Wilmot Reed Hastings Jr. (born 8 October 1960) is an American businessman who co-founded Netflix in 1997. He served as its CEO for over 20 years before stepping down to become Executive Chairman in 2023. Hastings revolutionized the entertainment industry twice: first by destroying the video rental store model (Blockbuster) with DVD-by-mail, and second by pioneering streaming video on demand (SVOD). Hastings is known for his unique management philosophy ("No Rules Rules"), which emphasizes high performance, radical candor, and paying top-of-market salaries. He is also a major advocate for education reform and charter schools.