Netflix appoints Kumar Kanagasabapathy to lead APAC brand partnerships

MUMBAI: Netflix isn’t just chasing viewers anymore, it’s chasing brands too. As advertising becomes a bigger part of the streaming business, the company has appointed Kumar Kanagasabapathy as Director, Brand Partnerships, Asia-Pacific, bringing a seasoned media strategist back to the client side after more than seven years with IPG Mediabrands.

Based in Singapore, Kanagasabapathy will lead Netflix’s brand partnerships strategy across the Asia-Pacific region, strengthening relationships with advertisers and agencies as the streaming platform continues to expand its ad-supported business.

The appointment comes at a time when global streaming platforms are increasingly competing not only for subscribers but also for advertising revenue, with branded content, sponsorships and commercial partnerships emerging as key growth drivers.

Kanagasabapathy joins Netflix after an extensive stint at IPG Mediabrands, where he most recently served as APAC Chief Strategy Officer from January 2025 to July 2026, overseeing strategic transformation across 14 markets while rebuilding strategy capabilities for the network’s agencies, including Initiative and Universal McCann.

Before that, he held a series of global leadership roles at Rufus, IPG Mediabrands’ dedicated Amazon agency. As Global Chief Strategy Officer, he led strategic planning across Amazon’s businesses, including Brand, Retail, Prime Video, Amazon Music, AWS, Amazon Business and Amazon Advertising, after previously serving as Head of Global Strategy and Head of Strategy (US).

His career spans nearly two decades across some of advertising’s biggest names. Prior to IPG Mediabrands, Kanagasabapathy held senior strategy roles at MediaCom, Horizon Media, Maxus and Wieden+Kennedy, working with brands including adidas, NBCUniversal, Disney XD, Disney Channel, Disney Junior, Freeform, IFC, Sony Crackle, Target, Electronic Arts, Bloomberg and Rubbermaid.

He began his career with an internship at Carat before earning an MS in Strategic Planning from VCU Brandcenter and a Bachelor’s degree in Mass Communications, Advertising and Marketing from Towson University.

For Netflix, the appointment underscores the growing importance of advertising as the platform broadens its revenue mix beyond subscriptions. As streaming platforms intensify competition for marketers across Asia-Pacific, experienced agency leaders with deep regional and global expertise are increasingly becoming central to the industry’s next phase of growth.