Best Startup
At Best Startup UK we track over 130,000 UK startups and over 500,000 people who hold key positions in these companies. We use this directory of startups to highlight top employees, founders and board members we think deserve more appreciation than they are currently getting.
This list showcases the top London based Director operating in the Media and Entertainment space. If you think a Director is missing from this list, feel free to contact our editor on editor@beststartup.co.uk.
The individuals on this list have been included because of exceptional performance in one of the following categories:
- Innovation – Operating as a key part in an extremely innovative business or startup.
- Growth – Operating as a key figure in the growth and upscale of a market leading business or startup.
- Management – Showing exceptional management skills.
- Societal impact – Putting their business on the map for their positive societal or environmental impact.
Our Data – We source our data from OSINT (open source intelligence) and public directories such as Companies House UK, Crunchbase, SemRush and many more. The data from these sources should be treated with a degree of caution and verified yourself.
Justyn Trenner
Corporate Development Director of QA Media
Follow Justyn Trenner:
About QA Media: QA Media connects buyers and sellers in the marketplace for software quality assurance services.
_______
Sam Higginson
Group Marketing Director of Immotion Group plc
Sam has a wealth of experience in brand creation and management, strategic marketing and communications. Sam began his carrier working for global advertising giant Saatchi & Saatchi, working primarily on the client Proctor & Gamble, the world’s largest advertiser. In 2009 he joined NetPlayTV plc, an interactive TV gaming company, where he was Head of Brand Development. Strategic media partners included Sky, Freeview, Channel Five, Virgin Media Television and ITV. Having left NetPlayTV plc, Sam founded Digitalbox plc, a new generation of digital media business with an established pedigree in emerging technology, data acquisition and analysis that has been harnessed with the ability to create and curate great content to entertain and engage audiences. In 2015, Digitalbox plc was listed #68 in The Sunday Times HISCOX Tech Track 100. In 2016, Digitalbox plc was listed again at #58, placing it in Britain’s 100 fastest growing tech companies two years in a row. Sam is a Director at M Capital Investment Partners. Formed in 2010, M Capital Investment Partners manages multiple real estate investments across the UK, with a focus on delivering above average returns for investment cash with minimal risk. He also holds the position Group Brand & Marketing Director at Immotion Group plc – a business that combines award-winning CGi animation with state-of-the-art motion platform technology to deliver mind-blowing ‘out-of-home’ immersive VR experiences. Sam is a graduate of the Lancaster University Management School having gained a BSc Honours in Business & Economics.
Follow Sam Higginson:
About Digitalbox, Immotion Group plc, M Capital Investment Partners: Immotion combine award-winning content & multi-directional motion platforms to deliver immersive VR solutions for high-traffic destinations.
David Marks
Co-founder & Group Finance Director of Immotion Group plc
David co-founded Immotion Group with Martin, and currently serves as the Group Finance Director. With a degree in Law from the University of Glasgow and membership of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Scotland, David’s expertise in finance is a given. He began his career conducting corporate recovery and restructure at Arthur Andersen. Since then, David has been a prominent face in corporate finance in the City of London, working with UBS, Deutsche Bank and Nikko Principal Investments. He’s overseen the rapid international expansion of Monstermob Group in Europe, the USA and Asia as Group Finance Director, and is also an executive board member at Digitalbox Group.
Follow David Marks:
About : Immotion combine award-winning content & multi-directional motion platforms to deliver immersive VR solutions for high-traffic destinations.
Holly Goodier
Director Digital – BBC Portfolio of BBC
Follow Holly Goodier:
About BBC: BBC is a large-scale broadcasting corporation that offers content to inform, educate, and entertain people.
Nicholas Hytner
Board of Directors of BBC
Nicholas Hytner is a Non-Executive Director of the Executive Board. He joined the Board on 1 April 2014 and has been appointed for an initial term of three years, until 31 March 2017. Nicholas Hytner was Director of the National Theatre 2003- 2015. Under his directorship, the National has brought in a new community of artists, produced in equal measure the classical repertoire and new work, and introduced the Travelex ticket seasons which celebrated their tenth anniversary in 2012 and National Theatre Live cinema broadcasts worldwide. His many productions for the National include The Hard Problem, Great Britain, Othello, People, Timon of Athens, Collaborators, One Man Two Guvnors, Hamlet, London Assurance, The Habit of Art, Phèdre, England People Very Nice, Much Ado About Nothing, Rafta Rafta…, Henry IV Parts 1 and 2, His Dark Materials, The History Boys, Stuff Happens, Henry V, The Wind in the Willows, The Madness of George III and Carousel. He also directed Live from the National Theatre: 50 Years on Stage, a gala evening of live performance and glimpses from the archive celebrating the NT’s 50th anniversary, which was seen live on BBC Two and in cinemas around the world. He was educated at Cambridge University and worked widely in repertory theatre, at the Northcott Theatre Exeter, Leeds Playhouse, the Manchester Royal Exchange Theatre and the Royal Shakespeare Company. Other London theatre work has included Miss Saigon (also Broadway and worldwide), The Importance of Being Earnest and The Lady in the Van. His film credits include The History Boys, The Madness of King George,The Crucible and the forthcoming The Lady in the Van. Nicholas Hytner’s opera productions include, for the Royal Opera House and Metropolitan Opera, Verdi’s Don Carlo; for English National Opera: Handel’s Xerxes and Mozart’s The Magic Flute; and for Glyndebourne: Mozart’s Cosi fan tutte and La Clemenza Di Tito. He has received, in addition to the BAFTA and Evening Standard awards for best British film, many other awards including four Olivier Awards, five Evening Standard Awards, the London Critics’ Circle Award, two NY Drama Desk Awards and two Tony Awards. He was Visiting Professor of Theatre at Oxford University in 2000. He is Honorary Fellow of Trinity Hall Cambridge and a member of the Board of the Royal Opera House. He was knighted in 2010.
