Brad Smith
Brad Smith

Netflix expanded its board of directors to nine members today with the addition of Brad Smith, the Microsoft general counsel; and Anne Sweeney, the former high-ranking Walt Disney Co. executive.

It’s not the first board connection between Microsoft and Netflix. The streaming media company’s co-founder and CEO, Reed Hastings, served for several years as a member of Microsoft’s board.

Nor is Smith the first Netflix board member from the Seattle region. Expedia and Zillow co-founder Rich Barton has been on the Netflix board since 2002.

“We look forward to benefitting from Brad and Anne’s perspective as we continue to build our global Internet TV network,” Hastings said in a news release announcing the appointments.

Smith has been Microsoft’s general counsel since 2002, helping the company conclude its long-running antitrust battles and more recently emerging as a critic of government surveillance programs and unfettered data collection.

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