MUMBAI: From being a partner in a successful law firm to taking up employment  in a global corporation can sound strange to some -  but not to Kiran Desai. The legal professional-turned-entrepreneur founded and led Desai & Partners,  a prominent law firm specialising in media, entertainment, intellectual property, and sports law in 2007. Over a 12-year tenure, he built a thriving practice, representing high-profile clients in a rapidly evolving digital media landscape. 

Then Netflix came knocking in 2019, as he explained in a note on linkedin in 2020: “When I was offered a position at Netflix, I saw an opportunity to be a part of a rapidly growing organisation that could veritably build and help influence the manner in which entertainment is consumed in India. I took a leap of faith and decided to join Netflix. 

"To leave a law firm which I had founded and built over the better part of my professional career was a difficult decision, fraught with emotion. It was tough explaining to my colleagues and clients that I was moving on and needed to do so for my own personal development. While I had many doubts, one thing I was sure of was self-belief, stemming from the years of experience I had gathered as an entrepreneur, having seen both, success and failure. I was willing to start all over again, without fear of the unknown. While few could confidently predict the future trajectory of this fast-paced industry at the time, by joining the team at Netflix, I believed I would be standing at the leading edge of it. Now, a little over a year later, I can confidently say that it was the right decision.”
He joined Netflix in July 2019 as director – business & legal affairs. Nearly six years later in February 2025, Kiran  was promoted to the role of vice president - India general counsel, from senior director – India general counsel.  

Over this period, Desai has played a pivotal role in Netflix's legal strategy in India, helping the company navigate complex regulatory landscapes, forge critical content deals, and support the company’s expansion in a highly competitive market.

As India remains a key growth territory for Netflix, Desai’s promotion signals a continued commitment to strengthening operations and compliance frameworks in the region.  

Desai holds an LLM  from Georgetown University Law Center, where he focused on intellectual property, antitrust, and international environmental law, as well as an LLB  and BCom from the University of Mumbai. He actively participated in leadership roles during his academic years, including serving as general secretary of the sports council at the University of Mumbai. His earlier legal roles include serving as counsel at the chambers of senior advocate Shyam Divan and as an associate at DSK Legal.

Reflecting on his journey with Netflix, Desai said, "Joining Netflix was a leap of faith after years of running my own practice. The company’s culture, built on the values of freedom with responsibility, context over control, and open feedback, has been transformative both personally and professionally. Working here has not only made me a better lawyer but also a better person."

Desai highlighted the importance of Netflix's unique working culture, where employees are empowered to make independent decisions while being supported with extensive contextual information. "The open feedback culture initially felt unfamiliar but has become one of the most impactful aspects of my professional growth," he added.

Going by Desai’s admissions, the Netflix culture, which Ted Sarandos and team have built is not just a folklore of books written to make it attractive  for talent to join, it is  reality. Even in India. 

Desai’s  leadership has been instrumental in supporting Netflix’s ambitious content strategy in India, fostering legal frameworks that enable creative freedom while ensuring regulatory compliance.

As Desai steps into his new role, Netflix continues to fortify its position as a leader in India’s rapidly growing streaming market, which has seen intensified competition alongside shifting consumer behaviours and expanding internet accessibility.