BELA BAJARIA TO RECEIVE 2026 INTERNATIONAL EMMY® FOUNDERS AWARD
Netflix Chief Content Officer to be Honored for her Transformational Leadership at 54th International Emmy® Awards Gala, in New York, on November 23
New York, July 15, 2026 — The International Academy of Television Arts & Sciences announced today that Netflix Chief Content Officer Bela Bajaria will receive the 2026 International Emmy® Founders Award in recognition of her transformational leadership in reshaping the global entertainment landscape. She will receive this prestigious award at the 54th International Emmy® Awards Gala on Monday, November 23, in New York City.
“Bela Bajaria is among the most consequential executives in television today,” said International Academy President & CEO Bruce L. Paisner. “She has built a global content operation of remarkable scale and creative ambition, in which stories told in any language can become worldwide phenomena. Her leadership has produced some of the most celebrated programming of our era. We are thrilled to present her with the International Emmy® Founders Award.”
“I am deeply honored to receive this recognition from the International Academy, whose mission reflects everything I believe about what television can be,” said Bajaria. “The stories that have resonated most with audiences around the world are the ones rooted in a specific place, a specific truth — and what we have proven, over and over, is that authenticity travels. That is a gift I never take for granted, and I am so proud of the extraordinary creators and teams who make it possible every day.”
As Netflix’s Chief Content Officer, Bajaria oversees a global content operation of extraordinary scale — reaching nearly one billion people in over 190 countries in more than 50 languages with more than 325 million members worldwide. Over the past decade, Netflix has invested more than $125 billion in productions globally, generating over $325 billion in economic impact and supporting more than 750,000 jobs.
Bajaria’s television track record is equally notable. “Stranger Things” concluded its five-season run with the largest English-language premiere in Netflix history, amassing 1.2 billion views and culminating in a nationwide theatrical finale. The Korean phenomenon “Squid Game” remains Netflix’s most-watched series ever with 265.2 million views, making Emmy® history as the first non-English language winner for Best Drama. “Wednesday” stands as Netflix’s #1 English-language TV series with 252.1 million views, “Adolescence” led a clean sweep at the 2026 Golden Globes; and “BEEF” swept the awards circuit including eight Emmy® wins. In 2025 alone, Netflix secured 120 Primetime Emmy® nominations across 44 titles, with 35 Golden Globe nominations and 18 Academy Award nominations in 2026.
Among the defining achievements of Bajaria’s tenure is her conviction that compelling storytelling can transcend language, geography, and convention. Under her direction, Netflix has produced some of the most celebrated non-English language programming in television. “Squid Game” (Korea) elevated subtitled entertainment to an unprecedented level of global mainstream success. “Money Heist” (Spain), “Lupin” (France), “Call My Agent!” (France), “The Empress” (Germany), “Extraordinary Attorney Woo” (Korea), “Delhi Crime” (India), and “Amar Singh Chamkila” (India) have each earned international acclaim, industry honors, and devoted global audiences, with many also receiving International Emmy® recognition. Recent non-English films continue that record: “Exterritorial” (Germany) reached #1 on the U.S. Nielsen chart and ranks among Netflix’s all-time most popular non-English films, while “The Great Flood” (Korea) entered the Nielsen Top 10.
Under Bajaria’s leadership, Netflix has also delivered some of the most commercially and critically successful films of the streaming era: “KPop Demon Hunters” became the service’s most popular film ever with over 481.6 million views worldwide, its song “Golden” making history as the first K-Pop Grammy winner; Guillermo del Toro’s “Frankenstein” garnered nine Academy Award nominations, including Best Picture; and “Train Dreams” earned top honors at the Film Independent Spirit Awards, alongside multiple Academy Award nominations for Best Picture and Cinematography.
Bajaria has also spearheaded Netflix’s expansion into live programming and sports, securing multiyear partnerships with the WWE, NFL, and MLB. The Mike Tyson vs. Jake Paul fight drew 65 million concurrent streams, while the 2025 NFL Christmas Day doubleheader became the most-streamed NFL game in U.S. history. She champions Netflix’s $100 million global initiative for emerging storytellers, which has supported over 25,000 people through nearly 300 programs worldwide, and leads the service’s sustainability efforts in production. Bajaria also serves on the boards of The Coca-Cola Company, the Paley Center for Media, Cedars-Sinai, the Peabody Awards, and other institutions that connect entertainment with civic life.
Past recipients of the International Emmy® Founders Award include Steven Spielberg, Oprah Winfrey, J.J. Abrams, Jesse Armstrong, Shonda Rhimes, Ryan Murphy, David E. Kelley, and most recently, Disney President and Chief Creative Officer Dana Walden. Bajaria will accept the special Emmy® in New York City on Monday, Nov. 23, at the International Emmy® Awards black-tie gala.
This year’s Gala partners are: Ay Yapim, CJ ENM, Dubai Studios, Ernst & Young, Globo, Mediafellows, MIP, Plural, Sofitel and Variety.
About the International Academy of Television Arts & Sciences
The International Academy of Television Arts & Sciences recognizes excellence in television produced outside of the United States with the prestigious Emmy® Award. Currently celebrating programming across multiple categories including Arts Programming, Current Affairs, Comedy, Documentary, Drama Series, News, Non-Scripted Entertainment, Short-Form Series, Sports Documentary, Telenovela, and TV Movie/Mini-Series. The International Academy also recognizes excellence in Performances and Kids programming.
Beyond its awards activity, the International Academy is a membership-based organization comprised of leading media and entertainment figures from 70+ countries from all sectors of television. The Academy’s yearly schedule of events includes the prestigious International Emmy® Awards held in New York City, and a range of industry events including a Festival, Panels on substantive topics, Members-only events, and an Education Initiative.
For more information, go to iemmys.tv.
About Netflix
Netflix is one of the world’s leading entertainment services offering TV series, films, games and live programming across a wide variety of genres and languages. Members can play, pause and resume watching as much as they want, anytime, anywhere, and can change their plans at any time.
Media Contacts
The International Academy of Television Arts & Sciences
Yiota Pagoulatos, Director, Communications & Partnerships
The Lippin Group
Netflix
Nidia Caceros Kilde, Communications