From Netflix to TKO, Dean Garfield For The Win

Farah, Meredith, Diana and Dave welcome classmate Dean Garfield, reflecting on high school in the 1980s and reconnecting after decades. They introduce Dean’s public-policy career, including senior roles at Netflix as VP of Public Policy, industry associations, and advisory appointments under Presidents Obama and Trump, and discuss his new role as SVP of Government Affairs at TKO (WWE, UFC, On Location, and IMG). Dean answers ’80s rapid-fire questions (movies, music, Milton classes, library hangouts, dress code, snacks), then shares his immigration story from Jamaica, early experiences in Boston during busing, how Milton became a supportive breakthrough for his family, and how sports helped him acclimate. He describes living abroad in Amsterdam and Singapore, returning to New York and Martha’s Vineyard, his daughters’ education and careers, his Netflix priorities (local-for-local global content, live sports including women’s sports, and theatrical windows), why he left Netflix, his interest in Saudi Arabia’s social transition, and how AI may reshape culture and business.

 

Topics

00:43 Meet The Hosts And Guest

01:57 Dean Garfield Career Highlights

03:48 Eighties Rapid Fire Quiz

06:05 Milton Memories And Snacks

11:45 From Jamaica To Boston

13:09 Finding Milton And Mentors

17:28 Sports And Staying Connected

19:05 Life Today Family And Travel

21:51 Career Through Line Begins

23:11 Chasing High Performance

24:22 Curiosity Across Cultures

24:59 Reconnecting After Decades

26:10 Netflix Influence Playbook

27:05 Local for Local Explained

28:03 Sports and Theatrical Bets

30:23 Why He Left Netflix

32:20 Choosing the Next Role

34:11 Inside TKO and WWE UFC

37:18 Geopolitics and AI Focus

40:30 Golden Age of Television

44:56 Advice to Younger Self

49:21 Farewell and Where to Connect