Netflix hires former Facebook executive Mike Verdu as gaming VP to focus beyond films, shows

Netflix Inc said on Wednesday it has hired a former Facebook executive to lead its video games unit as the company ramps up its efforts to grow beyond its traditional streaming business.

The streaming giant hired Mike Verdu, who was most recently a Facebook vice president, as VP of game development and he will report to Chief Operating Officer Greg Peters.

Verdu founded his own defense software company at age 20 and sold it before shifting his team into video games in 1990.