Quarterly Breakfast Series

Over the last decade, online technologies have transformed the way that people view, read, create and deliver media. However, while technology has leapt ahead, the business models underpinning the media industry have often not kept pace.

Our quarterly breakfast series examine a different facet of the media industry at each session, and these sessions are designed to encourage cross-sharing of thoughts, ideas and models so that our industry continues to evolve and thrive over the years to come. Hosted by Alvarez & Marsal's Head of Media, Paul Naha-Biswas, and moderated by media commentator Kate Bulkley, a panel of senior commercial leaders will discuss how the media industry is changing and what this means for the business of media to an audience of media leaders and The Club at The Ivy members.

The Business of National Broadcasting - November 2018

In a battle for scale, national broadcasters are often cast as collateral damage in a war between digital giants. But, with national broadcasters still dominating video viewing as well adopting the best of digital innovation, is a national model a keystone, rather than a millstone, for tomorrow’s television winners? Click here to read a summary from the event.

Panellists:

• Anna Mallettt, COO of BBC Studios and Managing Director of BBC Studios Productions
• Jane Millichip, Managing Director of Sky Vision, Sky’s production and distribution arm
• Sarah Rose, Chief Consumer and Strategy Officer, Channel 4
• Will Lock, international media executive, ex-SVP Eurosport Digital (Discovery)

The Business of Corporate Venturing - April 2018

In a bid to win in the digital world, companies are increasingly looking to the high stakes game of start-ups and ventures. But with high investment and failure rates and where success comes from entrepreneurialism as much as a well-supported idea, how do today’s incumbents cherry-pick, invest in and grow tomorrow’s digital titans? Click here to read a summary from the event.

Panellists:

• Simon Freer, Chief Commercial Officer at Liberty Global Content and Chair of Formula E
• Emma Lloyd, Group Director of Strategic Partnerships & Investments at Sky
• Vinay Solanki, Head of the Commercial Growth Fund at Channel 4
• George Northcott, Co-Founder and Head of BD at Founders Factory

The Business of Youth – January 2018

Born after 1995, Generation Z is the first generation never to have known a non-digital, non-connected world.  But what defines this generation and what do they want? And for a media world struggling to adapt to a Millennial-world, what chance is there to reach and monetise this new, multi-tasking and divergent generation? Click here to read a summary from the event.

Panellists:

• Andy Taylor, CEO of Little Dot Studios
• Jon Gisby, Head of Europe, Vevo
• Tom Toumazis MBE, Non-Executive Director of LADbible, ex-MD of Disney
• James Dean, UK MD of eSports giant, ESL

The Business of Sport – October 2017

For years, sport rights were the weapons of choice for pay-TV operators and triple-play platforms in the battle for owning the home.  But with traditional viewing and subscriber revenues showing signs of decline, can sports bodies continue to win fans and grow the yields that their stakeholders have been accustomed to?  Click here to read a summary from the event.

Panellists:

• Maurice Tollenaar, Head of Media Rights & Production Services, UEFA
• Murray Barnett, Head of Global Sponsorship and Commercial Partnerships, Formula 1
•  Louise Johnson, MD of Omnicom’s sports and entertainment agency, Fuse
• Sameer Pabari, SVP of Discovery’s Eurosport; ex-Director of Media at Manchester United
• Jon Florsheim, ex-CMO of BSkyB and Senior Advisor at A&M

The Business of Paying for Digital – May 2017

With digital disruption both opening and closing doors, media businesses are in a race to build new, sustainable digital pay and subscription models. But how do challengers and incumbents fight against the global tech giants and convince a generation brought up on piracy and free content to pay? In this session, we ask some of the most exciting challengers and incumbents from across the media spectrum where they see the battlelines and whether you really can get digital media to pay. Click here to read a summary from the event.

Panellists:

• Chris Duncan - MD of The Times and Sunday Times
• Nick Walters - Founder and CEO, Hopster
• Pascal de Mul - Chief Partnership Officer, Deezer
• William Mellis - MD, Alvarez & Marsal, and ex-head of Customer Marketing at Sky

The Business of International Television – Jan 2017

• Wim Ponnet, Group Director of Strategy and Corporate Development, Endemol Shine Group
• Stuart Baxter, President, eOne Television International
• Chris Whiteley, VP of Business Development, Netflix EMEA
• Jamie Friend, CFO, Turner EMEA

The Business of News – Sept 2016

Only a decade ago, television news was seen by many as a distraction from the business of entertainment. However, in today’s cluttered digital market, editorialised news is back on the agenda. But in the world of over-the-top (OTT) content, Facebook and Vice, do we know what tomorrow’s news services will look like? And, more importantly, will they pay?
Click here to read a summary from the event.

Panellists:

• Madhav Chinnappa, Director of Strategic Relations, News & Publishers at Google
• Dan Constanda, SVP and COO at CNN International Commercial
• Richard Dawkins, Chief Finance and Operating Officer at BBC News Group
• Janine Gibson, Editor-in-Chief at Buzzfeed UK
• Nicholas Wrenn, Head of News Partnerships, EMEA at Facebook

Invitations

If you wish to attend any of the sessions, please contact Paul Naha-Biswas.