Follow Nicholas Hytner:
About : BBC is a large-scale broadcasting corporation that offers content to inform, educate, and entertain people.
Ciara Riordan
Assistant Editor/ Deputy Director of BBC
Follow Ciara Riordan:
About BBC: BBC is a large-scale broadcasting corporation that offers content to inform, educate, and entertain people.
Ciara Riordan
Assistant Editor/ Deputy Director of BBC
Follow Ciara Riordan:
About BBC: BBC is a large-scale broadcasting corporation that offers content to inform, educate, and entertain people.
Hendrik McDermott
SVP & Managing Director HAYU of NBCUniversal
Hendrik McDermott is Senior Vice President, Branded On Demand at NBCUniversal International, based in London. Here he leads an entrepreneurial digital business unit focused on the company’s branded video on-demand (VOD) and over the top (OTT) services, and is primarily responsible for developing and bringing new direct-to-consumer television products to market. In this role, McDermott leads hayu, NBCU’s next generation subscription video-on-demand (SVOD) reality service, which launched in the UK, Ireland and Australia in March 2016. The first all-reality service of its kind – curated and fully integrated with social media – hayu is available on a full array of devices (mobile, tablet, laptop) at www.hayu.com Previously, McDermott led NBCUniversal International Networks’ affiliate sales, managing negotiation and partnership activities with clients and partners across 9 regional offices. He began at NBCUniversal in 2006, when was the founding member of the international corporate development team with responsibility for all territories outside the US and Canada.
Follow Hendrik McDermott:
About NBCUniversal: NBCUniversal is an American multinational media conglomerate that is a subsidiary division of Comcast.
Pedro Barros
Director, Corporate Business Development of NBCUniversal
Tech Venture Capital and SMB
Follow Pedro Barros:
About NBCUniversal: NBCUniversal is an American multinational media conglomerate that is a subsidiary division of Comcast.
Sebastian Gray
Managing Director of Dugout
Sebastian began his career with Quest Software working in their Microsoft sales team, leaving after a number of years to establish his own company developing mobile apps. This progressed into user interactions and digital media and led him to create Sport Digital, a digital media company that specialises in the management and commercialisation of the digital landscape for athletes, actors, musicians and celebrities. Two years after its founding, Sport Digital now looks after over 300 athletes, including Gareth Bale, Anthony Joshua, and Adam Lallana, utilising and developing their digital and social media footprint with the long-term objective of optimising their digital media value.
Follow Sebastian Gray:
About Dugout: Dugout is an innovative new digital football platform.
Jack Fryer
Managing Director – The Square @ Universal Music UK of Universal Music Group
Jack Fryer is the Managing Director – The Square at Universal Music Group.
Follow Jack Fryer:
About Universal Music Group: Universal Music Group offers music recording, publishing, and merchandising services worldwide.
David Paice
Digital Director of Merlin Entertainments
Follow David Paice:
About Merlin Entertainments: Merlin Entertainments is the largest European entertainments company operating in Europe.
Peter Collins
Director Production Security of WarnerMedia
Follow Peter Collins:
About WarnerMedia: WarnerMedia is a media and entertainment company that creates and distributes premium and popular content to global audiences.
