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Netflix lays off its Middle East and Africa content chief

Published

Ben Amadasun, Netflix vice-president of content for the Middle East and Africa, lost his job in a global restructuring. Netflix told staff last week it was cutting around 1 000 employees, about 6% of its global workforce.

Amadasun was based in Amsterdam and had been with Netflix for over seven years. Kaye Ann Williams, the company's head of scripted content, is not affected by the restructuring.

A well-placed source said the layoff should not be seen as Netflix pulling out of Africa. The source also said staff focused on Africa have not been hit harder than others.

Netflix now commissions around 15 to 20 South African scripted and non-fiction titles each year. That is up from around eight to 12 previously.

Key facts

Who
Ben Amadasun (Netflix vice-president of content for the Middle East and Africa, laid off); Kaye Ann Williams (Netflix head of scripted content, not affected by the restructuring); Netflix (streaming company conducting the restructuring)
What
Netflix laid off Ben Amadasun, its VP of content for the Middle East and Africa, who was based in Amsterdam and had been with the company for over seven years. The layoff is part of a restructuring in which Netflix told staff last week it was cutting around 1 000 employees, about 6% of its global workforce.
When
21 October 2026
Where
Amsterdam, South Africa, sub-Saharan Africa
Status
Reported

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