Independent media and political consultant. Served as Director of Program Review for the Middle East Broadcasting Networks (MBN) responsible for reviewing the news and current affairs programming for MBN’s television networks, Radio Sawa, MBN websites and social media pages. Previously, MR. Sarkisian served as Managing Editor for MBN’s two televisions networks, he was a producer with MBC US, Inc. and an International Radio Broadcaster and Production Specialist for Voice of America.
Khalifa Al Marar
Producer Indpendent
ABOUT
Khalifa Al Marar
Khalifa Suhail Al Marar was Vice President, Group Communications, at Mubadala Investment Company (Mubadala), where he was responsible for the strategic direction of national and global marketing and communications for one of the company’s strategic partners.
He is a multi-award-winning producer of social documentaries, receiving international accolades for his work at Cannes, New York, Abu Dhabi, and Los Angeles film festivals.
Al Marar holds a Master of Strategic Marketing from the Australian University of Wollongong in Dubai, and a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration, with a double major in Finance and Marketing from California State University, Long Beach, USA.
Drew Ambrose
Senior Producer 101 East Al Jazeera English
ABOUT
Drew Ambrose
Over the past 9 years, Drew Ambrose has worked as a senior producer and foreign correspondent for Al Jazeera English in Asia.
Before that he worked across Australia on current affairs programs such as Insight, Australian Story and Living Black.
At 21 years old, he was posted to ABC’s Jakarta Bureau as a video-journalist for the Australia Network. Since then Drew has reported from over 35 nations. He has also been lead journalist on many interactive, VR and online projects.
His journalism has won a number of accolades including the Walkley Award, New York Festival Gold Medal, Melbourne Press Club Quill and United Nations Media Peace Awards.
Oliver Atkinson
Managing Director Casual FIlms Ltd
ABOUT
Oliver Atkinson
Oliver has 18 years experience in production, having worked across a variety of genres including branded content, interactive film & theatre, VR, studio, documentary & factual entertainment for major brands and broadcasters. He now heads up the Casual Films London office and looks after key accounts including Reckitt Benckiser, Rolls-Royce, Red Bull and Adobe.
Greg Beauchamp
Founder Bindery
ABOUT
Greg Beauchamp
In 2012, Greg founded NYC-based Bindery – an award-winning indie film and content studio – with the mission to create a more modern and integrated approach to crafting quality work.
Informed by his experience as an independent filmmaker, Bindery’s success comes from its script to screen studio model – where development, production and post all create together under one roof. This new model has brought big ideas to life for the likes of Apple, Nike, Google, Facebook, Sony, and L’Oreal.
Through Bindery Films, Greg develops and produces original content. He won an Emmy for his work on ZION, a film he premiered at Sundance and sold to Netflix. He most recently produced PLUS ONE (Executive Produced by Ben Stiller), which won the Audience Award at Tribeca. He currently runs a development slate of over a dozen projects, including the TV show NEUROTICA starring Karen Gillan (AVENGERS, JUMANJI).
A native Texan, Greg lives in New York City with his wife and four kids.
Nissan Belkin
Founder & CEO Telemedia Special Presentations ltd.
ABOUT
Nissan Belkin
Mr. Belkin began his 30+ year career in the television and film industry and brought his passion and know-how to the business arena. Trained in Electrical Engineering, he is fluent in the full range of advanced technological tools.
Throughout his career, Nissan has been a trailblazer in utilizing the most cutting edge technological tools to heighten the effect of a story. Together with his deep understanding of relaying a business story or message, he is able to captivate audiences.
Nissan has directed and produced exhibition experiences for top companies and has created scores of permanent installations in museums, government buildings, visitors centers, and archeological sites.
Ruth Beni
Co-Founder/Filmmaker/Writer Animage Films
ABOUT
Ruth Beni
Ruth Beni is an award-winning filmmaker and writer.
Ruth co-founded Animage Films in 1998 with the artist and animator Richard Burdett. At Animage, Ruth has written and produced original TV programmes and films for national and international broadcasters including ITV and Channel 4.
Since 2007 Ruth’s work has focused on creating and directing series of film campaigns tackling the many forms of violence against women, as well as other social issues. Many of the films spearheaded national and international awareness campaigns and have received a number of international awards. To view Ruth’s films please go to the films page of this website. If you would like to get in touch with Ruth please visit the contact page.
Gaye Bennett
Executive Producer Radley Yeldar
ABOUT
Gaye Bennett
Gaye has over 20 years’ experience in the media industry, with a background primarily in branded and interactive film content. She has a real passion for human storytelling and heads up the diversity & inclusion, ethics and sustainability offer for RY’s film and animation department. She has worked with her team to deliver the kind of innovative thinking and powerful messaging that frequently wins awards at NY Festivals, Cannes and EVCOM. Gaye has built long-term client relationships over her 7 years at RY and has produced films and social media content, including multi-territory productions for a broad range of clients, including JTI, VF Corp, Standard Chartered, Wrap and Shell.
Benjamin Best
Journalist/Filmmaker/Book Author Benjamin Best Productions GmbH
ABOUT
Benjamin Best
Benjamin Best is an award winning journalist and filmmaker including Silver and Gold at the New York Festivals. He's been in the industry for well over 15 years. During this time he's been directing and producing feature documentary films for television and cinema. Child labor in India, corruption in sports, Human Rights violations - the topics he's covering are investigative and take him around the world.
Payal Mathur Bhagat
Co-Founder & Director Greymatter Entertainment Pvt Ltd
ABOUT
Payal Mathur Bhagat
With over 20 years of experience, Payal has been one of the pioneering creative talents in the media industry. Having collected diverse experience from various content creation and production assignments within India and overseas, she brings in a rare mix of creative and finance skills.
Payal is co-founder and director at Greymatter Entertainment – a media company that offers 360-degree content solutions with a strategic focus on IPR creation. She has been instrumental in creating globally acclaimed and award winning television formats like ‘The Remix’ and ‘Street Stars’.
Prior to this, Payal has been a part of the launch of broadcast networks like Sony Entertainment Television & Ten Sports Network. She also has experience in film making having worked with distinguished film makers and being Executive producer for Sony Entertainment Pictures.
Payal has served as a Jury member for the EMVIES awards for the past 4 years. She is an alumnus of Sydenham College & is a Finance MBA from Somaiya Institute of Management, Mumbai.
José Brito
General Manager Futura Channel at Roberto Marinho Foundation
ABOUT
José Brito
Responsible for the journey of digital brand transformation and market positioning in digital plataforms. Communication professional with extensive experience in the audiovisual and Pay TV industry. Project leader with management skills from planning to development of strategies to offer educational solutions and social impact campaigns, focusing on the empowerment of people and organizations.
Journalist and digital media professional. He has a master´s degree in Social Sciences and has benn at Globo Group since 2006. He collaborated wtih the creation of JEDUCA – Association of Joournalists of Education. He started his career at Savaget Comunicação, a video production company of Globo Ecologia (1998). He was a professor at the journalism and digital media laboratory at ESPM and a speaker at creative industry festivals, such as RioWebFest and SPWebFest. Member of the Editorial Board at LUPA Agency in the fight against misinformation. He also collaborated with Folha de S. Paulo newspapper (2004). National Press Foundation Fellow (USA, 2010) and Gabriel García Marquez Award Jury (Colombia, 2014).
Tessa Bryson
Producer Independent
ABOUT
Tessa Bryson
A graduate of the Falmouth School of Arts, Bryson has over a decade of experience in broadcasting. She has worked exclusively with international broadcaster Al Jazeera since 2007. Her career began at Al Jazeera English in London, later joining Al Jazeera's award-winning Investigative Unit in Qatar whose mission is to not report the news, but to make the news. She is currently independent and was preiously the Unit Manager for the Investigative Journalism Department.
Sharon Burden
Assistant Manager - Gender and Tech Education, Prevention and Inclusion Branch Australian Government eSafety Commissioner
ABOUT
Sharon Burden
Sharon Burden has over twenty years experience in the media and communications field. Sharon is currently a Senior Advisor with the Office of the eSafety Commisisoner which safeguards and empowers Autralians to have safe and positive online experiences. Sharon project managed the international award winning cybersafety video for teens, Tagged for which she was awarded a Public Service Australia Day Medallion.
Andrew Byrd
Producer & Educator Full Sail University
ABOUT
Andrew Byrd
Andrew Patrick Byrd is a member of the Producers Guild of America. He specializes in producing feature films, top tier festival shorts, and TV pilots. He has worked with several Hollywood A-list talent. Andrew is a member of the "Roger Corman Film School", which has been the springboard for many of Hollywood's top filmmakers. Andrew has a reputation for delivering exceptional products on-time and under budget. He has a vast knowledge of budgeting, scheduling, and production management. Andrew has an MFA from the Savannah College of Art & Design, and a BA from Wright State University.
