Variety magazine has released its “Hollywood’s New Leaders of 2021” list, Netflix director of original content, American  Armenian Aram Yacoubian, 31, is also on it.

“Yacoubian, who has been working in Netflix’s toon unit since its early days, now co-leads its independent animated film division, which has been firing on all cylinders of late, overseeing sourcing, development and production from indie sources. He brokered a deal with Aardman Animation, with ‘Chicken Run 2’ on deck; brought in catalog titles from Studio Ghibli; and developed global hit ‘Mighty Little Bheem,’” Variety wrote regarding Yacoubian.

“Animation had a major impact on me as a kid. It opened my eyes to a much larger world than I thought existed and encouraged my imagination to run wild,” Yacoubian says. “As I grew older, and my perspective began to expand and I developed a new appreciation for the sophistication of animated storytelling. There are endless possibilities in the medium.”