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 United Kingdom based CEO’ operating in the Broadcasting space. If you think a CEO’ 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.
Tony Hall
Chief Executive Officer and Editor-in-Chief of BBC
Tony Hall is the 16th Director-General of the BBC. The Director-General is the Chief Executive Officer of the BBC, its Editor-in-Chief and chairs the BBC’s Executive and Management Boards. The Director-General is the editorial, operational and creative leader of the BBC, with responsibility for a significant global workforce and the Corporation’s services across television, radio and online. Tony Hall – Lord Hall of Birkenhead – was appointed Director-General of the BBC on 22 November 2012. He is the 16th Director-General of the BBC. Prior to this, Tony was Chief Executive of the Royal Opera House from April 2001 until April 2013. He joined the BBC as a news trainee in 1973 and during a 28 year career at the Corporation he held roles including Senior Producer at World at One, Assistant Editor of the Nine O’Clock News, Output Editor for Newsnight, culminating as Chief Executive of BBC News from 1996 to 2001. While at the BBC he launched Radio 5 live, BBC News 24, BBC News Online and BBC Parliament. He was Deputy Chairman of Channel 4 Television and the Paul Hamlyn Foundation. He is passionate about education and skills within the cultural industries. He was the founder Chair of Creative & Cultural Skills and Chairman of the Musical and Dance Scheme.He spearheaded the development of the new High House Production Park in Thurrock, Essex. He has been Chair of Stratford East Theatre, and Honorary Visiting Fellow of Journalism at City University, a member of the Regeneration Through Heritage Steering Group, a board member of Race for Opportunity, a former non-executive director of HM Customs and Excise and was a member of the Council for Brunel University. In 2009 he was asked by the Government and the Mayor of London to set up and chair a board to direct the Cultural Olympiad and also joined the board of the London Organising Committee for the Olympic Games. He was appointed a CBE in 2005 and in 2010 was created a life peer with the title Baron Hall of Birkenhead. He sits on the Crossbenches in the House of Lords.
Follow Tony Hall:
About BBC: BBC is a large-scale broadcasting corporation that offers content to inform, educate, and entertain people.
Tim Davie
CEO & Director-General of BBC
Before he took up the role of CEO BBC Worldwide and Director, Global, Tim Davie was made Acting Director-General following the resignation of George Entwistle on 10 November 2012. Prior to this Tim was Director of BBC Audio & Music (now known as Radio). He had overall responsibility for BBC Radios 1, 2, 3, 4 and the BBC digital-only stations 6 Music, 1Xtra, Radio 4 Extra (formerly Radio 7) and the Asian Network. He also oversaw the three BBC orchestras in England, the BBC Singers and the BBC Proms. Classical Music & Performance Television, Television Music Entertainment, Factual Radio and Radio Drama production are all within his remit, under the A&M Production department. Tim was appointed to the role of Director, Audio & Music on 1 September 2008. Previously he was Director of the BBC’s Marketing, Communications & Audiences division from April 2005 and before that Vice President, Marketing and Franchise, PepsiCo Europe. He read English at Cambridge University and from there joined Procter and Gamble’s marketing department, becoming a Brand Manager in 1991. He is a trustee of BBC Children in Need, Board member of RAJAR and Board member of DRUK. Tim is married with three young sons.
Follow Tim Davie:
About BBC: BBC is a large-scale broadcasting corporation that offers content to inform, educate, and entertain people.
