Netflix has recruited a veteran Disney exec to serve as COO of its feature animation division, Kidscreen can confirm. Amir Nasrabadi will start in this senior leadership position at the streaming giant later this month. 

He will report to Hannah Minghella, who is just a year into her role as head of Netflix feature animation and live-action family film. Minghella was one of the first hires made by Netflix film chairman Dan Lin, who took the reins in April 2024.

Boasting an impressive background in kids animation, Nasrabadi previously spent 15 years at Disney, first as VP of finance and operations at Walt Disney Studios (1999 to 2009) and then as VP and GM of Pixar Canada.

After leaving the Mouse House for the first time in 2013, he worked at Paramount Pictures (SVP of animation production), Illumination (EVP of finance and operations) and WildBrain (EVP and GM), where he produced Strawberry Shortcake: Berry in the Big City (2021), Snoopy Presents: Lucy’s School (2022) and Carmen Sandiego (2020/2021). 

But Nasrabadi eventually returned to his Disney roots to head up the WDAS Vancouver studio. (It’s worth noting that Disney Animation has recently shifted away from long-form streaming content, which was a core focus of this Canadian division.)