Bozoma Saint John is leaving Netflix just two years after the streaming service giant announced her as its chief marketing officer. Marian Lee, a recent hire of the company who served as vp marketing for the U.S./Canada region, will take Saint John’s place. During her time with Netflix, she brought on big names including Allure editor-in-chief Michelle Lee. She’s also been responsible for spearheading unprecedented projects, including included a star-studded Super Bowl commercial with Ryan Reynolds, Ryan Gosling, Jennifer Lopez and Mark Ruffalo.
But her tenure has not been without trouble. According to The Hollywood Reporter, in the summer of 2021, three senior staffers in Netflix’s marketing department were fired after complaining about the department’s management on Slack. Netflix denies the messages targeted members of management instead said the messages were about staffers’ peers.
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Saint John isn’t bitter about the exit and it seems amicable. “I came to Netflix with a surplus of enthusiasm and creative energy and am immensely proud of the campaigns we inspired that sparked global conversations,” she said in a statement. “It’s been a transformative two-year experience for which I will always be grateful.”
Her peer also have nothing but good things to say about her. “I’ve loved working with Boz and have been inspired by her creativity and energy,” Netflix co-CEO Ted Sarandos said in a statement. “She has attracted world-class marketers to the company and encouraged them to be innovative leaders. We are grateful for her contributions and we wish her the best.” Prior to Netflix, Saint John worked at big companies like Endeavor, Uber, and Apple.
Executives at Netflix are happy about Lee replacing Saint John. “Marian is a strategic marketer with deep experience not just in entertainment but also more broadly having worked at fashion and media brands,” Sarandos added. “When she joined Netflix last year, she had an immediate impact on the marketing team and has demonstrated that she’s an exceptional leader, who understands how to drive conversations around brands and popular culture.”