Lachlan Murdoch
CEO of Nova Entertainment
Lachlan K. Murdoch is Executive Chairman of the Board of Directors at 21st Century Fox, the world’s premier portfolio of cable, broadcast, film, pay-TV and satellite assets. From 2014 to 2015, he served as the Company’s Co-Chairman of the Board of Directors. Lachlan has spent the past two decades building, operating and investing in many of the world’s most prominent television and publishing businesses and also currently serves as Co-Chairman of News Corp, Executive Chairman of NOVA Entertainment and Executive Chairman of Illyria Pty Ltd. Lachlan is a Director of Sydney’s Museum of Contemporary Art and a Trustee of the Commando Welfare Trust. Lachlan previously served as Non-Executive Chairman of the Board of Directors Ten Network Holdings. Prior to his current role, Lachlan has served as Co-Chairman of the Board of Directors at 21st Century Fox beginning in March 2014 and has served the Company as a Member of the Board of Directors since 1996, as well as in a number of senior executive roles from 1994-2005. From 2000 – 2005, Lachlan served as Deputy Chief Operating Officer of 21st Century Fox (previously known as News Corporation), a role in which he was directly responsible for the Company’s U.S. television stations group and publishing assets. As part of his duties as Deputy Chief Operating Officer, Lachlan was Chairman of the Board of Directors at Fox Television Stations (FTS) and Publisher of the New York Post and also oversaw HarperCollins and the Company’s lines of business in Australia, including REA, Australia’s leading online real estate business. Lachlan led the Company’s purchase of a controlling stake in REA, which began with an approximate $1 million cash investment and resulted in a corporate asset that is currently valued at more than $3 billion. At FTS, Lachlan oversaw the Company’s 35 owned-and-operated television stations, where he raised the bar on local news coverage across the nation, increasing the total number of local news hours across the group to more than 850 per week. At the New York Post, Lachlan overhauled the tabloid and grew its circulation by more than 40 percent. During his tenure, the Post became the nation’s fastest-growing newspaper and the seventh largest in the United States. In 2005, Lachlan founded Illyria Pty, a successful private investment company. In 2009, Illyria acquired 50 percent of DMG Radio, a network of radio stations, which later expanded to include pay television assets and was renamed NOVA Entertainment. After Lachlan became its Chairman of the Board of Directors in 2009, NOVA grew exponentially, nearly doubling in value during the first three years of his tenure, while its EBITDA rose more than threefold from $16M in 2009 to $52M in 2014. In 2012, Illyria purchased the remaining 50 percent and under Lachlan’s leadership, NOVA Entertainment became Australia’s leading network of FM stations. Lachlan holds a B.A. from Princeton University.
Follow Lachlan Murdoch:
About 21st Century Fox, Fox Corporation, Nova Entertainment: NOVA Entertainment is an entertainment company in Australia.
Adrian Pearmund
Founding Partner & CEO of Cablato
Adrian has been working in programmatic marketing since 2010. Founded Intelligent Futures independent trading desk in 2013 and subsequently Cablato in 2015. Strong media and business background (LBi, KPMG, WPP) proven success at building innovative businesses.
Follow Adrian Pearmund:
About Cablato, Conviva: Cablato develops and deploys broadcast quality video personalisation technology for OTT & addressable TV industries.
Tom Thirlwall
CEO of Copa90
Follow Tom Thirlwall:
About Copa90: Copa90 The voice of football fans around the world.
Michael Maximilian Moss
Co-Founder & CEO of PromoMii
Co-Founder & CEO at PromoMii.
Follow Michael Maximilian Moss:
About Gazoom, PromoMii: A.I. powered video content creation SaaS platform used by the likes of Disney, NENT, VRT and more
Elisabeth Murdoch
Chairman, CEO of Shine Group
Elisabeth Murdoch is Chairman, CEO at Shine Group.
Follow Elisabeth Murdoch:
About Shine Group: Shine Group is an international television production and distribution group with 27 production companies across 11 countries
Ross Westgate
CEO and Co-Founder of Infinity Creative Media
Ross has over 22 years in the global broadcast business, helping to launch the European TV operations of Dow Jones and CNBC. He developed the world’s first tri-anchored, transcontinental daily live newscast programme Worldwide Exchange, a show he hosted from inception in 2006 until leaving to help build Infinity, where he is also Executive Producer across the IFTV series. Whilst at CNBC Ross additionally became the face of the channel’s media coverage, presenting ‘Media Talk’ as well as hosting panels and broadcasting from MIPCOM, the Cannes Lions Advertising Festival and Mobile World Congress. Ross is a regular business commentator and has been a frequent moderator at the annual meetings of The World Economic Forum in Davos, The Ambrosetti Forum in Lake Como, the CBI and many one off events including The Future of Digital Media at BAFTA.
