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 Garfields 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. Hell report directly to Seth Krauss, who serves as Chief Administrative Officer and Senior Counsel to the Board.
Krauss praised Garfields resume and global experience, especially with how it ties into TKOs growing presence internationally and at home.
Krauss pointed to TKOs current deals with regions like Western Australia, Abu Dhabi, Saudi Arabia, as well as states like Minnesota, New Jersey, and California, saying Garfields 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.
Garfield brings more than two decades of public policy experience to the table. He was Netflixs 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 notablehe was appointed to the White Houses Advisory Committee for Trade Policy and Negotiations by President Obama and re-appointed by President Trump. He also served on the Department of Transportations Advisory Committee on Automation.
Garfields academic background is just as stacked: a law degree from NYU, a masters from Princeton, and a bachelors from Middlebury College. His rsum 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 TKOs intent to keep expanding its global presencewhether thats more WWE PLEs abroad, UFC cards in new territories, or strategic domestic incentives.
Do you think Dean Garfields hire will lead to more global WWE and UFC events? Please share your thoughts and feedback in the comment section below.