Simon Daglish
Group Commercial Director of ITV
After leaving school Simon decided that University was not for him and joined the army. This was followed by work in Venezuela, America and Australia before returning to the UK in 1991 to start work on the ‘new’ Daily Telegraph, which had recently been purchased by Conrad Black. Having managed the launch of the Saturday Magazine in 1995 he decided to set up his own publishing company, and in 1998 sold it to Tony O’Riley’s Independent Magazines. Simon then joined the fledgling Classic FM and within 4 years it had grown into the biggest commercial radio station in the UK and the most profitable. In 2005 Classic FM and its parent company GWR merged with Capital Radio and Simon became the Group Commercial Director. On the sale of GCap Media to Global, Simon left and joined the early social media revolution working for MySpace as Commercial Director. Simon joined ITV plc in January 2011 as Group Commercial Sales Director and was promoted to Deputy Managing Director, Commercial in January this year. In his free time he has rowed across the Irish Sea and walked to the South Pole, unsupported on both trips. He has also led an expedition to the North Pole with 4 wounded soldiers and HRH Prince Harry. Simon completed his second South Pole challenge in December 2013 for Walking With The Wounded, a charity which he founded and he has raised nearly £3 million for various charities.
Follow Simon Daglish:
About ITV: ITV is an integrated producer broadcaster, operating the largest commercial family of channels in the UK.
Tom Betts
Director of Corporate Strategy, Mergers & Acquisitions of ITV
Tom Betts is a Director of Corporate Strategy, Mergers & Acquisitions at ITV plc.
Follow Tom Betts:
About ITV: ITV is an integrated producer broadcaster, operating the largest commercial family of channels in the UK.
Steve Forde
Director of Digital Products of ITV
Steve Forde has nearly 20 years of digital marketing and product experience. He has spent the majority of that working for the UK’s leading broadcasters. Steve joined ITV in 2015 having spent a decade at Channel 4 where he headed up the marketing for 4oD and the award winning viewer data strategy. Steve joined ITV to launch of the ITV Hub, which has had a 43% increase in viewing in it’s first year. As the Director of Product and Online Marketing, Steve is responsible for the ITV Hub’s product and viewer strategy. Him and his team of product, engagement and experience professionals are placing the viewer at the heart of the end-to-end viewer experience vision.
Follow Steve Forde:
About ITV, ITV, ITV: ITV is an integrated producer broadcaster, operating the largest commercial family of channels in the UK.
Gary Knight
Commercial Content Director of ITV
Gary began his career in commercial TV almost 39 years ago when he joined the airtime Sales Dept of London Weekend Television. He has held many roles in ITV companies across the subsequent years, including the Executive Director of commercial Ventures at Granada & the Brand Partnership Director’s role at the newly merged ITV. In his present position he is responsible for Sponsorship, Digital Partnerships, Branded Content & Product placement activities. He is also the commercial team’s main link into ITV’s production & commissioning teams, giving him a unique insight into this world. Although born within the sound of Bow Bells, he now lives in deepest Kent, closer To Paris than London & only a boat ride across the icy seas to his Viking ancestors base on Norwegian shores. Launching a version of Coronation Street in the Chinese market remains one of his most “ interesting “ achievements to date.
Follow Gary Knight:
About ITV: ITV is an integrated producer broadcaster, operating the largest commercial family of channels in the UK.
James Jones
Senior Director, International Marketing of Xandr
James Jones is the Senior Marketing Manager at AppNexus since January 2015. Prior to AppNexus, James was a Global Marketing Manager at Thomson Reuters from August 2013 to December 2014. Previously, James was a European Marketing Communications Manager of Technology Services from November 2011 August 2013 and European Marketing Communications Manager of Graphic Communications from March 2009 to November 2011 at Xerox. James started as a Marketing Executive from July 2006 to February 2009 at Xerox. Prior to Xerox, James was a Marketing Assistant at IBM UK from 2004 to 2005. James earned his B.A. degree in Business Studies from Liverpool John Moores University.
Follow James Jones:
About Xandr: Xandr is an advertising company.
Marius Rausch
VP & Managing Director Central Europe of Xandr
Marius Rausch is the Director of Product Marketing at AppNexus, the world’s largest independent advertising technology company. In this position Marius is responsible for product marketing for the publishers segment in EMEA. Marius is a longtime expert and pioneer for Programmatic Marketing. Marius’ last position was as Head of Premium Publisher Platform and RTA for the programmatic business one of the largest AGOF marketer, Interactive Media, responsible, which he has built up since 2010 and is responsible for strategic operational. Previously Marius initiated building projects and the development of CRM systems and their integration in Online Advertising Product Management of Deutsche Telekom AG.
Follow Marius Rausch:
About Xandr: Xandr is an advertising company.
Megumi Ikeda
Managing Director, Europe of Hearst Ventures
Megumi Ikeda is the managing director of Hearst Ventures and the general manager of Hearst Ventures Europe, where she oversees investments and non-organic acquisitions across Europe. She is based in London. Ikeda previously ran the European arm of the Peacock Equity Fund, GE Capital and NBCUniversal’s $250MM venture fund. Previously, she worked in corporate M&A and distribution deals at NBCUniversal. Ikeda started her career in Tokyo as a reporter for Dow Jones and an international business manager at Wired in San Francisco. Ikeda received her undergraduate degree from Columbia College, Columbia University and earned her MBA at UCLA’s The Anderson School.
