how audiences consume film and television. Hastings served as chief executive officer of Netflix for more than twenty-five years before transitioning to the role of executive chairman and subsequently chairman of the company's board of directors.[1] Before Netflix, he founded Pure Software, an enterprise software company. Beyond his career in technology and entertainment, Hastings has been active in education policy, having served as president of the California State Board of Education and as an advocate for charter schools.[2] He has served on the boards of several major technology companies and nonprofit organizations. In 2025, Hastings was appointed to the board of directors of Anthropic, an artificial intelligence safety and research company, reflecting his growing interest in the future of AI technology.[3]

Early Life

Wilmot Reed Hastings Jr. was born on October 8, 1960, in Boston, Massachusetts.[4] As a teenager, Hastings worked as a door-to-door vacuum salesman, a job that provided him with early entrepreneurial experience and an understanding of direct sales.[5]

After completing his undergraduate education, Hastings joined the United States Peace Corps, through which he served as a volunteer teacher.[6] The Peace Corps experience was formative for Hastings, exposing him to different cultures and educational systems. The period between his undergraduate studies and his graduate work at Stanford represented a time of personal growth and exploration that later informed both his approach to business leadership and his commitment to education reform.

Education

Hastings earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from Bowdoin College, a liberal arts college in Brunswick, Maine. He subsequently attended Stanford University, where he received a Master of Science degree in computer science.[7] His graduate education at Stanford provided him with the technical foundation that would underpin his first company, Pure Software, and later inform the technology-driven approach that defined Netflix's operations and competitive strategy.

Career

Pure Software

After completing his master's degree at Stanford, Hastings founded Pure Software, a company that developed tools for software troubleshooting and debugging. The company grew through a series of acquisitions and eventually merged with Atria Software to form Pure Atria Corporation. The merged entity was subsequently acquired by Rational Software in 1997. The experience of building, scaling, and ultimately selling Pure Software gave Hastings a practical education in corporate management and the challenges of leading a rapidly growing technology company. Hastings later reflected on the management lessons — both positive and negative — he took away from his time at Pure Software, particularly regarding corporate culture and decision-making processes.[8]

Founding of Netflix

In 1997, Hastings co-founded Netflix, Inc., which initially operated as a DVD-by-mail rental service. The company launched in 1998 and distinguished itself from traditional video rental stores by offering a subscription-based model without late fees — a feature that proved enormously popular with consumers.[9] The origin story of Netflix has been the subject of considerable public interest. The company's early years involved significant financial risk and competition with established brick-and-mortar video rental chains, most notably Blockbuster.

Netflix's subscription model, which allowed customers to rent DVDs for a flat monthly fee with no due dates or late charges, represented a departure from the prevailing industry model and attracted a growing subscriber base throughout the early 2000s.[10]

Netflix's Transition to Streaming

Under Hastings's leadership as CEO, Netflix undertook a strategic pivot from physical DVD distribution to digital streaming, a transition that began in 2007 and would prove to be one of the most consequential business decisions in modern media history. The shift to streaming required substantial investment in technology infrastructure, content licensing, and eventually original content production. Hastings guided the company through this period of transformation, which included significant risks and periods of subscriber discontent — most notably the 2011 controversy surrounding the attempted separation of the DVD and streaming businesses under the names Qwikster and Netflix, respectively, which Hastings ultimately reversed after a public backlash.[11]

Netflix's investment in original programming, beginning with series such as House of Cards and Orange Is the New Black, further differentiated the service and helped drive subscriber growth both domestically and internationally. The company's expansion into international markets during the 2010s transformed Netflix from an American streaming service into a global entertainment platform operating in over 190 countries.

Hastings's management philosophy at Netflix attracted significant attention in business circles. The company's culture memo, which emphasized concepts such as "freedom and responsibility," radical candor, and a high-performance workforce, became one of the most discussed corporate culture documents in Silicon Valley. Hastings articulated a management approach that included generous severance packages as a tool for maintaining organizational quality and a preference for retaining only top performers.[12]

By December 2025, Netflix's market capitalization had reached approximately $440 billion, and the company was reported to be pursuing the acquisition of Warner Bros. and HBO, representing a potential further consolidation of Hastings's legacy in reshaping the global entertainment industry.[13]

