TORONTO — Netflix’s chief content officer, Ted Sarandos (pictured), is the first keynote speaker announced for this year’s Banff World Media Festival’s Summit Series, a premium lineup of keynote sessions featuring influential media leaders.
Sarandos is scheduled to speak on Monday, June 15 in an exclusive fireside conversation. The Banff Summit Series was launched last year as a curated, future-focused lineup of keynotes. This year’s Festival takes place June 14-17 at the Fairmont Banff Springs Hotel in Banff, Alberta.
“Great stories can come from anywhere, and many have had their beginnings at Banff World Media Festival. Netflix is proud to be a part of Banff, working with our incredible partners and deepening our commitment to a vibrant Canadian creative community whose work is seen and loved by the world,” Sarandos said in the news release.
Sarandos has been responsible for all content operations since 2000 (when it was a DVD-by-mail company), and led the streamer’s transition into original content production, which began in 2013 with the launch of the series House of Cards, Arrested Development (starting with season four) and Orange is the New Black. Today, Netflix is available in 190 countries and Netflix originals have received numerous awards around the world, including 93 Primetime Emmy wins, eight Academy Awards, and seven BAFTA Film Awards including Best Picture.
“We’re thrilled to welcome Ted to the incredible lineup of top-tier speakers at our Summit Series. This year’s lineup is going to be full of industry leaders and legendary innovators, resulting in fascinating conversations that can’t be missed,” said Randy Lennox, chair of the Banff board of directors and president of Bell Media, in the news release.
“Ted’s contributions to global media have been astounding and revolutionary,” added Banff executive director Jenn Kuzmyk. “It’s almost impossible to quantify the impact that Netflix and its content has had within the entertainment business as well as the daily lives of people around the globe. Ted continues to support new voices and champion ground-breaking work, raising the bar for creative excellence. The festival is thrilled to welcome him back to beautiful Banff for what is sure to be an inspiring keynote, outlining his vision and tackling some of the big questions in the industry and where it’s headed amid continuing seismic change.”
For more information about this year’s Banff World Media Festival, please click here.
