Netflix Taps Google’s Darshan Kantak as Ads Platform VP
He will oversee the ad product, engineering and data & insights teams to develop strategic initiatives for the streamer globally The post Netflix Taps Google’s Darshan Kantak as Ads Platform VP appeared first on TheWrap .
Netflix has appointed Google Cloud executive Darshan Kantak as the vice president of its ads platform. In this new capacity, Kantak will oversee the advertising product, engineering, and data & insights teams, developing strategic ad initiatives for the streamer internationally. These teams construct the ads experience and provide reporting and operational tools to Netflix's Ads Suite partners.
Prior to joining Netflix, Kantak served as vice president of product for Applied AI at Google Cloud, leading teams in creating enterprise AI applications for various industries, including retail, telecom, healthcare, finance, public sector, technology, media, and entertainment. Kantak expressed excitement about utilizing Netflix's technology to develop relevant and innovative ad solutions for members while enhancing technical advertising tools.
Netflix Ad President Amy Reinhard welcomed Kantak, praising his extensive knowledge of the advertising industry and leadership skills in scaling ad organizations at rapidly growing companies. However, Netflix anticipates a slight decrease in ad revenue for 2026, projecting $2.7 billion compared to the previously estimated $3 billion.
The company's co-CEO, Greg Peters, attributed the shortfall to delays in rolling out and integrating new ad products with partners. Despite this, Peters believes the setbacks are temporary and will not hinder Netflix's long-term growth. In 2027, Netflix will extend its ad tier to 15 additional countries, starting with nine European, Middle Eastern, and African nations, along with Colombia, Peru, and New Zealand.
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