Follow Ross Westgate:
About Infinity Creative Media: Infinity Creative Media creates quality media content designed for global commercial exploitation across multi-platform outlets.
James Mulvany
Founder/CEO of Radio.co
Follow James Mulvany:
About Igniso, matchmaker, Podcast.co, Radio.co: Radio.co is an all-in-one platform that lets one run radio station.
Igor Krol
CEO of Veset
Follow Igor Krol:
About Veset: Pioneering software-as-a-service platform for broadcasters, media-content owners and service providers looking to create linear TV channels
Rich Jacobs
CEO of Player+ (PlayerPlus Limited)
Rich Jacobs is Co-Founder & Chief Executive of PlayerPlus (Player+). He is an experienced media, entertainment and sports rights executive, working with broadcasters, publishers, digital media companies and brands. Rich began his broadcasting career as an award winning producer with LBC and talkSPORT. Successfully founding NetFM, the UK’s first independent online radio station, Rich has spent more than 15 years developing business, leading sales, account management and marketing activities for service and solution providers addressing the media, entertainment and sports rights marketplace, including: WRN Broadcast; the US-based interactive television specialist Ensequence, the leading pay-TV specialists Paywizard (formerly MGt), FTSE 100 company Babcock International and SoCloudMedia, a media technology supply chain management company and managed services partner of Microsoft. In 2019, Rich co-founded PlayerPlus (Player+) – a unique, co-operative streaming aggregator bringing together premium content from multiple providers into single genres. Delivered in stand-alone products, direct to consumers. NewsPlayer+ (newsplayerplus.com) beta launched in January 2021. StagePlayer+ (stageplayerplus.com) is coming soon. Follow StagePlayer+ on Twitter @stageplayerplus for updates.
Follow Rich Jacobs:
About : OTT, SVOD, PayTV, Content Aggregators, Direct To Consumer
Mohamed Dabbour
CEO Millicom Africa & Executive Vice President of Millicom Systems
Mohamed was appointed as Executive Vice President Africa for Millicom on February 1st 2017. In his role he is responsible for ensuring profitable growth and cash flow for Millicom Africa. Mohamed joined Millicom in 2008 and has held a broad variety of roles in the Africa region, including Chief Financial Officer in Chad in 2009 and Chief Financial Officer in Ghana in 2011. Most recently he was appointed Chief Financial Officer for the Africa region in August 2015. Mohamed holds an Executive MBA degree from London Business School.
Follow Mohamed Dabbour:
About Millicom Systems: Millicom Systems offers a range of digital services to over 50 million customers primarily under the Tigo brand.
Mark Hain
Founder and CEO of DingIt.tv
Mark Hain is the founder and CEO of DingIt.tv.
Follow Mark Hain:
About DingIt.tv: DingIt is a leading destination for premium eSports and Gaming content
Nic Hatch
Co-Founder & CEO of NCam
Follow Nic Hatch:
About NCam: Ncam develops augmented reality technology for the entertainment industries.
Jonathan Thompson
CEO of Digital UK
Jonathan Thompson is Chief Executive of Digital UK. He took up the role on 22 July 2013. Prior to joining Digital UK Jonathan worked in the Office of the Chairman at DMGT plc, advising on group strategy. He is also a former Director of Strategy of both media regulator Ofcom and Channel 4, and represented the broadcaster on the board of Freeview. Between 2007-2010 Jonathan was also a non-executive Director of Which?, the commercial arm and consumer brand for the Consumer Association
Follow Jonathan Thompson:
About Digital UK: Digital UK provides operational support for the platform, including management of the Freeview electronic program guide and more.
Nicholas Minter-Green
CEO & Founder of Parable Works
An expert in content creation, public relations and integrated marketing, Nicholas was president of Economist Films, steering the team responsible for creating content that reflected the newspaper’s heritage as a world leader in reporting, analysis and investigation. Before that he was managing director at TVC group, building the agency into a leading brand content-communications business and top-10 UK PR agency.
Follow Nicholas Minter-Green:
About Parable Works: A Virtual Reality and Television Studio & Agency.