Daniel Carriere
Science Reporter Radio-Canada
ABOUT
Daniel Carriere
World traveler, amateur photographer and science enthusiast; I am a science reporter based in Montreal. I work for the CBC (Canadian Broadcasting Corporation). I have also worked for science shows at the TSR (Swiss National Televison network). I have done science stories in Paris, Dubai, Geneva and Gibraltar. I have won the New York Festivals Gold World Medal for a sport documentary on the science of rowing solo across the Atlantic. I have also won best documentary at the Academy of Canadian Cinema and Television for a science story on the New World Trade Center. I love my work and am honored to be a member of the Grand Jury.
Joan Cartan-Hansen
Science Trek Producer/Host Idaho Public Television
ABOUT
Joan Cartan-Hansen
Joan Cartan-Hansen is the creator of the digital project, Science Trek (sciencetrek.org) for Idaho Public Television. This project teaches science to elementary age students and provides support for educators and parents. She also produces and writes documentaries and occasionally works for the PBS NewsHour. Joan sits on the executive board for the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences and has won numerous awards including the Kavli Science Journalism Silver Award from the American Association for the Advancement of Science, several regional Emmys, and New York Festival awards. A champion for Press rights and public access, Joan was honored with a Silver Circle award from NATASNW for her efforts to reform open government laws.
Luis Felippe Cavalleiro
Art Director (Ret.) TV GLOBO
ABOUT
Luis Felippe Cavalleiro
As graphic manager for the News department of TV GLOBO in Brasília, I’worked close to the great political changes in Brazil for the last 25 years. Besides that, I normally took part on the global projects of my company in many other areas of the news department. I was responsible for both the graphics and for the set decoration of news products in Brasília, and with the integration of those two areas, as well as keeping the graphic line of the whole news department in the country. I had a role on the research and acquisition of news softwares and hardwares.
Donovan Chan
Co-founder & Creative Director Beach House Pictures
ABOUT
Donovan Chan
Donovan is a co-founder of Beach House Pictures and a leading TV & Film producer, director and showrunner in Asia. As Creative Director of BHP, Donovan strategizes and runs the business with co-founder Jocelyn Little, spearheading development while overseeing a diverse range of productions. Donovan is across all content creation in the company, supervising BHP’s creative teams and it’s pitches, while growing and managing relationships in the company’s key markets in the US, China, Japan, Korea and South-East Asia. Regular partners and clients include top SVOD players such as Netflix, Amazon Prime, Warner Bros Discovery, Paramount and Disney+; and in China, CCTV, Tencent, Bilibili and Youku.
Lydia Chan
Managing Director Casual Films
ABOUT
Lydia Chan
Lydia Chan is the Managing Director of Casual Films US. She has a decade of production experience, working with clients to leverage the powerful tool of filmmaking in their marketing and communication efforts. Lydia currently leads a team of over 20 filmmakers, creating award winning content for big brands across multiple industries and platforms.
Kevin Chan
Senior Creative Producer Mediacorp Pte Ltd
ABOUT
Kevin Chan
Kevin is an award-winning video and content producer with over a decade’s experience creating short-form digital content, branding, integrated campaigns and promotional content for leading networks, including Mediacorp, ESPN-Star Sports and The Comedy Channel (Australia).
He graduated with a double major in Cinema and Broadcasting from San Francisco State University, as well as a master’s degree in Film & Television from the University of Melbourne. He is currently a Senior Creative Producer with the Creative Lab at Mediacorp Pte Ltd, producing English and Chinese content and promotional spots while dabbling with motion graphics and getting inspired by comedy and experimental films.
Roger Childs
Senior Production Executive & Commissioning Editor RTE
ABOUT
Roger Childs
Roger Childs is the Senior Production Executive of Ireland’s national public service broadcaster, RTÉ, and also the station’s Commissioning Editor of Religious Content. A multi award-winning producer and commissioner, with over 30 years’ experience across a wide range of genres and all media, Roger worked previously for the BBC, the UK Independent sector and WNET, New York. He has served twice before as a Grand Juror for the New York TV & Film Festival, where his own programmes have previously won four prizes
Wai Thong Chow
Managing Director August Pictures Pte Ltd
ABOUT
Wai Thong Chow
Director, Producer, and Editor. These are just some of the many roles that Wai Thong, founder of August Pictures plays. A veteran in the industry recognized for his passionate commitment to producing high quality dramas, Wai Thong is an established and well-seasoned independent Director and Executive Producer, whose works have garnered numerous international awards and nominations throughout his illustrious career including awards from New York Festivals, Asian Academy Creative Awards,Star Awards and Asian Television Awards.
In the latest 2020 Asian Academy Creative Awards, among 6 other awards, The Driver and Mind's Eye were national winners for Best Original Programme and Best Drama Series categories respecrively. The Driver would also go on to clinch the Grand Final Award for Best Promo. In 2019, his dramas Beijing To Moscow and The Driver won multiple nominations and awards at the Asian Academy Creative Awards and New York Festivals respectively. Most notably, Beijing To Moscow was the Regional Winner for Best Drama Series and Best Actor and Actress in a Leading Roleat the Asia Academy Creative Awards. The Driver won, among many others, the FInalist Awards for Best Drama and Mini Series at the 2019 New York Festivals.
Emily Clements
Head of Film & Animation Radley Yeldar
ABOUT
Emily Clements
Emily heads up the Moving Image team at Radley Yeldar. She has been making award-winning films for both public and private sector organisations for more than 17 years. She brings both creativity and strategic thinking to moving image projects and has wide ranging knowledge and experience of differing industry sectors and production genres (from drama and documentary to commercials and animation) and interactive projects, recently delivering a wholly animated 360 VR experience for one of our clients.
Emily has worked with a wide-range of clients at RY including GSK, Beiersdorf, The Science Museum, Tedx London, Visit Britain, and JTI.
Matt Creasey
EVP, Sales, Co-productions & Acquisitions Banijay Rights
ABOUT
Matt Creasey
Matt Creasey was appointed EVP, Sales, Co-productions & Acquisitions, at Banijay Rights in August 2020.
Based in Los Angeles, Creasey oversees all sales operations and teams for territories outside EMEA. Exploring opportunities across linear, SVOD and AVOD, he also leads on scripted co-productions in the US and rest of the world, alongside sales and acquisitions.
Creasey joined the company following Banijay Rights’ acquisition of Endemol Shine Group, having previously served as EVP, Sales and Acquisitions for sales arm Endemol Shine International.
Reporting to Banijay Rights CEO Cathy Payne, he is across the company’s extensive multi-genre catalogue of over 146,000 hours of stand-out programming.
With an invaluable client base, cross-platform sales experience, unrivalled knowledge of the catalogue and extensive commercial wisdom, Creasey works closely with Banijay Rights’ leadership team to set the strategy and grow the business across his assigned territories.
He joined Endemol Shine International in 2006 as Director of Sales, Distribution, and has spent his career to date selling and exploiting some of the world’s largest entertainment brands. Prior to his significant stint at Endemol Shine International, Creasey was Head of Sales at Celador International.
Pablo Culell
VP of Production and Development Telemundo Global Studios
ABOUT
Pablo Culell
Pablo Culell is a graduate of USAL, Argentina with a Bachelor of Journalism, and an analyst of social media and communications. Since 2006 he has served as VP of Production and Development of UNDERGROUND PRODUCCIONES, a company led by Sebastián Ortega. UNDERGROUND PRODUCCIONES, acquired by NBCUniversal Telemundo Enterprises in 2019, is a division of Telemundo Global Studios.
He began his professional career in 1993, and later became Executive Producer for Canal 13 TV in Buenos Aires. Since then, his work has extended into several additional related roles, including teaching, as a university professor at the Insituto TEA, Argentina and serving as Artistic Management Advisor to América TV and as the Producer of successful Argentinean fiction programs, for different channels and radio stations.
Between 2002 and 2005 he served as General and Creative Producer of Ideas del Sur where he produced, under the artistic and creative direction of Sebastián Ortega, several fiction formats with great impact. Among them: "Tumberos", "Ser Urbano" and "Los Roldan". These programs obtained more than 30 national and international awards, among them the Martín Fierro award – the most important TV award in Argentina.
From then, and as of his time at Underground, he took on the general production of other important scripted content such as: "LaLola", "Los Exitosos Pells" and what is considered the most successful television fiction of recent times, the romantic comedy "Graduados", broadcast by Telefé, Argentina in 2012. It is the winner of a Gold Martín Fierro, among other awards.
He held the same credit for Underground’s next productions, garnering great results and obtaining several other awards. For several years he was a part of the International Emmy Awards’ Academy of TV, Arts & Sciences.
In 2015, he published his first book "Nacidos Para Contar" in which he tells of his experience as a scripted-content producer for television in Argentina, together with the author Jorge Maestro. It is considered the first Manual of Script and Audiovisual Production of Argentina.
