WWE’s Parent Company TKO Hires Former Netflix Exec Dean Garfield to Run Global Government Affairs

TKO Group just made a serious power move by bringing in former Netflix public policy boss Dean Garfield to lead their global government affairs operation.

The company, which owns both WWE and UFC, announced Garfield’s appointment on Tuesday via press release, confirming he officially stepped into the role on June 16.

Garfield is now the Senior Vice President of Government Affairs for TKO, a newly created position that puts him in charge of all public policy initiatives, political engagement, and subsidy/incentive efforts around the world. He’ll report directly to Seth Krauss, who serves as Chief Administrative Officer and Senior Counsel to the Board.

Krauss praised Garfield’s resume and global experience, especially with how it ties into TKO’s growing presence internationally and at home.

“Dean’s extensive public policy experience will be integral to supercharging TKO’s government relations strategy, including strengthening our engagement with governments to bring our marquee events to fans in all regions of the world.”

Krauss pointed to TKO’s current deals with regions like Western Australia, Abu Dhabi, Saudi Arabia, as well as states like Minnesota, New Jersey, and California, saying Garfield’s leadership will only help those relationships grow.

Garfield seems just as locked in. He issued a statement emphasizing the cultural and economic value of sports and live events.

“I am excited to be joining TKO and for the opportunity to share with governments what we know to be true: People all around the world view sports and live entertainment as central to their lives, to building community, and to delivering economic impact.”

Garfield brings more than two decades of public policy experience to the table. He was Netflix’s Vice President of Public Policy from 2019 until recently, where he built and ran their global government affairs team. Before that, he served as President and CEO of the Information Technology Industry Council, held executive roles at the Motion Picture Association (MPA), and was VP of legal affairs at the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA).

His bipartisan credentials are also notable—he was appointed to the White House’s Advisory Committee for Trade Policy and Negotiations by President Obama and re-appointed by President Trump. He also served on the Department of Transportation’s Advisory Committee on Automation.

Garfield’s academic background is just as stacked: a law degree from NYU, a master’s from Princeton, and a bachelor’s from Middlebury College. His résumé reads like a blueprint for this exact kind of global-facing executive role.

With international deals and domestic partnerships constantly evolving, bringing in someone like Garfield signals TKO’s intent to keep expanding its global presence—whether that’s more WWE PLEs abroad, UFC cards in new territories, or strategic domestic incentives.