Transition from CEO to Chairman

Hastings served as CEO of Netflix for over twenty-five years. He eventually stepped down from the CEO role, with Ted Sarandos assuming leadership of day-to-day operations. Hastings transitioned first to the role of executive chairman and then to chairman of the board of directors.[14] In his capacity as chairman, Hastings has continued to comment publicly on Netflix's strategic direction. In early 2026, when co-CEO Ted Sarandos expressed interest in Netflix pursuing theatrical film distribution and "winning box office," Hastings offered a more cautious perspective, suggesting a degree of strategic divergence — or at least ongoing discussion — regarding the company's approach to theatrical releases.[15]

Board Service and AI Interests

Throughout his career, Hastings has served on the boards of directors of several prominent technology companies. He was appointed to the board of directors of Facebook (now Meta Platforms) in June 2011.[16] He departed the Facebook board in 2019.[17] In October 2012, he was appointed to the board of directors of Microsoft.[18]

In May 2025, Hastings was appointed to the board of directors of Anthropic, the artificial intelligence safety and research company. The appointment reflected Hastings's growing engagement with AI technology and its potential applications.[19] In December 2025, Hastings discussed artificial intelligence and its implications for the future of television and entertainment in a public conversation with Bloomberg, signaling his interest in the intersection of AI and the media industries he helped transform.[20]

Education Advocacy

Hastings has maintained a long-standing involvement in education policy. He served as president of the California State Board of Education from 2000 to 2004.[21] In this role and in his subsequent philanthropic activities, Hastings became a prominent advocate for charter schools, arguing that they provide valuable educational alternatives to traditional public schools.

In 2014, Hastings attracted attention for publicly advocating the elimination of elected school boards, arguing that they impeded effective education reform. He proposed replacing them with appointed boards that could, in his view, more effectively govern school districts.[22] This position generated both support and opposition within the education reform community.

Hastings has donated significant sums to education-related causes and charter school organizations. His education philanthropy has been a consistent element of his public profile alongside his technology career.

In November 2025, Hastings commented publicly on the potential impact of artificial intelligence on schools, suggesting that the role of teachers would evolve in response to AI tools. He stated: "I think the teacher's role is going to move more towards a social worker focusing on social emotional learning."[23] This comment reflected both his long-standing interest in education reform and his newer engagement with artificial intelligence.

Personal Life

Hastings has maintained a relatively private personal life compared to many technology industry executives of comparable prominence. He has been involved in various philanthropic activities beyond education, including contributions to environmental and social causes. In 2016, Hastings was among a group of business leaders who publicly endorsed Hillary Clinton for president of the United States.[24]

Hastings has demonstrated a personal interest in outdoor recreation, particularly skiing. In early 2026, he acquired a stake in Powder Mountain, a ski resort in Utah, with reports noting his genuine affinity for the resort's slopes and culture.[25]

He has resided in Santa Cruz, California.[26]

Recognition

Hastings has received recognition for his role in transforming the entertainment industry through Netflix. The company's disruption of traditional media distribution — first through DVD-by-mail and then through streaming — earned Hastings a reputation as one of the most influential figures in modern media and technology.

His appointment to the boards of major technology companies including Facebook, Microsoft, and Anthropic reflects the regard in which he is held within the technology industry. Stanford University has recognized him as a notable alumnus.[27]

Hastings's management philosophy and the Netflix corporate culture he helped create have been the subject of extensive analysis in business media and academic settings. The Netflix culture memo he co-authored became one of the most widely circulated corporate culture documents in Silicon Valley, and his subsequent book on Netflix's management approach further disseminated his ideas about organizational design, talent management, and corporate decision-making.

His work in education policy, including his tenure as president of the California State Board of Education and his advocacy for charter schools, has earned recognition — and in some cases criticism — from education policy observers and practitioners.

Legacy

Reed Hastings's legacy is defined primarily by his role in co-founding and leading Netflix through its transformation from a DVD-by-mail service into one of the world's dominant entertainment platforms. The company's rise contributed to the decline of physical video rental stores, altered the economics of film and television production, popularized the concept of "binge-watching," and prompted virtually every major media company to launch its own streaming service. The term "Netflix effect" has been used to describe the broader disruption of traditional media distribution models.