In recent years, he has participated in multiple conferences and panels for festivals and universities throughout Latin America, to discuss the experience of producing scripted content in Argentina and the impact that Underground programs have had, worldwide, such as the international success "El Marginal".
In 2018, he ventured into Theater with “Jazmín de Invierno”, at the San Martín Cultural Center, for which he was nominated for an ACE award, as theater producer of the year.
Christoph Deja
Managing Director Rueckenwindfilm GmbH
ABOUT
Christoph Deja
Christoph Deja has been in the film business since 1994. As managing director of Rückenwindfilm GmbH he is responsible for production from script to screen - conception, camera, editing, directing and customer relationships.
His work is not only recognized by customers and audiences, but also by the by several national and international festival juries.
Clara Dominguez
Director of Partnerships and Strategic Initiatives Voice of America
ABOUT
Clara Dominguez
Currently the Director of Partnerships and Strategic Initiatives for the Voice of America, Clara Dominguez, engages with outside organizations, news organizations, academia as well as NGO’s as well as elements of the US Agency for Global Media to enhance content sharing and curation. In addition she oversees Voice of America’s Learning English program, dedicated to teach English worldwide as directs broadcasting to Latin America on radio, television and digital media.
Clara has served in a number of executive positions at VOA, including managing editor of the News Center.
A native of Havana, Cuba, Clara has a master’s degree in International Affairs from George Washington University and a master’s degree in Business Administration from the University of Miami’s School of Business
BARRY DONNELLAN
Director/DOP Tiny Big Films
ABOUT
BARRY DONNELLAN
Barry Donnellan is a Director/Director of Photography with over 25 years of experience in the industry. As a Director/DoP he has worked in all television formats, including Ob-Doc and drama. As DoP he has worked internationally on many productions including the Award winning “Secrets of the Rainforest 3D” for the Smithsonian Channel/Sky 3D and BAFTA winner “Inside Nature's Giants” for Channel 4/ Nat Geo. He’s been IFTA nominated twice, once as a DoP for the multi award winning “Secrets of the Irish Landscape” RTE/PBS and once as one of the producer/directors of “Creedon’s Wild Atlantic Way” RTE. The culinary series “Kevin Dundon’s Modern Irish Food” RTE/PBS which he shot and directed won Silver at the New York film and Television Awards.
Ramanathan Durai
Creative Manager BeIN Sports Asia
ABOUT
Ramanathan Durai
Durai is a multi-award winning Creative Manager at beIN Sports Asia – Pacific, where he leads a team who Produce branded content. With over 14 years of experience, he has worked with reputable brands such as Discovery Channel, TLC, Animal Planet, Discovery Turbo, Discovery Home & Health, Discovery HD World, ESPN, Star Sports, Fox Sports, and Disney. His creative journey took him to Buenos Aires, Argentina where he Produced Disney’s landmark series, Art Attack. Durai has won awards in New York Fest, Promax Global Excellence, Promax Asia, Asian Television Awards and Citra Pariwara Advertising Festival. At home, he is a father of 2 gorgeous girls, 2 adorable dogs, 1 goldfish and thankfully 1 lovely wife.
Stacey Edmonds
Founder & Director Lively, a Learning Agency
ABOUT
Stacey Edmonds
Stacey is an experienced professional with over 25 years of experience in the Big Four, boutique consultancies, academia, and key leadership roles across diverse industries. She is the Founder and Director of Lively, a Learning Agency. Her qualifications in Psychology and Sociology, Education, Multi-Platform Screen Production, AI and Gamification plus hands-on experience in Edtech, equips her with the unique ability to ‘connect the dots’ in a consumer-grade digital learning landscape.
She is presently working on writing up a new design methodology for developing consumer-grade learning experiences in her book titled “Learning was never meant to be boring”. Additionally, she has founded a startup called ‘Dodgy or Not’ designed to help people learn how to beat scammers at their own game.
Stacey’s background is in youth work and education, and her vision has always been to democratize learning so that everyone, regardless of socioeconomic status, has equal access to education and the life choices that brings.
Claudia Ernst
Assistenz GF Joern Roever Doclights GmbH / NDR Naturfilm
ABOUT
Claudia Ernst
Claudia is working since 2001 in non fiction and natural history departments.
Today she’s working as assistant for the CEO of Naturfilm/Doclights for the ARD primetime wildlife slot “Erlebnis Erde” and NDR’s “Expeditionen ins Tierreich” as well as for international coproductions (National Geographic Wild, ORF, Terra Mater, ARTE).
Jim Fabio
Producer/Director
ABOUT
Jim Fabio
Jim Fabio began his career documenting military operations for the Department of Defense as a U.S. Air Force Combat Camera Officer. A two-time Emmy Award-winner, his diverse career path in film and television has since afforded him opportunities to produce, direct, shoot and edit both scripted and documentary projects for a multitude of clients and networks, to include ABC, NBC, CBS, Fox, PBS, MTV, VH1, ESPN, NFL Network, A&E, History Channel, HBO and Showtime.
Jeremy JP Fekete
Filmmaker, writer & director ARTE G.E.I.E.
ABOUT
Jeremy JP Fekete
JEREMY JP FEKETE is an international award winning freelance filmmaker, director & writer: including Bronze, Silver and Gold at the NEW YORK FESTIVALS. For his work he received several international nominations and awards from various TV- and Film Festivals, among others at the WORLDFEST HOUSTON / USA, HOLLYWOOD INTERN. INDEPENDENT DOCUMENTARY AWARDS / USA, GOLD MOVIE AWARDS / GB(UK), ADOLF GRIMME AWARD / DE, GERMAN CAMERA AWARD / DE, ROSE D’OR / CH, REYKJAVIK INTERN. FILM FESTIVAL / IS and at the INTERN. FILMMAKER FESTIVALS OF WORLD CINEMA in MILAN, NICE and LONDON.
He startet his career as a visual artist with exhibitions at ART BASEL, KUNSTMUSEUM LUZERN, KUNSTHAUS AARGAU and KUNSTMUSEUM BASEL in Switzerland. 1993 he changed into the TV- and Film Business. Since then he is working as a filmmaker for documentary series, Biopics and documentary films for international broadcasters, like the german-french culture channel ARTE or for german channels like ARD and ZDF. His filmic handwriting is strongly influenced by his artistic education.
Jim Fitzpatrick
Director, Writer, Producer Fitzpatrick Productions
ABOUT
Jim Fitzpatrick
A Toronto-based director, writer, and producer. Jim is a multi-award winner with over twenty years of experience developing content globally and bringing stories to life in the broadcast and digital space. A passionate and recognized leader, Jim excels at managing diverse creative teams and nurturing emerging talent. He leads all aspects of production from strategy development through concept to final production and post-production. Jim directs content strategies across multiple platforms, focused on brand marketing while consistently driving viewership, engagement, and revenue growth.
Marissa Flores
Consultant
ABOUT
Marissa Flores
Marissa L. Flores, was GMA Network Philippines’ Senior Vice President for News and Public Affairs since 2004. She joined the Company in 1987 as a researcher for public affairs documentaries and special reports and held the positions of Assistant Vice President, Vice President for Production, before being appointed to her current position. She is also a Trustee of the network’s public service arm, GMA Kapuso Foundation.
The Rotary Club of Manila recognized her as Television News Producer of the Year in 1996. In 2004, she was awarded the prestigious TOYM (The Outstanding Young Men) for Broadcast Management. In 2012, she received the CEO Excel Award from the International Association of Business Communicators (IABC)
Philippines. Ms. Flores was recognized for her work in the field of broadcast journalism by the University of the Philippines College of Mass Communication at the first Glory Awards in 2017.
The News and Public Affairs group under Flores continues to be the recipient of international awards such as the Peabody Awards, New York Festivals and Asian Academy Creative Awards. GMA News and Public Affairs remains as the only Philippine broadcast network which has won the highly-coveted Peabody Award (four Peabody awards as of 2014) –widely considered as broadcasting and cable’s equivalent of the Pulitzer prize.
Aside from being in charge of news and public affairs programs in GMA Network’s national television stations, Flores also oversees its digital news and public affairs platforms.
Flores earned her Bachelor of Arts degree in Journalism at the University of the Philippines.
Pearl Forss
Executive Producer Channel NewsAsia
ABOUT
Pearl Forss
Pearl Forss is an Executive Producer at CNA and a 6 time winner of the New York Festivals . Her winning documentaries include “When Titans Clash” dealing with the issue of US-China relations, “The New Silk Road” focusing on China’s Belt and Road Initiative, as well as “The Organ Bazaar”, which exposed the secret criminal networks behind organ trading.
In her role, Pearl is responsible for hour long documentaries on CNA, with a focus on geopolitics. Amongst her many accomplishments in her over 20 years of journalism, Pearl is also a Chevening Scholar – a distinction awarded by the British government for her contributions to the field; as well as a fellow on the International Visitors Leadership Program – a program run by the State Department of the United States.
