Netflix picks Bela Bajaria to lead push into non-English language programming

Netflix has appointed Bela Bajaria to lead its push into non-English language programming as the streaming service steps up its efforts to add subscribers from countries outside its core US market.

Most of the company’s subscriber growth now comes from international markets while non-English language series produced by Netflix, such as Protector, from Turkey, and Casa de Flores, from Mexico, have proven popular outside the countries where they were made.

The company is ramping up the number of series, documentaries and movies it produces across Europe in 2019 and is on course to make 221 new projects this year, including 153 originals.

“We have an amazing opportunity to bring stories from different cultures and in different languages to audiences all around the world, said Ms Bajaria. Ted Sarandos, Netflix’s chief content officer, said she would “bring the world’s stories to the world whatever the language.”

Ms Bajaria replaces Erik Barmack, who is leaving to start his own production company. She joined Netflix in October 2016 and has led scripted and unscripted programming of series such as You, Bodyguard, and Tidying Up with Marie Kondo.

Before coming to Netflix she was president of Universal Television where she made hit series such as Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt and Master of None.