Bela Bajaria was named Head of Global TV in 2020, overseeing English language and local language scripted and unscripted series around the world. Bajaria leads the team for all of television, responsible for hit series including Bridgerton, The Queen’s Gambit and Cobra Kai.

Previously, she oversaw local language originals, original series across Europe, the Middle East, Turkey, Africa, India, Asia, and Latin America as Vice President of Local Language Originals. In this role, she managed the teams behind shows such as La Casa de Papel (Spain), The Witcher (Poland), Lupin (France), Dark Desire (Mexico), Sacred Games (India), Kingdom (Korea), Blood & Water (South Africa), and Sintonia (Brazil).

Bajaria joined Netflix in November 2016 to oversee Netflix's push into unscripted programming including the critically acclaimed Queer Eye,Nailed It!, and Tidying Up with Marie Kondo, as well as talk series with David Letterman and Hasan Minhaj. Bajaria also oversaw some scripted originals such as the hit series Never Have I Ever and YOU, and led the team responsible for working with studios to co-produce and co-license series internationally with Netflix, including Star Trek: Discovery (CBS), Bodyguard (BBC), Riverdale, and Good Girls (Universal Television).  

Previously, Bajaria was President of Universal Television, where she made history as the first woman of color to oversee a studio. There she shepherded creative programming including the Emmy-nominated Netflix comedy Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt, as well as hit primetime broadcast series Brooklyn Nine-Nine, The Mindy Project, Bates Motel, Grimm and Chicago Fire. Earlier, she held two key posts simultaneously: Senior Vice President, Cable Programming for CBS TV Studios, and Senior Vice President of Movies and Miniseries for the CBS network. 

Bajaria has been honored by THR’s Women in Entertainment list and Variety’s LA Women’s Impact Report. She was named one of Fortune’s Most Powerful Women in 2020 and 2021. And in 2021, she was honored by the Asia Society as one of their Entertainment Game Changers of the Year. She currently serves on the Los Angeles Board of Governors for the Paley Center and the Board of Los Angeles’ Saban Community Clinic; she was honored with its Lenny Somberg Award in 2018.  She also serves on the Board of Trustees for Meridian International Center. She was previously the President of the Hollywood Radio & Television Society and served on the boards of Women in Film and the executive board of the Television Academy. She is involved in a variety of philanthropic endeavors, including SAHARA, a non-profit organization that serves victims of domestic violence. Bajaria has been honored by the “I Have a Dream” Foundation of Los Angeles, The March of Dimes Foundation, and was given the Industry Leadership Award from the Indian Film Festival of Los Angeles. Bajaria resides in Los Angeles with her husband and three children.

Speaking on: Summit Series: Bela Bajaria, Head of Global TV, Netflix