Under Hastings's leadership, Netflix pioneered the use of data analytics and algorithmic recommendation in content curation and, later, in informing decisions about content production. The company's willingness to invest heavily in original programming — and to release entire seasons of series simultaneously rather than on a weekly schedule — represented a break with established television industry practices that has since been adopted, in various forms, by competitors.

Hastings's influence extends beyond entertainment into technology governance through his board service at companies including Facebook, Microsoft, and Anthropic, and into education policy through his advocacy for charter schools and his philanthropy. His public commentary on the potential impact of artificial intelligence on both entertainment and education positions him as a figure whose influence continues to evolve beyond the company he co-founded.[28][29]

Netflix's reported pursuit of acquiring Warner Bros. and HBO as of late 2025 suggested that the company Hastings built continued to reshape the entertainment landscape even after his transition from the CEO role.[30]

References

  1. ↑ "Reed Hastings appointed to Anthropic's board of directors".Anthropic.May 28, 2025.https://www.anthropic.com/news/reed-hastings.Retrieved 2026-02-23.
  2. ↑ "Reed Hastings has a big idea: Kill elected school boards".The Washington Post.2014-03-14.https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/answer-sheet/wp/2014/03/14/netflixs-reed-hastings-has-a-big-idea-kill-elected-school-boards/.Retrieved 2026-02-23.
  3. ↑ "Reed Hastings appointed to Anthropic's board of directors".Anthropic.May 28, 2025.https://www.anthropic.com/news/reed-hastings.Retrieved 2026-02-23.
  4. ↑ "Netflix Flex to the Max".Bloomberg.2007-09-23.https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2007-09-23/netflix-flex-to-the-max.Retrieved 2026-02-23.
  5. ↑ "Netflix cofounder started his career selling vacuums door-to-door before college—now, his $440 billion streaming giant is buying Warner Bros. and HBO".Fortune.December 5, 2025.https://fortune.com/2025/12/05/netflix-cofounder-reed-hastings-rags-to-riches-vaccum-salesperson-to-self-made-billionaire-netflix-chairman-career-warner-bros-hbo-purchase/.Retrieved 2026-02-23.
  6. ↑ "Peace Corps Online — Reed Hastings".Peace Corps Online.http://peacecorpsonline.org/messages/messages/467/2019928.html.Retrieved 2026-02-23.
  7. ↑ "Stanford University News Service — Reed Hastings".Stanford University.2000-04-05.http://news-service.stanford.edu/news/2000/april5/hastings-45.html.Retrieved 2026-02-23.
  8. ↑ "Netflix Founder Reed Hastings on Scaling High-Trust Culture & Bold Judgment".Farnam Street.June 5, 2025.https://fs.blog/knowledge-project-podcast/reed-hastings/.Retrieved 2026-02-23.
  9. ↑ "Netflix CEO has his eye on the future".USA Today.2006-04-23.https://www.usatoday.com/tech/products/services/2006-04-23-netflix-ceo_x.htm.Retrieved 2026-02-23.
  10. ↑ "Netflix Flex to the Max".Bloomberg.2007-09-23.https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2007-09-23/netflix-flex-to-the-max.Retrieved 2026-02-23.
  11. ↑ "Outside the Box".The New Yorker.2014-02-03.https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2014/02/03/outside-the-box-2.Retrieved 2026-02-23.
  12. ↑ "Netflix Founder Reed Hastings on Scaling High-Trust Culture & Bold Judgment".Farnam Street.June 5, 2025.https://fs.blog/knowledge-project-podcast/reed-hastings/.Retrieved 2026-02-23.
  13. ↑ "Netflix cofounder started his career selling vacuums door-to-door before college—now, his $440 billion streaming giant is buying Warner Bros. and HBO".Fortune.December 5, 2025.https://fortune.com/2025/12/05/netflix-cofounder-reed-hastings-rags-to-riches-vaccum-salesperson-to-self-made-billionaire-netflix-chairman-career-warner-bros-hbo-purchase/.Retrieved 2026-02-23.
  14. ↑ "Reed Hastings appointed to Anthropic's board of directors".Anthropic.May 28, 2025.https://www.anthropic.com/news/reed-hastings.Retrieved 2026-02-23.
