Founder and chairman of telecom and tech company Econet Group, Dr. Strive Masiyiwa has been appointed by Netflix to its board of directors. African billionaire and Telecom Mogul Strive Masiyiwa has reportedly become the first African to sit on the board of one of the greatest streaming websites in the world.
His appointment comes after one of its board of directors Susan Rice left her board post last week in preparation to take a role in the Joe Biden administration.
In a press release, Netflix co-founder and co-CEO Reed Hastings said that they a happy with the appointment of Strive Masiyiwa as one of its board members.
“We are delighted to welcome Strive to the Netflix board.”
“His entrepreneurship and vision in building businesses across Africa and beyond will bring valuable insights and experience to our board as we work to improve and serve more members all around the world,” Reed Hastings said.
Hastings added that, Masiyiwa’s entreprenuerial skills will help expand and grow its subcribers base beyond the U.S and Europe.
“I’m thrilled to have Strive join our board as we expand more across Africa and the world,”Reed Hastings added.
Masiyiwa said that it is such an honor to have been appointed by Netflix to be one of its Board of Directors. He further said that he is looking forward to working with Netflix.
“Netflix is at the forefront of bringing great entertainment from anywhere in the world to everyone in the world and I look forward to working with the board and all stakeholders to continue its traditions of innovation and growth,” Masiyiwa said.
According to ZBC News, apart from serving as executive chairman of Econet, the London-based Masiyiwa serves as a director for Unilever, the National Geographic Society, and the Asia Society. He is also the global advisory board member for Bank of America, the Council on Foreign Relations, Stanford University, and the Prince of Wales Trust for Africa and is a longtime board member of the United States Holocaust Museum’s Committee on Conscience.
Recently, Strive Masiyiwa was named as an honouree on the prestigious 2020 Bloomberg 50 most influential people in the world.