Matthias Frickel
Director, Head of Operations, Main Department Culture and Lifestyle DW Deutsche Welle
ABOUT
Matthias Frickel
Matthias Frickel has taken on the role of Head of Operations in the main department Culture and Lifestyle at Deutsche Welle (DW) in May 2021. A dedicated journalist himself, the 1968 born Frickel works in the leadership team of the DW's culture and lifestyle unit of more than 70 permanent employees and 260 freelancers who share a common idea: to make people all over the world acquainted with European and German culture. From May 2012 until November 2020 he worked as Head of TV sports magazines and deputy head of Sports, leading a team of 40 journalists who see football as a metaphor for life. He joined 'Kick off! - the thinking fan’s football show' as it started in 2005 while working as a freelance editor at DW's culture show Arts.21.
Once, he studied Political Science and North American Studies at the Free University Berlin and Manchester University before he surrendered himself to a bigger passion, journalism. While researching as an intern with U.S. Senator John F. Kerry for his diploma thesis on 'How the Holocaust became part of the American political culture', he started freelancing as a journalist.
Ever since completing his studies, Frickel has covered a broad range of topics related to cultural, political, and sports related issues. He conducted interviews with people from different backgrounds like Michael Ballack or T.C. Boyle, Herta Müller or Mesut Özil, Serge Gnabry or Günter Grass. He is a dedicated storyteller and reported from more than 35 countries across five continents for DW, Arte, and RBB.
For more than 20 years he traces after literature, football, and life. For his documentaries about Polish and German expatriates, ‘the Polish Kafka’ Bruno Schulz', kids who seek refuge in football, and as an editor of Kick off! he was awarded numerous prices.
He worked as a reporter at the FIFA World Cup 2014 and two UEFA Cups, has helped to create a functioning YouTube channel and a mission statement for Sports at DW. He believes culture and sports have the power to change the world; to empower, inspire, and unite people. Therefore, he has build up partnerships with NGOs like Common Goal, Discover Football, the Goethe Institute, DFL, and Football Film Festivals, worldwide. Since 2020 he is a member of the Grand Jury at the NewYorkFestivals TV & FilmAwards.
Dr. Martina Fröschl
Senior Scientist, Science Visualization Lab University of Applied Arts, Vienna
ABOUT
Dr. Martina Fröschl
Dr. Martina Fröschl, MSc, studied media technology and media design and is a Senior Scientist in the Science Visualization Lab at the University of Applied Arts Vienna. She has always been inspired by the representation of realities and invisible phenomena. Her most recent work is based on scientific images such as μCT, MRT, SEM and light microscopic images in cooperation with imaging experts and biologists. The interdisciplinary project NOISE AQUARIUM is an example of her intensive commitment to computer-animated scientific visualizations. In the project, scanned plankton organisms are presented in an interactive project in order to bring the recipients closer to the topics of noise pollution as well as plastic pollution of the ocean and the fragility of ecosystems in general. The SARS-Cov-2 pandemic inspired her to reflect on the vulnerability of the human body and the delicacy of human health.
Robert E. Frye
Managing Director Whistling Communications
ABOUT
Robert E. Frye
With four decades of experience in documentaries and network news programs, Mr. Frye has been an independent documentary producer and director since 1988. Since that time he has completed more than 20 documentaries. Previously, during his 14-year career at ABC News, he was the founding executive producer of "ABC World News Tonight" with Peter Jennings, the executive producer of “Good Morning America” and the creator of “World News This Morning.”
Frye was producer of the ABC Evening News while at ABC News in Washington D.C. with Barbara Walters and Harry Reasoner from 1976 to 1978 prior to his being assigned to the London bureau. As Washington Bureau Chief, he helped establish a news syndication service Television News Inc (TVN) which was a forerunner of CNN. The bureau was responsible for breaking stories related to Watergate, the resignation of Vice President Spiro, and the resignation of Richard Nixon.
He began his network career as a page at NBC and moved on to NBC News as the researcher to Frank McGee and the NBC Instant Specials unit, covering such stories as the assassination of JFK and the overthrow of Nikita Khrushchev.
Frye’s documentary “In My Lifetime: A presentation of The Nuclear World Project,” was an official selection of the Global Peace Film Festival, telling the story of the sixty five year struggle to find solutions on how to dispose of and reduce the number of nuclear weapons in the world. “In My Lifetime” earned a Silver World Medal in the 2013 New York Festivals TV & Film Awards.
His other documentaries deal with complex international subjects and include “Freedom without Walls” (2009) commemorating the 20th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall; “The Berlin Trilogy” (2006) exploring 20th century Germany in “Kristallnacht: The Journey from 1938 to 1988”; “Journey of a City”; and “The Berlin Airlift.” Frye also produced and directed “The Journey of Butterfly,” a story of the Nazi ghetto at Terezin in Czechoslovakia, and “Russia: Facing the Future” (2001).
Throughout his career, Mr. Frye’s body of work has received numerous industry accolades - the Emmy Award, two duPont-Columbia University Silver Batons, the Peabody Award, the George Polk Award, the Christopher Award, a Rockie Award from the Banff Film Festival, a Golden Hugo from The Chicago International Film Festival, a Headliner, the IRE (Investigative Reporters) and a CINE Golden Eagles, as well as Gold and Silver Plaques from the Chicago International Film Festival’s INTERCOM.
Mihai Gadea
CEO Antena 3
ABOUT
Mihai Gadea
Mihai Gîdea is one of Romania’s premier journalists and the guiding force behind ANTENA 3, the country’s highest-rated news channel. Mihai began his television career in 2002 as a producer and in 2004 he joined Intact Media Group where he was an on-camera presenter and began his award-winning talk show SINTEZA ZILEI (2005). In 2007 he assumed the role of CEO and launched ANTENA 2 which, after only 3 years, became one of the Top 10 most watched television stations in the country.
Beginning in June 2010, Mihai assumed the roles of CEO and General Manager of ANTENA 3. Under his leadership ANTENA 3 has experienced incedible growth becoming the #1 news stations and, on many days, the #1 TV station in the country.
Mihai was born on the 10th of January 1977, in Bucharest where he graduated the Theology Faculty from University of Bucharest. His hobbies are literature and philosophy. He is married and has a daughter.
Tim Gallagher
Section Chief for Digital Content & Technology International Monetary Fund.
ABOUT
Tim Gallagher
Tim Gallagher is Section Chief for Digital Content & Technology at the International Monetary Fund. A multi-award winning producer and director, he was a frontline television journalist for more than two decades for BBC News and Sky News. Prior to joining the IMF, Tim was Executive Producer for NBC’s investigative current affairs show, On Assignment with Richard Engel. He has served three times as a Grand Juror for the New York TV & Film Awards, where his own programs have previously won several prizes.
Vyacheslav Goldfeld
Founder, CEO and Managing Partner FreeMotion Group
ABOUT
Vyacheslav Goldfeld
Having been in video production for over 25 years, Vyacheslav is one of the key experts in corporate video in Russia. The projects he produced won awards at Cannes, Moscow, New York, Los Angeles (including 2 «Best of Festival» in a row), and other international film festivals.
Specializing mainly in corporate video production Vyacheslav has extensive experience in the production of commercials and entertainment programs for the largest Russian Federal channels
Vyacheslav is a Member of International Quorum of Motion Picture Producers
Mariella González
Creative Producer Telemundo International Studios
ABOUT
Mariella González
Creative Producer with extensive experience in the field. Multi Promaxbda Awards Winner and member of the jury. Since 2008, she has been part of the Academy’s Awards live show production team in Los Angeles, California.
As Creative Producer, she has led successful advertising campaigns for important shows in the United States, such as: The Billboards Awards, La Voz Kids, the Latin Music Awards, El Señor de los Cielos, among others.
Graduated from The New York Film Academy in Hollywood, she has been part of the directing teams for important fiction series produced by Telemundo Studios and Nickelodeon USA.
She is currently part of the creative and development team for Telemundo Global Studios in Miami, focusing on the Production Design department to national and international productions.
Peter Gordon
Producer & Educator Full Sail University
ABOUT
Peter Gordon
Peter M. Gordon has over forty years’ experience creating and curating content for platforms ranging from live theatre to online video. He is best known for joining Golf Channel before launch as Director of Programming, creating and implementing program plans and content that enabled the channel to grow from startup to a value of over $1 billion. He also worked in programming and development for HBO, NBC, and PBS. He currently teaches Business of Film in Full Sail University’s Film Production MFA program. Peter is also an award-winning poet whose published over 100 poems and two collections. He earned a BA from Yale and MFA from Carnegie-Mellon.
BORIS GORLOV
Head of Creative Department RT
ABOUT
BORIS GORLOV
Boris Gorlov is the head of RT promo department with 15-year working experience in the media.