Follow Megumi Ikeda:
About Hearst Ventures: Hearst Ventures, a corporate venture fund, invests in early-stage information, software and technologycompanies
Holly Bott
Managing Director, Entertainment of James Grant Group
Holly Bott is the Managing Director, Entertainment at YMU Group.
Follow Holly Bott:
About James Grant Group: James Grant Group provides services for entertainment, music, sports, social talent, and literary clients.
Phil Elliott
Director of Indie Publishing of Square Enix
Follow Phil Elliott:
About Square Enix: Square Enix develops, publishes, and markets interactive entertainment titles worldwide.
Simon Presswell
Managing Director, Broadcast & Education of Ascential Plc
Follow Simon Presswell:
About Ascential Plc: Ascential is a global information company that enables smart decision-making for business.
Hugo Drayton
Independent Non-Executive Director of Future
Follow Hugo Drayton:
About Future: Future creates high-quality multi-media products which reach their audiences online, on mobile and in print.
Kathy Phillips
International Beauty Director of Condé Nast
Kathy Phillips spent seven years at Vogue as Health and Beauty Director. She left this prestigious post a few years ago to pursue various new projects specifically the launch of the natural Beauty Brand This Works. But she still maintains a strong link with Condenast in her current role as International Beauty Director for Condé Nast Asia working with all their titles (Vogue, “W” Self, Vogue Girl and Allure) in Japan, China, Korea and Taiwan juggling both responsibilities which call on differing facets of the Beauty industry. For the Asian titles, she plans and directs Beauty shoots, writes articles and oversees the 50-page Beauty sections in China and Japan. At This Works, as Creative Director and Founder, she is involved in the visual and formulations side of the business including the packaging design, concept and creation of products. Her long relationship with Condé Nast began in 1992 when she was first Associate Editor and then Beauty Director of Tatler. She is one of very few journalists who are also involved in the visual side of things, not surprising since she spent four years studying Fashion and History of Art at St Martins School of Art before the start of her career. She has styled fashion, beauty editorial and advertising shoots over many years and worked with the very best photographers including Raymond Meier, Carter Smith, Enrique Badulescu, Willy Vanderperre, Nathanial Goldberg, Dan Jackson, Regan Cameron, Miles Aldridge, Solve Sündsbo, Ben Hassett and Richard Burbridge, to name a few. She has worked for many British magazines and newspapers throughout her career. From having her own weekly page on the Daily Mail, at 23, she has been a columnist for the Mail on Sunday, a commissioning editor on YOU magazine and written for various publications including The Financial Times, The Times, and The Sunday Times, the Saturday Telegraph Magazine, Sunday Telegraph and most recently, Psychologies magazine. She wrote the “Beauty Guru” column in the Evening Standard and from 2008-2010, the “Beauty Queen” column in Observer Woman magazine. She has won several Jasmine Awards, the fragrance industry’s top prize for Journalism and a C.E.W Lifetime Achiever Award, recognition from the Cosmetics Industry. In 1977 she wrote The Vogue Book of Blondes and then edited and co-wrote Vogue Beauty (2000) as well as two best-selling books on Yoga. The most recent of these, The Spirit of Yoga has been translated into several languages and re-issued as a paperback. A new, smaller paperback format was re-printed for August 2005. She has frequently appeared on TV and radio both here and in the US. Kathy is interested in the serious side of Beauty, Complementary Medicine, Health and Fitness and is often found quizzing doctors, dermatologists, laser specialists, nutritionists and cosmetic surgeons as well as being invited to watch operations and new procedures being performed. She has been practising Yoga for thirty years and is a qualified teacher.
Follow Kathy Phillips:
About Condé Nast, This Works: Condé Nast publishes magazines, websites, and tablet and smartphone applications.
Danielle Bennison-Brown
Director of Video Content of Condé Nast
Danielle Bennison-Brown is Director of Video Content of Condé Nast Britain. Heading up a dedicated central video team, she works alongside the editorial and commercial teams of leading media brands including Vogue, GQ, Wired and Glamour to create high quality video content for a combination of digital platforms. In addition to her remit for Condé Nast Britain, Danielle provides input for key Condé Nast International markets. Formerly i-D’s Global Head of Video, she founded and directed the media brand’s video content strategy whilst overseeing production and commissioning. Danielle carved a unique and instantly recognisable style for i-D’s visual output, and the video platform generated 20+ million views in under 12 months, helped in part by the pioneered trend for ‘edutainment’ videos, with strands such as the A-Z and Model Mother Tongue series.
Follow Danielle Bennison-Brown:
About Condé Nast, DBB & Partners: Condé Nast publishes magazines, websites, and tablet and smartphone applications.
