Rachel Whetstone

Rachel Whetstone is a British public relations executive whose career spans politics, technology, and media. After studying history at the University of Bristol, Whetstone began her professional life at Conservative Central Office, advising then-Home Secretary Michael Howard. She later worked for T-Mobile UK and Portland Communications before returning to Westminster as political secretary to Howard during his tenure as Conservative Party leader. Following Howard’s departure, Whetstone joined Google in London and subsequently moved to California to lead the company’s public policy and public relations teams.

At Google, Whetstone oversaw communications and public policy for nearly a decade, serving as director of corporate communications during a period of regulatory scrutiny in the European Union. She later became senior vice president of policy and communications at Uber, and then vice president of communications for Facebook’s WhatsApp, Instagram, and Messenger products. Whetstone has been recognized as one of the 100 most powerful women in the United Kingdom by Woman's Hour on BBC Radio 4 and has appeared multiple times on PRWeek’s Power List.

Netflix appointed Whetstone as chief communications officer, where she led global communications for the streaming platform. In this capacity, she was responsible for shaping the company’s messaging to consumers and investors in the competitive entertainment and technology sectors. Whetstone has led communications for several high-growth technology companies, demonstrating expertise in managing complex communications strategies at scale.

After her tenure at Netflix, Whetstone joined Sierra, an artificial intelligence startup focused on enterprise customer service solutions. At Sierra, she oversees all communications and is responsible for positioning the company within the AI and customer service industries. Whetstone’s experience across British politics and Silicon Valley technology firms positions her as a knowledgeable authority on leadership, communications strategy, and the intersection of technology and public affairs.