He joined RT in 2006 as a producer for English promo department, at the same time being a professor at the Moscow State Art and Cultural University. In 2009 he became chief-editor of Spanish promo department.
He leaded the united promo department in 2013 and continued his work on various promotions for all RT family channels: RT International, RT UK, RT Español, RT Arabic, RTDoc. With his team he won numerous TV awards including New York Festivals, PromaxBDA, Omni etc.
Wuan-ling Gou
Supervisor, International Affairs Section, International and Strategy Development Department Taiwan Public Television Service Foundation
ABOUT
Wuan-ling Gou
Ms Wuan-ling Guo has been working in the TV industry for more than 30 years. Spending almost ten years on international news production, she was producer of international news programs at Public Television Service (PTS), and her program was shortlisted for Excellent Journalism Award in Taiwan. She has also been the producer of an in-depth talk show, co-production documentaries, and children’s programs. Her work was screened at Berlin International Film Festival, and has received Best Long Documentary Award at International Gold Panda Documentary Festival in Sichuan, China. At the same time, she serves as the director and curator for Taiwan International Children’s Film Festival (TICFF) and Best of INPUT in Taiwan since 2014. And she also serves as the executive producer and commissioning editor of documentaries.
Marie-Claude GUAY
Head of Innovation Centre, Industry Expertise and Market intelligence Business Consulting, CGI Mtl
ABOUT
Marie-Claude GUAY
Recognized as an agent of change, Marie-Claude has 20 years experience in story production across different mediums and audiences, from journalistic reporting to corporate communications. Prior to co-founding 2 organisations, she was an award-winning journalist who spent 14-years producing and telling stories from over 30 countries as a Radio-Canada reporter and through Cpasifou, her independent multimedia project documenting her family’s year-long around-the-world journey. Driven by innovation, she believes that the spread of technology offers transformative opportunities to positively inform our society.
Shitij K Gupta
Senior Executive Producer New Delhi Television
ABOUT
Shitij K Gupta
Shitij heads the Creatives, Production and Operations of one of India’s most trusted News Brands, NDTV 24x7. A science student in high school, Graduate in Arts with Political Science and Economics, then Software Engineering and also some Indian Classical Vocal Music training.. All this comes together with his deep passion for art, video, creatives, ideas and designs.
Currently, Senior Executive Producer with New Delhi Television (NDTV) and with over 23 years of experience in technology, news, documentaries, events and campaigns; his love for creatives and design, including mixed reality, has garnered multiple awards. His campaign designed for Lodestar UM & Samsung won multiple Golds including the Emvies, the Abbys, Spikes, among others.
He has been a jury in multiple regional, Asian and International award shows, such as Asian Television Awards, Singapore and The New York Festivals TV & Film Awards.
Outside of work, Shitij is also a climate warrior. He is deeply involved at personal level in research and voluntary work towards Climate Change, Renewable Energy (esp Solar Energy) & advancements in related Technology and Sustainable Development Goals.
He also loves to paint, sing and play some Piano in his free time..
Melanie Haft
Managing Director & Head of Production nautilusfilm GmbH
ABOUT
Melanie Haft
Studied Media & Communications in Augsburg, Germany
Owner of NautilusLizenzen GbR. Head of filmmaker´s trainee program @nautilusfilm GmbH since 2019
Awards: nautilusfilm productions have so far received 41x „Best of festival“ Awards, 3 Panda Awards (Wildscreen),
2 Awards at Jackson Wild, and over 250 Awards worldwide
Reiko Hara
Director of International Relations Fuji Television Network, Inc.
ABOUT
Reiko Hara
Ms. Hara grew up as a global citizen, living in various countries. Fluent in English, she joined Fuji Television Network, the leading commercial broadcaster in Japan, where she was assigned to the Production department and worked on NARUHODO THE WORLD, a highly famed travel quiz show, and SMAPxSMAP, a variety show starring Asian super-star group SMAP. Since 2005, Ms. Hara has been with the International Department. One of her current tasks is to select and submit the station’s productions for various international awards, making her a connoisseur of fine programs.
Georg Hartmann
Filmmaker & Writer Full Sail University
ABOUT
Georg Hartmann
After graduating in Film- and Television Sciences at Ruhr University Bochum, Germany, Georg Hartmann went to work for Sonic Images Inc. in Hollywood, where he worked on two seasons of the TV series “Babylon 5”.
He then turned his attention to documentary filmmaking. In 1999, Hartmann produced and directed the feature length documentary “Close to Home”, which won the audience award at the New Haven International Film Festival, and the Festival in Palm Springs. Robert Redford’s “Sundance Channel” bought the TV rights.
Hartmann’s next documentary project “He’s having a Baby” for HBO made the Oscar short list and was recognized as “Documentary of Merit”, one of the highest honors given by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.
Georg was invited to guest lecture at NYU Film School and taught students the nuts and bolts of documentary filmmaking at Maine Media Workshops.
Hartmann has also produced, directed and written Television programs and has served as Director of Photography for MTV’s “Big Urban Myth Show”. He was Executive Producer and Director for many hours of prime-time reality TV, most notably Discovery’s “Street Customs Berlin”, a program that aired worldwide.
In recent times, Georg has focused on writing prime time fiction. The miniseries “Deutschland 83” aired on Sundance TV in the US and was awarded the Peabody Award, as well as the International Emmy. In 2018, Georg wrote for Netflix's "Dogs of Berlin".
In fall 2018 Georg joined Full Sail University in Winter Park, Florida, where he currently serves as course director in the Film Production MFA program.
Georg Hartmann lives in Florida, with his wife Abby, a school psychologist, and their 16-year old quadruplets Sid, Max, Emmy and Lucy. In 2020, Georg co-created the limited TV series “He’s Coming”. The show is represented by CAA and has been picked up for development by Warner Brothers for a 2022 release.
Yuko Hashizaki
Director of International Relations, News Center Kansai Telecasting Co, Ltd.
ABOUT
Yuko Hashizaki
Yuko Hashizaki is in charge of International Relations at Kansai Television Co. Ltd. (Kansai TV)
She has experience in organizing and promoting live entertainment shows and sporting events ranging from traditional Japanese arts such as Kyogen to Italian opera Japan tours.
From 2005 she worked in the news department for international relations where she produced international editions of documentaries and news features, and from 2012 she was in charge of international relations in the President’s Office.
From June 2023, she manages the company’s international relations from the Content Design Department, supervising Kansai TV’s global promotion and producing and promoting international competition editions of Kansai TV’s programs.
Dillon Hicks
Managing Director & Partner Sudo Roux
ABOUT
Dillon Hicks
Dillon heads up operations and content delivery at Sudo Roux backed by over 20 years’ experience in design, project management, production, operations, and content creation. He formerly led design and delivery teams at Foxtel, Special Broadcasting Service (SBS), STW Group, and WPP, covering a wide range of verticals, from technology to entertainment, telecoms to education. With Dillon, you get more than just experience. You get somebody who cuts through the jargon to form genuine partnerships.
Philip Hollerbach
Executive Producer Film Global Communications Audi AG
ABOUT
Philip Hollerbach
Philip looks back on 250+ film projects realized in over 20 countries as Director, Creative Director and Executive Producer Film at AUDI AG Global Communications. Spending the first decade of his career in a Berlin based agency shooting films for clients like AUDI AG, BMW Mini, Porsche, Lamborghini, SEAT, Skoda and Volkswagen Philip changed to the client side in 2017, bringing along his versatile expertise in creation, production and supervision. Philip’s work is awarded internationally and he is part of various film award juries. He lives in Munich.
Varaprasad J V
Creative Director \ Editor Greatguns Films Corp
ABOUT
Varaprasad J V
Varaprasad JV is a talented Ad film director, editor, and music designer who has been involved in the film industry for nearly 25 years. His expertise spans across various genres, including animation films, live-action films, and social media videos.
Born and raised in India, Varaprasad JV developed a passion for filmmaking at a young age. As a Creative Head of post-production in some of India's leading animation studios, the individual has had an illustrious career in the industry. With extensive experience and expertise, they have played a pivotal role in shaping the post-production landscape in India's animation industry
Varaprasad has a unique style that combines visual storytelling with a deep understanding of his audience. He was able to create compelling narratives that resonate with viewers and leave a lasting impression. Varaprasad has directed a wide range of commercials, including those for major brands and businesses, and is known for his ability to bring out the best in actors and crew members alike.
His expertise in post-production and Live action Ad film direction has made him a sought-after industry expert, and served on juries for several animation festivals, both in India and abroad.
Varaprasad's work has been appreciated by many international film festivals, and he has served as a Grand jury member in FICCI Frames, PIFF (Pune international film festival) and New York festival as well. His extensive knowledge in film Making and his artistic vision have earned him several accolades throughout his career.
