Netflix just made a key new hire as it doubles down on its global ad ambitions

Core Insights - Netflix aims to develop its advertising business from its current early stage to a more mature phase, referred to as "Adolescence," by making strategic hires to enhance sales efforts [1] Group 1: Key Hires and Leadership Changes - Ed Couchman has been appointed to lead Netflix's UK advertising sales team, transitioning from his role at Spotify where he was head of advertising sales for the UK and Northern Europe since 2023 [2] - Couchman brings extensive experience from previous positions at Snap, Meta, and Channel 4, making him a well-known figure in the UK advertising landscape [2] - He will report to Damien Bernet, Netflix's VP of EMEA advertising, and will succeed Warren Dias, who left the company after two years in the role [3] Group 2: Advertising Revenue Growth - Netflix projected that it would "roughly double" its ad revenue by 2025, having already doubled its annual ad revenue last year [4] - The company reported that its ad-supported tier reached 94 million monthly active users as of June [5] - The rollout of its in-house ad technology and increased advertiser interest in live events are seen as positive indicators for future growth [4] Group 3: Market Position and Viewer Engagement - Netflix holds the largest share of 16- to 34-year-old viewers among commercial video-on-demand services in the UK, according to June data from Barb [9] - Ofcom's data indicates that Netflix was the most popular video-on-demand service in the UK in 2024, with viewers averaging 22 minutes of daily watch time [10]