Simon Gauntlett
Director of Imaging Standards and Technology of Dolby Laboratories
In his role as Technology Director of the DTG, Simon is responsible for setting the organisation’s strategic technical vision, supporting DTG Technical Council, Chairing DTG Testing’s Advisory Board, directing the group’s technical programme and managing the DTG’s technology team. Since joining the DTG in 2006, Simon has edited and published an updated version of the D-Book – the technical specification for digital terrestrial television in the UK, and has established working groups for IPTV and the forthcoming HD D-Book. In early 2008 he supported the launch of the UK’s free-to-air satellite platform, Freesat, with a test and conformance project, and is currently working with the Group’s membership to facilitate the introduction of HD on the DTT platform using the new DVB-T2 standard. Prior to working for the DTG, Simon spent seven years at the BBC’s Research and Development (R&D) department, where he specialised in compression technologies for High Definition video and the delivery of HDTV, working on the BBC’s HD trial on the satellite, cable and terrestrial platforms.
Follow Simon Gauntlett:
About Dolby Laboratories, SMPTE: Dolby creates surround sound, imaging, and voice technologies for cinemas, home theaters, PCs, mobile devices, games, and more.
Nicholas Marcq
Director of Latimer Group
Founding Director Latimer Films ltd
Follow Nicholas Marcq:
About Latimer Group: Latimer works with the best in youth talent to produce cutting edge film and digital media.
Mehrad Noori
Director, Global Programming of Comcast NBCUniversal
Mehrad Noori is Director, Global Programming, NBCUniversal International Networks (NBCUIN), based at the company’s international headquarters in London. In this position, Noori acquires and produces scripted content for NBCUIN’s portfolio of channels (including Universal TV, SYFY and 13th Street). He is also responsible for creating original immersive content for virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR). Noori most recently served as creator and executive producer on NBCUIN’s groundbre
Follow Mehrad Noori:
About Comcast NBCUniversal: A media and entertainment company.
Sharon Reed
Co-Founder & Director of Framestore
Follow Sharon Reed:
About Framestore: Framestore is a creative studio that offers production, pre-production, and post-production services for its users.
Daniel Couchman Kendall
Managing Director & Founder of Mission Based Media
Follow Daniel Couchman Kendall:
About Mission Based Media: Mission Based Media creates and produces audio content that depends on the organization’s goals.
Bridgid Nzekwu
Director of Media Training of Press Association
Award-winning media trainer, named ‘Outstanding Woman in Professional Services’ at the 2018 Precious Awards. Bridgid leads the media training team at TNR, part of the Press Association, the UK’s national news agency. She coaches high-profile speakers and spokespeople before media interviews, Select Committee appearances and major speeches. Bridgid has been a broadcast journalist for 20 years (including stints as a political reporter and financial reporter) and is best known for 10 years as a presenter and reporter for Channel 4 News. As well as media training and conference hosting, she presents weekend programmes for ITV News as a freelance newsreader.
Follow Bridgid Nzekwu:
About Press Association: The Press Association is a multi-platform news agency with operations in the United Kingdom and Ireland.
Jon Eades
Director and Co-Founder of The Rattle
Jon heads up Abbey Road’s new technology and innovation department, Abbey Road Red, managing the music tech start-up incubation program and partnering with researchers to investigate emerging technologies for music.
Follow Jon Eades:
About Abbey Road Red, Abbey Road Studios, The Rattle: The Rattle is a venture studio and incubator for provocative artists, hackers, inventors, and startups.
Matteo Cuellar
Director of Product Design and UX of iROKO Partners
Follow Matteo Cuellar:
About iROKO Partners: iROKO Partners is an online Nigerian entertainment media distribution company that offers online media products.
Victoria Albrecht
Managing Director of Springbok Technologies
Victoria is a serial entrepreneur from Germany. With 24, she exited her first business, an insights and events company for the Food Industry. In her role as CEO and Creative Director, she managed over 100 conferences and consulting projects with companies like Mars, the Jamie Oliver Group, Tesco and Tyson Foods. After her exit, she joined Berlin-based (and Silicon-Valley-backed) Conversational AI startup Rasa as the 5th employee and helped grow sales from 0 to EUR 1 million in one year, selling into and working with companies like Bank of America, HSBC, Airbus etc. In 2017, she founded Springbok AI, one of the UK’s leading boutique Artificial Intelligence consultancies, working with world-class talent from across the world to business transform processes in corporates in Germany and the UK through AI in rapid turnaround.
Follow Victoria Albrecht:
About Springbok Technologies: Springbok Technologies is a media relations firm focused on the high-tech sector. Industry practices include wireless.
Joshua Nino De Guzman
CEO, Co-Founder & Director of Dexerto
Joshua Nino De Guzman is the CEO & Co-Founder at Dexerto
Follow Joshua Nino De Guzman:
About Dexerto: Dexerto is the world’s largest digital esports and gaming lifestyle platform news platform.