Celia Jaspers
Producer / Director TVNZ
ABOUT
Celia Jaspers
Award winning director, Celia Jaspers has been in the industry for 30 years and has amassed vast experience in all aspects of production for film and television. She has extensive experience across all trades - theatre, television and film. As lead creative, her factual programmes & documentaries have won awards from the New York Festivals international Television and Film Awards, Asian Television Awards, Jackson Hole Science Media Awards and the International Wildlife Film Festival. And her narrative short films have gathered over 30 awards from 60+ international festivals, including official selection in 5 Academy Award affiliated film festivals. She is currently a judge for the New Zealand Film and Television Awards and the New York Festivals Awards. Member of WIFT and the DEGNZ.
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Michaela Javorsky
Producer, Entertainment TV ORF (Austrian Broadcasting Corporation)
ABOUT
Michaela Javorsky
Having a long history in Entertainment TV and, from 2014 to 2021 in Program Development & Quality Management, specialized on international formats, she has returned to the field of Entertainment TV in 2021, now producing various programs and shows including many co-productions. Additionally she is representing ORF in EBU’s, European Broadcasting Union’s, TV Assembly. Beside that she has been holding lectures, first at Donauuniversität Krems, now at Fachhochschule St. Pölten (University of Applied Sciences), in the field of TV and Media for years.
William Jeakle
General Manager Filmateria Studios
ABOUT
William Jeakle
William Jeakle became a bestselling author at age 21 while at Stanford University, when he penned How to College with two fellow Stanford students. He has since written four additional books, numerous newspaper articles, and a monthly magazine column. After Stanford, Jeakle joined CNN as a director of special projects. His tasks included assisting in developing the business plan for CNN International, and helming numerous special projects for CEO Ted Turner. In addition, Jeakle directed CNN sales and marketing to Canada and Special Markets.
In 1990, Jeakle launched TVBooks, a publishing and production company, which helped develop the Bill Nye, the Science Guy television pilot and co-wrote Nye’s bestselling Big Blast of Science. In 1997, he launched Filmateria Studios. At Filmateria, Jeakle oversees the creative direction of the company, as well as crafting business alliances that strengthen Filmateria’s offerings. Filmateria has helped market products as diverse as Xbox, YouTube’s Screening Room, and Bungie’s Halo video game.
As writer, producer, and director, Jeakle has created hundreds of film and video titles directing talent including astronaut Buzz Aldrin, Jeopardy star Ken Jennings, and actor and comedian Ed Helms.
Jeakle conceived and created the YouTube kids’ series Team Marco Polo, which has garnered numerous honors and well over a million views. He is the producer and co-director of the forthcoming documentary Late Fees, chronicling the rise and fall of Blockbuster video.
Jeakle’s work has appeared on Comedy Central, The New York Times, USA Today, Girls’ Life Magazine and The Washington Post. Along the way, his work has picked up an Emmy and several New York Festivals awards for creative excellence. He is currently a contributor to the Leadership section at Forbes.com.
Jeakle lives in Seattle with his wife Marisa. He has three children living in L.A. He enjoys traveling (he speaks Italian) and hanging out with his kids and dog, Muddy.
Andrei Jiro
Art Director Globo Group
ABOUT
Andrei Jiro
Andrei Jiro is a design manager whose primary goal is to create expectation for the audience. His specialty is designing solutions for news, sports and entertainment at Globo Group, largest commercial TV network in Latin America and one of the largest media companies in the world. With over 30 years of experience in this segment, Andrei has experience in team building, strategic management and implementation, leadership, create and enhance the content value. Andrei has worked on successful projects that have enhanced television content through scenic and graphic innovation. Among several awards won, the NYF Awards stand out: “JH / JG” and “Jornal Nacional” projects.
When Andrei was still in college, he was interested in two things: design and economics. When he learned about the potential of design in order to change our lives creating all kinds of expectation, he knew this is where his professional future would take him, and television would be a field full of opportunities.
He holds an MBA from IBMEC Institute(Sao Paulo-Brazil ) and degree in Industrial Design at FAAP Institution (Sao Paulo-Brazil). He currently lives in Sao Paulo with his wife and two kids.
Natalie Jowett
Managing Director JusticeAid
ABOUT
Natalie Jowett
Natalie Jowett is a writer, producer, director and visual artist who started her media career in the New York bureau of The Baltimore Sun newspaper while attending Columbia University. An opening at a sports television network guided her unexpectedly away from print and toward a film and television career that has taken her around the world, telling stories on topics that include racism, secular religious conflict, gender inequity and civil rights. During 12 years as a Senior Features Producer at ABC Sports Natalie wrote and directed an Emmy-winningdocumentary on the tragedy of the 1972 Munich Olympics. Work on Oprah's Legends Ball marked a departure from sports, and Marvel's Hero Project was an opportunity to tell the stories of amazing kids who are doing heroic work solving real world problems. Natalie serves as Managing Director for JusticeAid, a non-profit that promotes justice through the arts. Natalie lives in New Jersey with her husband and two daughters.
Masakatsu Kasai
Managing Executive Officer, Member of the Board, Executive Producer Tohokushinsha Film Corporation
ABOUT
Masakatsu Kasai
Masakatsu Kasai is an executive producer of advertising business such as commercial films, promotions, and events.
He has won Grand Award at NYF TV&Film for Yamazaki Moments, Suntory and many other international awards including Cannes Lion, Clio Awards, Mobius Awards, and Adfest, and ACC and Galaxy awards as domestic awards, one of the biggest creative awards in Japan.
He has been dedicated his work for Toyota, Daihatsu, NTT, Suntory, Kirin, Canon and many other clients.
He is also responsible for a management of creative department where in-house directors, DoPs, editors, and creatives belong.
Besides that, TOHOKUSHINSHA FILM CORPORATION is engaged in feature film, video production, gear house, post production, broadcasting business, licensing sales management.
Manuela Kasper-Claridge
Editor-in-Chief Deutsche Welle
ABOUT
Manuela Kasper-Claridge
Manuela Kasper-Claridge is a journalist and Editor-in-Chief of Deutsche Welle, Germany’s international public broadcaster. Her primary focusses are upholding high editorial standards and increasing diversity in DW’s reporting. Manuela Kasper-Claridge is also on the Communications and Media Committee of the German Chambers of Industry and Commerce, on the Board of Trustees of the renowned ifo Institute in Munich and serves on the CIVIS Advisory Board
Yen-Ming Lai
Section Chief, Documentary Platform Taiwan Public Television Service Foundation (PTS)Jongmoon Lee
Producer FURMO DT
ABOUT
Jongmoon Lee
A producer and consultant of post-production company FURMO DT. Focusing on trends of content sales and distribution, he provides consulting and directly engages in developing bland-new processes. He believes that the first step to localization is integrating language and cultural differences for delivering the original intended emotional experience to overseas audiences.
Dr. Patrick Lehn
Senior Manager Group External Communications dormakaba International Holding AG
ABOUT
Dr. Patrick Lehn
Patrick Lehn has been working in corporate communications for over 20 years. One key aspect of his work is storytelling. He was the project manager of a film series and PR campaign that won over 40 awards at international competitions. He joined the dormakaba Group in April 2022 as Senior Manager, Group External Communications.
CHANGYING LIU
Head of Foreign Desk & Executive Producer Assignment Asia CGTN
ABOUT
CHANGYING LIU
An avid story-teller, Changying is passionate about recording the human world in creative and visually compelling ways. She's committed in bringing to audience social issues as well as exploring the complex human nature. During her two-decade stint, Changying created several news and current affairs programs. Right now, she oversees two award-winning documentary programs: Assignment Asia and Rediscovering China, as well as CGTN's Foreign Desk.
Ivan Llopis
Audio Art Director \ Lead Composer Banjo Soundscapes
ABOUT
Ivan Llopis
Composer, producer and multi-instrumentalist. Self-taught, he began to experiment with sound and music from a young age.
His first scores for short films and documentaries began to attract attention and positive acclaim which led to him to receive commissions for other projects. He then moved into composing for advertising, a sector in which he now has years of experience and has received solid recognition.
Later, he began to create soundtracks for animation series, a format that particularly excites Iván as it allows him to delve deeper into the universe of sound that evolves and accompanies the viewer across seasons.
Also highly acclaimed, is his TV Branding work for channels such as Movistar+, Canal+ France, National Geographic amongst others.
All this experience has led Iván to understand that the way to approach each project is as an incredible adventure through which to find notes, sounds and noises in order to create an audio language that will enhance the identity and the feeling of the brand, or the characters and stories.
Iván is currently working on an EP that will be published in 2019, as well as working with Banjo Soundscapes, his creative studio for audio branding.
Banjo Soundscapes has received a number of special mentions and awards in the sector, including the prestigious award Gold World Medal New York TV & Film Awards 2018 for “National Geographic - Further Promos”.
