• by Alex Weprin , December 7, 2017

Google’s YouTube has named Luke Hyams as head of originals for the Europe-Middle East-Africa (EMEA) region. 

Before joining YouTube, Hyams worked in Disney’s digital content unit. He will be based in YouTube’s London office.

Hyams joins YouTube as many of the streaming video giants significantly build out their original and owned programming.

While YouTube started as a place for users to upload their videos, it has increasingly focused much of its efforts on its own creator community, and on professionally produced content for its YouTube Red subscription service.

Likewise, Netflix has been spending billions of dollars per year on original content, as have Hulu and Amazon.

As these companies spend money on originals, they are also turning to regional and locally produced fare in different countries. As YouTube, Netflix and others expand into more countries, they are betting that original content produced locally will provide an incentive for people to subscribe.