Chris Marsh
Co-Founder & Director of Dexerto
Follow Chris Marsh:
About Dexerto: Dexerto is the world’s largest digital esports and gaming lifestyle platform news platform.
Torsten de Riese
Director of Strategy & Operations of Dods (Group) plc
Follow Torsten de Riese:
About Dods (Group) plc: Dods is a global political information, publishing, training, events and communications business
Giovanni Dolci
Vice President, Theatre Development and Managing Director, Europe and Africa of IMAX
Giovanni Dolci joined IMAX Corporation in October 2012 as Vice President, Theatre Development. In January 2017 he was also appointed Managing Director Europe and Africa, where he is responsible for growing and expanding the IMAX theatre network across the two continents. He previously served as Director of Business Development and Commercial Operations at Arts Alliance, where he was in charge of negotiations with cinema exhibitors and film distributors throughout EMEA to support the market’s transition to digital projection technology and where he helped establish a worldwide digital distribution platform. Prior to Arts Alliance, Giovanni Dolci worked in film financing and oversaw a number of projects based in New Zealand, Italy and the UK. He has a degree in Economics and Management from Bocconi University in Milan and an MSc in Management from Cass Business School in London. He is a Junior Fellow of the Aspen Institute Italy.
Follow Giovanni Dolci:
About IMAX: IMAX Corporation is one of the world’s leading entertainment technology companies, specializing in immersive motion picture technologies.
Kim Thesiger
Co Founder and Group Director for Asia Pacific of TVT
Follow Kim Thesiger:
About TVT: Building digital tools for the Entertainment industry
Mark Field
Director of Client Strategy of Reach plc
Follow Mark Field:
About Reach plc: Reach plc is a newspaper publishing company.
Zoe Harris
Group Marketing Director of Reach plc
Having quickly realised (when working as a holiday rep), that free drinks on tap may not be the best groundings for a career choice, Zoe left the sunny climes of Corfu for her first ‘proper’ job at the Guardian. Finding a true love of media, she went on to launch the new ITV website before moving to Hearst magazines to successfully launch new weekly titles. As Marketing & On-air Director at MTV, she set about re-asserting MTV as the ultimate youth entertainment brand with the proposition ‘for the excesses of youth’. This led to the commissioning of Geordie Shore, now in its tenth season, and record ratings for the channel. Following a stint agency side at WCRS as lead strategist on Sky, Zoe is now Group Marketing Director at Trinity Mirror where she heads up marketing, analytics, insight and corp comms across many power newsbrands, working closely with editors to ensure advertisers and consumers alike understand and value their unique place in increasingly fragmented media markets. In her spare time, Zoe runs Stockwell Girl Guide Unit and can tie a mean reef knot. She is also proud to be a trustee of Girl Guiding UK.
Follow Zoe Harris:
About Reach plc: Reach plc is a newspaper publishing company.
Jo Bacon
Chief Marketing Officer & Director of Invention of Reach plc
Jo Bacon is the Chief Marketing Officer & Director of Invention at Reach PLC.
Follow Jo Bacon:
About Reach plc: Reach plc is a newspaper publishing company.
Mark Dennis
Director of Technical Operations of Sunset+Vine
Follow Mark Dennis:
About Sunset+Vine: Sunset+Vine is a leading sports production and media company.
Liam Dowd
Managing Director of Reuters Events
Follow Liam Dowd:
About Ethical Corporation, Reuters Events: Reuters Events is a global B2B events specialist that provides thought leadership, learning, and networking for senior executives.
Ruthana Foulkes
Managing Director – Supply Chain of Reuters Events
Follow Ruthana Foulkes:
About Reuters Events: Reuters Events is a global B2B events specialist that provides thought leadership, learning, and networking for senior executives.
Lesley Marr
Director Of Operations of Molinare
Lesley Marr is Director of Operations at Molinare; Molinare is the UK’s leading supplier of post production for episodic drama, feature film, factual and 4K, UHD & HDR productions. Prior to joining Molinare Lesley was COO for Deluxe Media Europe, overseeing the day to day operation delivering to UK Broadcasters and global platforms. During her acreer Lesley has managed transformation programmes, senior client relationships, operational excellence projects developing media logistics, scheduling and MAM tools and managed teams across multi-site UK operations. Lesley has also held several senior management positions in Broadcast Operations at Sky & Technicolor. Her career path, however, started in the creative post production world working as an editor before learning the skills of a VFX artist where she worked for leading global facilities before moving into the world of Operations Management. In addition to her day job Lesley has, for several years, sat on the board of the UK Screen Association and is also a member of the IBC conference committee business stream, chairing and producing conference sessions.