I-LI Lo
Host & Producer Hakka TV
ABOUT
I-LI Lo
I-Li Lo has been working in the production of TV programs of various kinds for more than 15 years. She has won several awards for her contributions to these programs; the major ones are described as follows:
"Under the sun-Hakka showcase" the best Education and Culture Program award in Golden Bell Award, Taiwan, 2008.
"Flavor of My Hometown"the best Lifestyle Program award in Golden Bell Award, Taiwan, 2012.
"The TV Music Feature" the finalist for Performing Arts in New York Festival’s TV & Film Awards, US, 2018.
Brian Lockhart
Senior Vice President, Original Content ESPN
ABOUT
Brian Lockhart
Brian Lockhart serves as senior vice president of Original Content, responsible for overseeing strategy and development of all original programming initiatives under the ESPN Films umbrella and the award-winning E60 series, as well as original series and studio shows on ESPN+, ESPN’s direct-to-consumer streaming service.
Lockhart also oversees Business Affairs, a function which handles deal-making, co-production, Content business negotiation and talent relations. In addition, he oversees ESPN’s award-winning Features group. He previously served as vice president and executive producer of Original Content for ESPN+.
Prior to his role at ESPN, Lockhart was vice president and executive producer of Original Content for NFL Media. He was responsible for overseeing the development and production of a wide array of content on multiple platforms, from long-form documentary series to digital media ventures and features. His responsibilities also extended beyond storytelling to include production, business development, and strategic leadership across several divisions. Lockhart developed, produced, and launched the NFL Network Originals series Undrafted and Football Town, and the digital series NFL Life. He was also the driving creative force behind the development of the original NFL Network documentary series The Timeline, highlighted by the critically acclaimed installment “America’s Game” and “The Iran Hostage Crisis.”
He began his NFL tenure in 2007 as coordinating producer for the network’s Features group. There he helped construct and develop the short form unit that would grow to service multiple news, information/studio shows, and social platforms, and he steered the division’s embrace of digital storytelling outlets. Among the highlights of his tenure were digital/broadcast hybrid projects that earned him three of his eight career Emmy Awards: the groundbreaking multiplatform experience JFK: The Untold Story of That Day in Dallas and the digital series The NFL Season: A Biography. His impact on the NFL Media Group extended beyond the successful content itself. As one of the highest-ranking executives of color, he served as a member of the National Football League Diversity Council, and his work as co-chair of the Black Engagement Network earned him the 2018 Commissioner’s Award for Teamwork.
Prior to his NFL tenure, Lockhart spent six years as a features and replay producer for HBO Sports from 2001 to 2007. There he produced and developed nonfiction, news, and live event programs including Inside the NFL, World Championship Boxing and Costas Now.
Molby Low Kian Chye
CEO/Founder WaWa Pictures Pte Ltd
ABOUT
Molby Low Kian Chye
A TV veteran of more than twenty years. Molby Low started his career with Singapore’s local TV stations and established his own independent production company WaWa Pictures Pte Ltd in 2007.
Under Molby’s steady leadership & unwavering passion for the local entertainment industry, WaWa Pictures have since grown to become a leading content provider in Singapore. Many of WaWa’s content is distributed in Asia.
Molby is in a constant process of grooming and mentoring new creative talents. He continually pushes to produce content that will not only intrigue the local & regional audiences but also resonate with the global viewers
Lok Lui
Producer RADIO TELEVISION HONG KONGMichael Maack
Marketing Producer ZDF - Zweites Deutsches FernsehenGabi Madracevic
Founder, Managing Director & Creative Director Luxlotusliner GmbH
ABOUT
Gabi Madracevic
Gabi Madračević is Founder, Managing Director and Creative Director of the design and branding agency Luxlotusliner in Munich.
She is responsible for many national and internationals clients and brandings with numerous award-winning projects at festivals and creative competitions worldwide.
After her studies of Visual Communication she founded the graphic studio “Buro 2” in Stuttgart, worked at BBDO Advertising Düsseldorf,
ProSieben and SevenSenses, and as a creative director at velvet mediendesign in Munich.
Maribel Martinez
Founder & Creative Director Diecinueve36
ABOUT
Maribel Martinez
Maribel Martinez is creative director in México City. Over the last few years, her work has been acknowledged by many international festivals and awards such as: New York Festivals, Promax World Gold, Promax Latino, Broadcast Design Asociation, Animacor in Spain, Circulo Creativo and Caracol de Plata Mexico. Her work as creative director includes animated series as: Imaginantes* for Televisa. Maribel founded 19+36”, an independent studio focused on title sequence design for films.
Mary Mazzio
President & CEO 50 Eggs Films
ABOUT
Mary Mazzio
In all of her films, Mary Mazzio (an Olympic rower herself), explores the concept of overcoming obstacles, whether it is a fight for social change (A Hero for Daisy, I Am Jane Doe), or issues of poverty and lack of opportunity (Ten9Eight, Underwater Dreams). Her mission of shedding light on compelling narratives of social significance has made her one of the country’s most prominent socially impactful filmmakers. For her film Underwater Dreams, Mazzio collaborated with the White House and raised more than $100 million dollars in public and private partnerships for STEM initiatives for underserved students. Her last film, I Am Jane Doe, elevated the voices of young sex trafficking survivors, catalyzing bipartisan federal legislation signed by the President in 2018 as well as legislation abroad. All of Mazzio’s films are about ordinary people doing extraordinary things – defying expectations and challenging assumptions of who and what they can achieve.
Alex McCall
Producer/Director Glasgow Films
ABOUT
Alex McCall
In his twenty-five years’ experience with the BBC and subsequently as an independent producer/director, Alex has either directed, produced (or both) over ninety films for the UK network on BBC1 and ITV – with many distributed throughout Europe and the United Stated, including items for '60 minutes' on CBS. He has also worked independently for high-profile corporate clients such as British Airways. He has been a panelist on the Documentary Forum at the US Pavilion in Cannes and a lecturer on Documentary Film-Making for the Media Program of the European Union. He has twice been nominated for British Academy Awards.
Bill McCullough
Director & Executive Producer Independent
ABOUT
Bill McCullough
Bill McCullough is a visionary senior executive, Emmy-winning director, and content strategist with over 30 years of experience in content creation, including more than a decade in the digital space. As Chief Content Officer and EVP of Content, he has successfully built digital ecosystems that drive revenue and foster audience engagement. His expertise spans documentary storytelling, original content development, intellectual property creation, and brand marketing, with a consistent focus on innovation and growth.
Bill's career highlights showcase his ability to deliver impactful results across platforms. At the XFL, he generated over 1 billion impressions, and his direction of HBO Sports' Real Sports with Bryant Gumbel cemented his status as a leader in the industry. He developed and produced Faze Clan's 15-day livestream event, yielding over 750 million impressions, and GoPro’s Hala Madrid series for Facebook Watch, which attracted more than 30 million views. His NFL collaboration with Dude Perfect for the Super Bowl Trick Shot campaign earned 27 million views in a single week, and his award-winning 2018 NFL Draft campaign set record viewership milestones. Recently, he launched a YouTube channel with former NFL coach Jon Gruden, amassing over 100,000 subscribers and 50 million impressions in just two weeks. His digital successes demonstrate his ability to architect cohesive content strategies that connect platforms, engage audiences, and maximize revenue potential.
With 11 Emmy Awards—nine in the documentary space—Bill's creative acumen extends to directing, creative direction, composing, and editing. His leadership, combined with a passion for storytelling, continues to produce high-quality, engaging content that captivates audiences and elevates brands worldwide.
Kelly McKeown
Executive Producer, VP Content Independent
ABOUT
Kelly McKeown
Kelly McKeown is a show creator, director and executive producer, who specializes in ambitious, factual entertainment for global audiences. She is a proven leader in co-productions with more than 20 years experience.
As Director of Exploration Productions, Kelly led the editorial vision for Discovery Canada and Bell Media Studios’ in-house production company. By the end of 2020, EPI delivered 5,440 hours in the form of series, specials, and a daily science magazine show to more than 160 countries.
Kelly created and Executive Produced the award winning series Disasters at Sea. She also is the Executive Producer of the Mighty Franchise; Mighty Ships, Mighty Cruise Ships, Mighty Trains and Mighty Planes.
One of her biggest passions is documenting firsts in human endeavour through quick turnaround, high end prime time specials. She has Executive Produced numerous award-winning specials, including Saturn Inside the Rings, Pluto First Encounter, Jupiter Close Encounter, Landing on a Comet, Hunt for a Super Comet, Mars Landing, One Giant Leap, and Fire in the Sky.
She won a Canadian Screen Award and New York Festival for Best Science and Tech Series for her work on the world’s only daily science show DAILY PLANET. She has also created and led original series MegaWorld, Invent This! Taken Abroad, Year In Sci Tech and Shark World.
Ken Moffat
Executive Producer LOULAKI BLUE
ABOUT
Ken Moffat
Ken Moffat is the founder and Executive Producer of Loulaki Blue, a Creative Communications Agency based in Sydney Australia.
