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Netflix has tapped former Apple executive Steve Wilson to lead the streamer’s podcast division, TheWrap has learned.
Bloomberg first reported the executive’s appointment on Monday, which comes just over a week after Peter Rice replaced Bela Bajaria as the streamer’s chief content officer.
Wilson spent nearly 15 years at Apple from 2006 to 2020, where he was one of the earliest members of the Apple Podcasts team. He was previously chief strategy officer for Daylight Media, formerly known as QCODE, from 2020 to 2026.
“If you’ve worked with me for any length of time, you know I’m the happiest building,” Wilson wrote in a LinkedIn post, announcing his departure from Daylight last month. “I’ve been thinking a lot about what creators need from platforms, and about community and personally at a time when online trust is thin. Faster.”
QCODE created original scripted podcasts, including “The Prophecy” with Kerry Washington, “Carrier” with Cynthia Erivo and “Blackout” with Rami Malek. They also produced “The Edge of Sleep” with creator Markiplier.
The company has also produced unscripted podcasts such as the “Woo Woo” podcast with Rachel Dratch and the “Street You Grew Up On” interview series with Washington.
This post comes as Netflix has made efforts to expand its podcast offerings. The company has acquired podcasts in distribution deals with Barstool, Spotify and iHeart Media. Licensed podcasts streaming on the platform include Jay Shetty’s “On Purpose”, Jake Shane’s “Therapuss” and “The Breakfast Club”.
Netflix also produces original podcasts tied to popular titles such as the official “Outer Banks” and “Bridgerton” podcasts. “Shut Up Evan” and “The Pete Davidson Show” will also stream exclusively on Netflix.
Netflix excluded video podcasts from its viewership data from the first half of 2026.
The company has expanded its podcast and digital video offerings, partnering with PMX brands BuzzFeed, Condé Nast, Hearst Magazines, People Inc, Tastemade and Penske Media. This partnership brought popular YouTube series from Architectural Digest, Elle and more directly to streaming audiences.