Follow Lesley Marr:
About Molinare: High-end broadcast and feature post production
Elizabeth Tanner
Independent Director of Sohonet
Follow Elizabeth Tanner:
About : Sohonet operates the largest private network for Media & Entertainment in the world, linking over 400 leading studios and creatives.
Michael Dee
Director of content of Coolabi
Michael Dee serves as a Director of Content at Coolabi.
Follow Michael Dee:
About Coolabi: Coolabi Group is specialized in the creation, development and brand management of children’s and family intellectual property rights.
Michael Dee
Director of content of Coolabi
Michael Dee serves as a Director of Content at Coolabi.
Follow Michael Dee:
About Coolabi: Coolabi Group is specialized in the creation, development and brand management of children’s and family intellectual property rights.
Ian Clethero
Founder & Director of 1Hub Media Ltd
Ian Clethero is the founder of 1Hub Media (London) and Platform8 Asia (Hong Kong). These are online media companies publishing platforms for two verticals: music education and choirs. Platform8 Asia is reponsible for marketing the projects in Hong Kong, SE Asia and the wider region. 1Hub Media takes the same role for the UK and European markets. The aim is to build MUSIC:ED and Chorally into ‘go-to’ global resources for their respective sectors. Each platform efficiently links individual users with organisations and businesses. The platforms combine independent media (news, magazine articles) with directories and listings (classifieds, project profiles, jobs, resources). Online membership, social networks and iOS/Android mobile apps will be launched in 2019 to provide new benefits for platform users, boosting overall engagement and traffic. MUSIC:ED is designed for students, educators, performers and parents as end-users. Advertisers include education providers (including university and college music departments, international schools, private music schools), music and software publishers, providers of specialist services, charities, government departments and arts councils, membership organisations and performance venues. Chorally serves the global choral sector, a market of an estimated 2m performing groups and 60m singers. The platform brings together choirs, singers and audiences in one place (the idea for Chorally came from Ian Clethero’s extensive experience as a church musician). From mid 2019, choirs will be able to create profiles and add jobs, events and news to Chorally. Both platforms are monetised through advertiser subscriptions, individual listing fees (eg for summer schools and jobs) and individual membership subscriptions (from 2019). Additional revenue is derived from sponsorship and affiliate commissions from sales originated on the platforms. The projects have bases in both Europe and Asia. Ian Clethero’s aim is to expand MUSIC:ED and Chorally in these regions. After this, the projects will be extended worldwide including to North and South America.
Follow Ian Clethero:
About 1Hub Media Ltd: Publisher of digital information platforms, MUSIC:ED (https://musiceducation.global) and Chorally (https://choral.ly).
Megan Falconer Taylor
Managing Director of Influencer Intelligence
Follow Megan Falconer Taylor:
About Influencer Intelligence: Influencer Intelligence is a prominent provider of celebrity contacts, events, and data.
Pierdavide Marcolongo
COO & Board Director of V-Nova
Follow Pierdavide Marcolongo:
About : Next-generation video and image compression that works today
Louis Persent
Creative Director of Weirdo
Follow Louis Persent:
About Weirdo: Weirdo is a creative agency that provides strategy, creative campaigns, and design.
Kirsty Heath
Sales Director of DeHavilland
Follow Kirsty Heath:
About DeHavilland: DeHavilland is a definitive provider of political insight and intelligence in the UK and EU.
Alex Morris
Creative Director of Barcroft Studios
Follow Alex Morris:
About Barcroft Studios: Barcroft Studios producing content for global industry publishers, broadcasters, platforms and brands.
Katherine Adams
Business Director of The Village Communications
My primary focus is to oversee the team across a portfolio of accounts. Ensuring that the team consistently deliver to a high standard and work closely with partner agencies to deliver integrated through the line campaigns.
Follow Katherine Adams:
About The Village Communications: Small and independent, with a talented, passionate, multi-disciplinary team, we allow great ideas to flourish
Lucie Cave
Editorial Director of Bauer Media
Lucie Cave is an Editorial Director of Bauer Media.
Follow Lucie Cave:
About Bauer Media: Bauer Media is a publisher of a variety of media, with a focus on magazines.
Stephen Worn
CTO & Managing Director of DatacenterDynamics
Follow Stephen Worn:
About DatacenterDynamics: DatacenterDynamics is a full service B2B information provider tailored to professionals that design, build, and operate data centers.