Pierre Figeat
CEO and Co-Founder of Admo.tv
Follow Pierre Figeat:
About Admo.tv: Admo.tv is the best TV analytics platform that helps TV & radio advertisers to measure and optimise the online impact.
John Newton
Chief Executive Officer & Chairman of the Board of Gravity Media Group
Follow John Newton:
About Gravity Media Group: Gravity Media Group is a global provider of live broadcast facilities and production services.
Michal Marcinik
Founder & Chief Executive Officer of AdTonos
Follow Michal Marcinik:
About AdTonos, E2E: Creating innovative technologies for voice commerce, enabling voice transactions. Bringing the power like Adwords has to audio advertising.
Hugh Evans
CEO of Primordial Radio
Follow Hugh Evans:
About Primordial Radio: A rock and metal entertainment service.
Matt Partridge
Chief Executive Officer of Infabode
Follow Matt Partridge:
About Infabode, UK Proptech Association: Infabode is the home of information for the Real Estate industry
Will Hayward
Chief Executive Officer of Private Media
Follow Will Hayward:
About Private Media, The Wheeler Centre: Private Media is a fiercely independent digital media company whose publications include Crikey, SmartCompany and The Mandarin.
Chris Gould
Founder & Chief Executive Officer of All In Media
Chris is a technology professional with over 20 years’ experience in radio and digital platforms. He has been involved the development of DAB data applications since 2000, and headed up the development of the international DAB Electronic Programme Guide standard. He founded All In Media in 2007.
Follow Chris Gould:
About All In Media: All In Media is a supplier of smartphone apps and broadcast systems for the radio industry.
Bob Haynes
Founder & CEO of Ad Venture
Bob has acquired 15 years’ experience working with the world’s leading content owners, advertisers and technology providers [names]. In 2010 Bob worked with Nat West & Mediacom on the UK’s first addressable TV advertising campaign, winning the Thinkbox “Most Innovative Use of TV” award.
Follow Bob Haynes:
About Ad Venture: Ad Venture is a firm that provide web influenced ad services to television.
Sam Hartnell
CEO / Founder of Xzero Entertainment
Sam Hartnell – YouTube Network Entrepreneur, Founder of Xzero Entertainment Xzero Entertainment Network (XEN) is a media & technology company that brings together content owners, network operators and advertisers to create economically sustainable online and mobile video business models. XEN specializes in the aggregation, optimization, protection and monetization of video content. We create compelling distribution opportunities for its content partners and income generation opportunities for its network and advertising partners.
Follow Sam Hartnell:
About Xzero Entertainment, YouTube: DigiYouTube MCN Network – Business Development & Music Distribution
Rob Beynon
Chief Executive Officer and Founder of DMA Media
DMA’s founder Rob Beynon is an experienced TV executive who has overseen dozens of news and factual channel start-ups. He is an expert at broadcast and digital strategy, building and managing teams, and has an unrivalled knowledge of international markets. Rob has managed news channels and programmes for the BBC, ITN, Sky, Star TV, Bloomberg, Dow Jones and CNBC. As DMA’s chief executive he has been personally involved in all the company’s major launches. He oversaw the team behind Rudaw TV, the news and multimedia service in Iraqi Kurdistan, where DMA has been the media partner after five years. He sourced and managed a 30-strong team to launch and produce news output for Arise TV, owned by a Nigerian company and with offices in New York, London, Johannesburg, Lagos and Nairobi. He also ran a recent project with Thomson Reuters to launch an English language news channel for the state broadcaster TRT.
Follow Rob Beynon:
About DMA Media: DMA Media is a global media services company, launching, making and managing digital content for broadcast and corporate clients.
Juliet Tzabar
CEO & Owner of Plug-in Media
Follow Juliet Tzabar:
About Plug-in Media: Plug-in Media is a BAFTA-winning digital media production company.
Michiel Bakker
CEO of Ginx TV
CEO GINX Esports TV.
Follow Michiel Bakker:
About Ginx TV: Ginx TV, founded in 2008, is a UK-based international media company dedicated to the creation of videogaming TV channels around the world.