  15. ↑ "Ted Sarandos Says He Wants to "Win Box Office." Reed Hastings Doesn't Sound So Sure".The Hollywood Reporter.2026-01.https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/business/business-news/reed-hastings-comments-netflix-theatrical-movies-1236476465/.Retrieved 2026-02-23.
  16. ↑ "Facebook Names Reed Hastings to Its Board of Directors".PR Newswire.2011-06-23.http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/facebook-names-reed-hastings-to-its-board-of-directors-124429638.html.Retrieved 2026-02-23.
  17. ↑ "Netflix CEO Reed Hastings to depart Facebook board of directors".CNBC.2019-04-12.https://www.cnbc.com/2019/04/12/netflix-ceo-reed-hastings-to-depart-facebook-board-of-directors.html.Retrieved 2026-02-23.
  18. ↑ "Microsoft Names Reed Hastings to Board of Directors".Microsoft.2012-10-09.http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/news/Press/2012/Oct12/10-09ReedPR.aspx.Retrieved 2026-02-23.
  19. ↑ "Reed Hastings appointed to Anthropic's board of directors".Anthropic.May 28, 2025.https://www.anthropic.com/news/reed-hastings.Retrieved 2026-02-23.
  20. ↑ "Bloomberg Talks: Reed Hastings Talks AI".Bloomberg.December 11, 2025.https://www.bloomberg.com/news/audio/2025-12-11/bloomberg-talks-netflix-s-reed-hastings-talks-ai-podcast.Retrieved 2026-02-23.
  21. ↑ "California Department of Education — Reed Hastings".California Department of Education.http://www.cde.ca.gov/nr/ne/yr05/yr05rel8.asp.Retrieved 2026-02-23.
  22. ↑ "Netflix's Reed Hastings has a big idea: Kill elected school boards".The Washington Post.2014-03-14.https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/answer-sheet/wp/2014/03/14/netflixs-reed-hastings-has-a-big-idea-kill-elected-school-boards/.Retrieved 2026-02-23.
  23. ↑ "Netflix's Reed Hastings on the Impact of AI on Schools".The 74.November 20, 2025.https://www.the74million.org/article/netflixs-reed-hastings-on-the-impact-of-ai-on-schools/.Retrieved 2026-02-23.
  24. ↑ "Business leaders endorse Hillary Clinton".Politico.2016-06.https://www.politico.com/story/2016/06/business-leaders-endorse-hillary-clinton-224706.Retrieved 2026-02-23.
  25. ↑ "Powder Mountain Has New Leadership From an Unlikely Place".Ski Magazine.2026-02.https://www.skimag.com/news/netflix-reed-hastins-buys-stake-powder-mountain/.Retrieved 2026-02-23.
  26. ↑ "Santa Cruz Sentinel — Reed Hastings".Santa Cruz Sentinel.2006-07-12.http://www.santacruzsentinel.com/archive/2006/July/12/local/stories/03local.htm.Retrieved 2026-02-23.
  27. ↑ "Stanford University News Service — Reed Hastings".Stanford University.2000-04-05.http://news-service.stanford.edu/news/2000/april5/hastings-45.html.Retrieved 2026-02-23.
  28. ↑ "Netflix's Reed Hastings on the Impact of AI on Schools".The 74.November 20, 2025.https://www.the74million.org/article/netflixs-reed-hastings-on-the-impact-of-ai-on-schools/.Retrieved 2026-02-23.
  29. ↑ "Bloomberg Talks: Reed Hastings Talks AI".Bloomberg.December 11, 2025.https://www.bloomberg.com/news/audio/2025-12-11/bloomberg-talks-netflix-s-reed-hastings-talks-ai-podcast.Retrieved 2026-02-23.
  30. ↑ "Netflix cofounder started his career selling vacuums door-to-door before college—now, his $440 billion streaming giant is buying Warner Bros. and HBO".Fortune.December 5, 2025.https://fortune.com/2025/12/05/netflix-cofounder-reed-hastings-rags-to-riches-vaccum-salesperson-to-self-made-billionaire-netflix-chairman-career-warner-bros-hbo-purchase/.Retrieved 2026-02-23.

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   "name": "Netflix, Inc."
 },
 "alumniOf": [
   {
     "@type": "CollegeOrUniversity",
     "name": "Bowdoin College"
   },
   {
     "@type": "CollegeOrUniversity",
     "name": "Stanford University"
   }
 ],
 "description": "American billionaire businessman, co-founder and chairman of Netflix, Inc.",
 "sameAs": "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reed_Hastings"

} </script>

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