Alvin Hussey
Insights & Business Development Director of The Hook Group
Alvin Hussey is Insights & Business Development Director at The Hook Group and utilises a wealth of experience in branded content for social to drive the business forward. Alvin has worked in youth media for nearly a decade and joined The Hook at launch in 2014 as Brand Partnerships Director, connecting brands and media agencies with the social entertainment and comedy publisher to craft innovative branded content for clients. He was integral to the development of The Hook Labs, the groups award winning creative social media agency and content studio which leverages The Hook’s expertise in original content production and storytelling to help partners achieve success on social. He has negotiated creative marketing solutions for the likes of Apple Music, giffgaff, Namco Bandai, Hyundai, Old Spice, Samsung, Hostelworld, Studiocanal, Formula E and Lionsgate (for whom The Hook won 7 awards including the Global Digiday Publishing Award 2018 for Best Branded Content Program – B2C). He has also been pivotal in major entertainment launches on The Hook including Blair Witch, Spider-Man: Homecoming, Tekken 7, Sausage Party, Jigsaw, 22 Jump Street. Alvin is also a seasoned keynote speaker across Europe.
Follow Alvin Hussey:
About The Hook Group: The Hook Group has rapidly grown into one of the worlds leading media groups dominating the shift to social.
Adam King
Creative Director of Diagonal View
Follow Adam King:
About Diagonal View: Diagonal View creates entertaining video content that reaches mass audiences.
Simon Crofts
Client Services Director of Big Button Media
Follow Simon Crofts:
About Big Button Media: Big Button Media produces films, videos, motion graphics, and animations.
Mark Saunders
Producer/Director of Spectacle Productions
Follow Mark Saunders:
About Birkbeck, University of London, Spectacle Productions: Spectacle Productions is an award winning independent television production company specialising in documentary.
Carl Guyenette
Creative Technology Director / Creative Director of Layered Reality
Follow Carl Guyenette:
About Layered Reality: Layered Reality is an entertainment company that uses a unique method to build experiences using three ‘layers’ of multimedia.
Mark Toogood
Commercial Director of DMA Media
Mark is DMA Media’s Commercial Director. Before joining the company, he served as CFO at TNCI UK, a company which delivered content to rail and other transport operators. Earlier he was Finance and Commercial VP (EMEAA) at Worldspan, a leading worldwide travel technology company, where he oversaw operations in more than 40 countries. Mark was one of the initial management team tasked with growing the company’s global reach. He has served on the boards of numerous private and publicly listed companies in many countries, covering the media, technology, travel, property and logistics, and has been an integral part of their growth. Mark is responsible for strategic partnerships, the DMA Associates programme, acquisitions, legal and corporate matters.
Follow Mark Toogood:
About DMA Media: DMA Media is a global media services company, launching, making and managing digital content for broadcast and corporate clients.
Byron Bullock
Creative Director of Noiseworks
Follow Byron Bullock:
About Noiseworks: Noiseworks is a creative sound design and music company that combines various music and sound design styles.
Ben Rogers
Producer and Director of Potential Productions
Follow Ben Rogers:
About Potential Productions, Storemates: Potential Productions is a media company that specializes in films, design, and branding for charities and social enterprises.
Catherine Maskell
Managing Director of Content Marketing Association
Catherine Maskell is the Managing Director at The Content Marketing Association.
Follow Catherine Maskell:
About Content Marketing Association: Content Marketing Association is the industry body for content marketing.
Mark Gass
Executive Creative Director of The Creative Engagement Group
Mark Gass serves as an Executive Creative Director at The Creative Engagement Group.
Follow Mark Gass:
About The Creative Engagement Group: The Creative Engagement Group is creates and delivers live experiences, communications, interactive and immersive content.
Andrew Parkin
Client Service Director of The Creative Engagement Group
Andrew Parkin serves as a Client service Director at The Creative Engagement Group.
Follow Andrew Parkin:
About The Creative Engagement Group: The Creative Engagement Group is creates and delivers live experiences, communications, interactive and immersive content.
Ger Graus
Director of Education of KidZania
Follow Ger Graus:
About KidZania: KidZania is a privately held Mexican chain of family entertainment centers currently operating in 16 locations worldwide.
Alex B. McKinley
Founder and Managing Director of Share Talk
Alex.B. McKinley is the Founder and Managing Director of Share Talk.
Follow Alex B. McKinley:
About Share Talk: Share Talk is a free communications portal that gives users access to exclusive interviews, videos, blogs, iOS, and Android mobile Apps.
Sebastian Thiel
Founder / Director of Upshot Entertainment
Sebastian Thiel is the Founder of Upshot Entertainment and Dope Black Art.
Follow Sebastian Thiel:
About Dope Black Art, Upshot Entertainment: Upshot Entertainment is a motion pictures and film company that features an online TV channel.
Sebastian Thiel
Founder / Director of Upshot Entertainment
Sebastian Thiel is the Founder of Upshot Entertainment and Dope Black Art.
Follow Sebastian Thiel:
About Dope Black Art, Upshot Entertainment: Upshot Entertainment is a motion pictures and film company that features an online TV channel.
Imogen Hammond
Creative Director of Inition
Follow Imogen Hammond:
About Inition: INITION, based in Shoreditch, London, is a multidisciplinary production company.
