Netflix is an American media service provider that has been leading the path of digital media and content since 1997. Having over 148 million paid memberships from across not less than 190 countries around the globe, it has become the leading internet entertainment service provider across the globe.1 The company offers online streaming of numerous TV series, web-series, feature films and documentaries of various languages and genre. The users having subscription can enjoy unlimited streaming of videos and films, from anywhere at any time and on any screen connected to internet without commercials.
Recently, Netflix has been in news for its new appointment of global leader in its OTT segment.2 Netflix has appointed, Priyanka Chaudhari as their Legal Director and Senior Counsel in the regional intellectual property vertical. With this recruitment, the company has showed its seriousness towards the Indian content.
Being the first lawyer in this role, Priyanka Chaudhari will be looking into the matters related to IP, trademark and content issues in India for Netflix. Along with this, she would be handling and managing the collaboration of the company's creative business and legal teams for fulfilling the objective of acquiring and further developing the intellectual properties. Further, she would shall so guide the teams through production and distribution. In addition to these responsibilities, she would act as an internal cross-functional expert on all IP laws prevalent in India and thereby will be handling cases of IP infringement at a pre-litigation stage and also, make and implement production related strategies for clearance for Indian content along with rendering advice on complex grants and acquisition of rights.
Chaudhari will be answerable to the legal team based in Los Angeles which is also the headquarter of this international entertainment streaming giant.
Priyanka is a 2008 law graduate from Rizvi Law College, Mumbai. Talking of her work experience, Priyanka has previously worked with Bharti Axa Life Insurance Company for a span of 2 years (2011-13) before shifting into the realm of media and entertainment. In the field of media, she has had worked with Star India and then later with Zee Entertainment for the years 2013-14 and 2015-17, respectively. She also have a work experience with Vigil Juris and Deval Patel Associates.3 After her tenure at Zee Entertainment, Priyanka joined Balaji Telefilms in 2017.
During her tenure in Balaji, she worked as the Vice President and Senior Counsel – Legal. Her work profile there included managing and handling of the legal and regulatory affairs and also heading OTT services and television, movies, documentation, content operation, litigation and other regulatory affairs.
It can be expected that with such amazing and wide job profile of Priyanka, in the field of entertainment and media laws, she would prove herself to be an asset to the ever expanding business of Netflix. It will be interesting to see what new clearance strategies are made by the Legal Director for the upcoming Indian content.
[1] https://media.netflix.com/en/about-netflix
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