Netflix raids tech rivals for sales execs on eve of ad tier launch

On the eve of its advertising tier launching in the US, Netflix has poached five executives from Amazon, Snap, TikTok, and YouTube as it grows its ad sales team.

Julie DeTraglia, previously global head of sports strategy and research at Amazon, will become VP of ads measurement strategy.

Adam Gerber, who has prior executive roles at Essence and Disney/ABC Television Group, will start as senior director for client development.

Julie Green takes on the role of senior director for vertical sales, after her position as TikTok’s director of global business sessions.

Nicole Sabatini, most recently director of product marketing in YouTube’s ad marketing division, will become senior director for ad partner solutions.

Chris Smutny will join his former Snap coworkers Jeremi Gorman and Peter Naylor on Netflix’s ad team as senior director of sales operations.

The new team will start on 14 November, nearly two weeks after 15-second and 30-second commercial spots will start appearing on Netflix’s content for US ad tier subscribers, up to a limit of four to five minutes of ads per hour.

Jeremi Gorman, president, worldwide advertising at Netflix, will give a keynote at The Future of TV Advertising Global on 6 December in London, which is expected to be the first time Netflix discusses the new ad-supported offer and its advertising strategy at a public conference anywhere.