Cisco’s Giancarlo takes to the board of Netflix

Some busy boardroom musicial chairs is happening in the business world that is blurring the distinction between computer geeks and media buffs. Cisco heir-apparent, Charlie Giancarlo has been appointed to the board of Netflix, the DVD rental company. Blogging about the move, Barron’s Eric Savitz writes: “It’s a sign of both the need for Netflix to move more of its video distribution onto the Web – and Cisco’s increased focus on hooking up with content providers, and not just providing hardware and software to enterprises and service providers.” In a statement, Giarcarlo said: “The world of video communications and distribution for entertainment is changing dramatically. Cisco and Netflix are on the cutting edge of innovation in this market. Serving on the Netflix board will bring me closer to the needs of all Web video companies, and while I love getting my red envelopes today, I can’t wait to eventually get all of my Netflix content online.” Somehow, we can’t imagine Giarcarlo kicking off his shoes after a hard day’s negotiating another multi-billion-dollar company purchase and turning on his high-def Telepresence gear to watch Thelma and Louise, but we digress. You’ll remember that Cisco recently installed former FCC chairman Michael Powell to its board, while Microsoft recently gave Netflix founder Reed Hastings a key to its executive washroom.