Netflix's shareholder meeting will take place next week. The proposal by a Swiss fintech company is also likely to cause a stir. The point of contention: a prominent member of the Board of Directors and the media company's governance.

It is an uneven distribution of roles: on the one hand, the world's largest internet entertainment service with well over 600 million members; on the other, the Swiss fintech refuses to back down.

Inyova versus Netflix – it promises to be an entertaining showdown. The next chapter will be written at the internet giant's shareholder meeting on June 6.

Affair Involving Dismissed Editor-in-Chief

Mathias Döpfner is in the spotlight. He is the CEO of Axel Springer, which publishes «Bild,» «Die Welt,» and «Politico Europe.» Döpfner, a member of Netflix's board of directors since 2018, is currently embroiled in a controversy unfolding over several years.

In the fall of 2021, the then-editor-in-chief of «Bild» was forced to step down due to allegations of abuse of power related to consensual relationships with female employees. In this context, personal messages between Döpfner and his former editor-in-chief were made public, causing outrage due to their political content.

Attempt to Prevent Döpfner's Re-Election

Inyova, which represents the interests of over 750 Netflix shareholders, sees Döpfner and inadequate policies as a risk concerning diversity and inclusion, which are highly valued at Netflix; the company publishes an annual report on this topic. They argue that Döpfner's presence could jeopardize the credibility of the entire company.

Therefore, the fintech is calling on Netflix's leadership to improve policies to investigate the Döpfner case in light of potential governance issues. This will be decided at the shareholder meeting on June 6.

Last year, the first showdown took place at the shareholder’s meeting. At that time, Inyova tried to prevent Döpfner's re-election to the Netflix board of directors. The attempt was unsuccessful.

«We Are Not the Climate Activists of the Financial Sector»

Now, the Zurich fintech is doubling down. «We don't see ourselves as the climate activists of the financial sector. We seek a constructive dialogue to improve the companies we invest in,» says founder and CEO Tillmann Lang.

According to Lang, Netflix's leadership does not seem to adequately address the business risks that Döpfner's case poses to the company's reputation, customer base, and talent competition. «That's why we are persistent. We ultimately represent the interests of our clients who are invested in Netflix,» says Lang.

Tillmann Lang, Gründer und CEO Inyova (Image: zVg)

Back on the Rise for Two Years

Inyova is an impact investor, offering returns through sustainability even for small budgets. The fintech has been in the market since 2019. Geopolitical crises, recession fears, and the interest rate environment forced the fintech to adapt to a changed market since 2022. «We used the phase to sharpen our profile,» says Lang.

The fintech no longer focuses solely on equities but also offers an interest-rate product and a 3a solution. The success is palpable: In the past two years, Inyova has doubled its revenue and quadrupled customer profitability.

This growth has been supported by a partnership in sustainable asset management with Migros Bank. The fintech has thus gained breadth. «I believe we can also claim on behalf of Migros Bank that the collaboration has been very satisfactory so far,» emphasizes Lang.