Netflix chief content officer Bela Bajaria will receive the International Emmy Founders Award at this year's ceremony, in recognition of her role in reshaping the global entertainment landscape. Since taking over as CCO in 2023, Bajaria has overseen a run of international hits that have turned non-English and cross-border productions into mainstream global successes, cementing Netflix's strategy of investing heavily in local-language content.

Under her leadership, Netflix has produced Squid Game, its most-watched series ever with 265.2 million views, alongside the British drama Adolescence, which won eight Emmys, and international hits such as Money Heist, Lupin and Delhi Crime. She also oversaw the finale of Stranger Things, which drew 1.2 billion views worldwide. Past recipients of the Founders Award include Steven Spielberg, Oprah Winfrey and Shonda Rhimes, with Bajaria set to be honoured at the 54th International Emmy Awards Gala in New York on 23 November.