Wilmot Reed Hastings Jr. (born October 8, 1960) is an American businessman, entrepreneur, and philanthropist best known as the co-founder and former long-time CEO of Netflix. A central figure in the transformation of global media consumption, Hastings fundamentally altered the entertainment landscape by pioneering the shift from physical DVD distribution to on-demand video streaming, and subsequently into the production of original content. Born in Boston, Massachusetts, Hastings is the son of Wilmot Reed Hastings Sr., an attorney for the Department of Health, Education, and Welfare during the Nixon administration, and Joan Amory Loomis. He attended the Buckingham Browne & Nichols School in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Following high school, Hastings took a gap year during which he sold vacuum cleaners door-to-door, an experience he has often cited as formative for his sales and resilience skills. He enrolled at Bowdoin College in Brunswick, Maine, where he majored in mathematics and graduated in 1983. Following his graduation, Hastings joined the Peace Corps. From 1983 to 1985, he served as a mathematics teacher in rural Swaziland (now Eswatini). Hastings has frequently credited this period with shaping his entrepreneurial spirit, noting that the challenge of navigating life in a foreign country with limited resources made the prospect of starting a business appear far less intimidating. Upon returning to the United States, he attended Stanford University, where he earned a Master of Science in Computer Science in 1988. Hastings began his career in the technology sector, briefly working for Adaptive Technology before founding his first company, Pure Software, in 1991. The company specialized in troubleshooting and debugging tools for software engineers. While the company achieved rapid growth, Hastings struggled with the demands of managing a scaling business and later remarked on his initial lack of managerial experience. Pure Software merged with Atria Software in 1996 to form Pure Atria, and was subsequently acquired by Rational Software in 1997. In 1997, Hastings co-founded Netflix alongside Marc Randolph. The company initially operated as an online DVD-by-mail service, distinguishing itself from traditional video rental stores like Blockbuster by eliminating late fees and utilizing a subscription-based model. Netflix went public in 2002. In 2007, Hastings orchestrated a major strategic pivot, launching an internet-based video streaming service. This move, combined with an aggressive expansion into original programming—marked by the 2013 debut of *House of Cards*—cemented Netflix’s position as a global leader in the streaming entertainment industry. Hastings served as the CEO of Netflix for over two decades, navigating the company through the transition from physical media to streaming, and through periods of rapid international growth. In 2020, he appointed Ted Sarandos as co-CEO. In January 2023, Hastings stepped down from the CEO role to become the company’s Executive Chairman, overseeing the transition of leadership to Sarandos and Greg Peters. Outside of his business endeavors, Hastings is a significant figure in educational philanthropy. He has been a vocal advocate for charter schools and educational reform, serving as president of the California State Board of Education from 2000 to 2004. He is a member of The Giving Pledge and has directed substantial capital toward education, including massive donations to historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs), such as Morehouse College and Spelman College, as well as endowments for his alma mater, Bowdoin College. He resides in Santa Cruz, California, with his wife, Patricia Ann Quillin, with whom he has two children.