LOS ANGELES - Netflix Inc will kick off an external search for a chief marketing officer in coming months, replacing Leslie Kilgore, who ends her 12-year run in February to join the board as a non-executive director.

Jessie Becker, vice president of marketing, will serve as interim chief marketing officer till a permanent replacement is found, the company said in a statement on Friday.

Netflix's marketing chief oversees the rollout of the company's popular video-streaming and DVD rental services into new markets, furthering its ambitions of expanding internationally.

The company, which is fending off competition from the likes of Apple Inc and Amazon.com Inc, embarked upon its first expansion beyond the Americas this month, launching its service in Britain.

Some industry insiders speculate Netflix will soon also stream content in some shape or form on Facebook, dramatically increasing its potential user base while supporting the social network's aim of bolstering available content.

The company, which pioneered DVD-by-mail in the late 1990s and played a major role in driving traditional rental chains such as Blockbuster out of business, reports results next week.

(Reporting by Edwin Chan; editing by Andre Grenon)

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