Ken is a dedicated storyteller, having started his working life as a playwright. Then after a decade of working on major Australian feature films and television series Ken moved into the airline industry as Senior Producer of Qantas Inflight Entertainment, producing and directing numerous international award-winning programs during his tenure there. Then following several years as Creative Director and Executive Producer for a number of large Sydney agencies, he founded Loulaki Blue, a full service award winning Communications Agency specialising in video, animation and motion graphics. (Loulaki Blue has won a World Gold Medal and numerous Bronze medal and Finalist Awards).
He is delighted to join the NYF Grand Jury.
Akira Nishimura
Executive Producer Fuji Television
ABOUT
Akira Nishimura
The Fuji Television producer of the weekly documentary series, The Nonfiction. Main prizes he won: Best Current Affairs Program in Asian TV Awards 2011 for The Nonfiction: Unforgettable - Three Family Portraits / Best Documentary Program in Association of All Japan TV Program Production Companies Awards 2012 for Maria’s New York - The Final Reunion / Gold World Medal in the Human Concerns category in NY Festival 2014 for A Death Scene Cleaner Gets Married. In 2013, he released two motion pictures: God of Ramen, which revealed the secrets of a legendary ramen chef / KANZABURO, that tells the life story of a popular Kabuki star.
Tracey O'Halloran
Creative Executive Producer Independent
ABOUT
Tracey O'Halloran
Tracey O’Halloran is a London based, multi-award winning Creative Executive Producer, filmmaker and scriptwriter who has worked across television, commercials, brand and corporate films.
Winner of over 50 international film awards, Tracey has produced, written and directed content across genres including drama, documentary, animation, interactive cinematic adventures and comedy. In 2018 she won the Grand Award and Best Direction at the New York Festivals Film and TV awards, and in 2018 she was the first British filmmaker to win the Cannes Grand Prix at the Cannes Corporate Media & TV Awards.
Sergio Ortega
Creative Director Independent
ABOUT
Sergio Ortega
Sergio is an experienced award-winning Creative Marketer for Global Entertainment Media Brands with broad international experience (40+ territories) ideating and delivering best-in-class 360 Integrated Marketing campaigns and developing content in more than 40 territories around the EU, CEE, Russia and the Middle East.
Currently consulting as Creative Director/Executive Producer for a variety of Media, E-Commerce and Fashion International brands, he’s previously worked for clients such as Discovery+, Food Network, HGTV,The History Channel , OSN or Viasat, to name a few.
Both member of "Promax Europe Advisory Council" and "The Academy of Television Arts & Sciences of Spain", he regularly collaborates as Juror and Speaker at some of the most relevant international creative events such as New York Festivals, Promax, Emmy International, Clios and MediaBrand.
Sonal R. Patel
Partner, Group Head of Creative Brunswick Group Advisory Ltd
ABOUT
Sonal R. Patel
As an award-winning Group Head of Creative and Partner, Sonal leads the Film team, film projects at Brunswick Creative, fully integrated into Brunswick Advisory Group Ltd., providing creative senior leadership at every stage.
Sonal has been writing, producing and directing in television and film for 20 years. Her expertise encompasses investor documentaries, corporate films, executive interviews, deal work, employee engagement and creative campaigns for business. She advises clients at Board level, producing content strategy for business-critical communications.
Sonal began her career in New York as a broadcast journalist for MTV, PBS, WNBC and New York 1.
Michael Pearce
Producer Independent
ABOUT
Michael Pearce
Michael Pearce is the former Head of Global Initiatives for Yahoo Studios in charge of major events coverage and global video production.
In his previous role as Head of Sports for Yahoo Studios, Mr. Pearce directed coverage of five Olympics and two World Cups for Yahoo and created and launched award-winning series such as Memorable Moments, Elite Athlete Workouts, Fantasy Football Live and the Yahoo Sports Minute.
Mr. Pearce spent 20 years in television news as a reporter, producer and executive producer before joining Yahoo in 2005.
Paul Petruccelli
Production/DOC/DPL Manager-Assoc. Professor Pratt institute
ABOUT
Paul Petruccelli
Paul Petruccelli, the Digital Imaging Administrator at Pratt Institute, has been a Grand Jury Member for NYF for almost 30 years. He brings experience from the film, video, music, print, consulting, writing, publishing and educational fields together in a unique way for not only his students at Pratt but as an evaluator and performer. A winner of a CINE Golden Eagle Award, Paul has also been recognized as a digital innovator by HP and Canon and holds certification as a G7 Color Management Professional from Idealliance. A connoisseur of the different and off-beat gives him the perfect perspective for NYF submissions.
Duncan Preston
Head of Global Creative Services Al Jazeera Media Network
ABOUT
Duncan Preston
Duncan Preston is the Head of Global Creative Services of Al Jazeera English Creative, a multi-award winning creative professional with over 20 years experience in design across all media.
He joined Al Jazeera English in 2005 as a designer working on the launch of the channel and, now as the head of the Creative department, defining the brand and creative direction of the channel.
His team is responsible for all the channel's creative content; channel and program branding, graphic packaging, promos, daily news and information graphics, winning over 60 international broadcast design and promo awards.
Judith Pyke
Executive Producer/President Curious Features Inc
ABOUT
Judith Pyke
Judith is executive producer/president of Curious Features. Also a showrunner, director, and writer of unscripted series and specials, her work has been recognized with awards and nominations and aired on networks in Canada, the US and all over the world. She loves collaborating with talented professionals to make absorbing television and films.
Deirdre Reilly
Director & Production Consultant Independent Director
ABOUT
Deirdre Reilly
With training received as a network news producer, Deirdre became one of the key members of the original Entertainment Tonight staff, helping to launch one of the most successful shows in television history.
Deirdre is now called upon to lend her expertise from concept to completion; brainstorming with clients on upcoming projects, directing multi-camera in-studio and remote productions, web videos and b-rolls. Her experience working with celebrities and experts has fostered a long term interest in bringing out the best performance possible in those she coaches and directs. She gets tremendous satisfaction from media training and nurturing talent through the entire production process.
Regina Reyes
Journalist/Mentor/Advisor Independent
ABOUT
Regina Reyes
Ma. Regina Reyes was responsible for all newsgathering, content and strategic direction of the Integrated News Division of ABS-CBN Corporation. She has over 20 years of solid experience as a broadcast journalist. During her leadership, all news platforms of ABS-CBN – free-to-air, UHF and cable channels, digital, mobile and social media, radio and global became integrated. Reyes also established a Futures, Standards and Practices Group that aims to ensure the accuracy, balance and fairness of ABS-CBN News content.
Reyes joined ABS-CBN in 1986 as a Production Assistant, rose from the ranks to become Executive Producer and Head Writer of the award-winning late night newscast, The World Tonight. She supervised and produced live coverage of many special events, including the 2000 Impeachment Trial of former President Estrada. She was appointed News Director in 2001.
Prior to her promotion as SVP of Integrated News, Reyes was the network’s North America News Bureau Chief from 2002 to 2010. A premier news personality in the Filipino-American community, Reyes established and expanded ABS-CBN’s news operations in the US and Canada.
She covered issues on Philippine-US relations, Filipino-American community concerns and US politics, including the historic 2008 US presidential campaign and elections.
Reyes also helped in the community-building efforts of The Filipino Channel in North America. In 2007, she was named by the Filipina Women’s Network as one of the 100 Most Influential Filipino Women in the U.S.
Follow Reyes on Twitter @gingreyes and on Facebook/ging reyes
Deepti Sachdeva
Manager, Human Capital - Future of Learning Deloitte Australia
ABOUT
Deepti Sachdeva
Deepti is a multiplatform content producer with over a decade of experience in producing screen content. Over an exciting career so far she has produced award-winning television programs, short films, editorial projects, narrative learning films, animations, illustrations, games and online learning experiences in Asia and Australia. She has worked as a news & current affairs producer, talk show director & producer, documentary director, journalist, writer and communications consultant. In her current role working as a member of Be Learning's Solution team she consults with clients across multiple industries in finance, corporate and government to facilitate the alignment of organisational strategy and vision to active learning solutions.
Wan Haiz Salleh
Commissioning Editor Mediacorp Pte Ltd
ABOUT
Wan Haiz Salleh
Wan Haiz is a Commissioning Editor at Mediacorp. He has 24 years of experience in the media that includes 8 years as a TV child star and a year in production. He has commissioned and managed over 400 programmes in the last 15 years. He has developed multi-platform content across a plethora of genre. His works have won the hearts of the panel of jury at the New York Festivals TV & Film Awards, International Emmy Kids Awards, The WorldMediaFestivals, ContentAsia Awards, Asian Television Awards, Apollo Awards and Pesta Perdana Awards. He graduated with a Master of Communication degree from Wee Kim Wee School of Communication & Information at Nanyang Technological University, Singapore.
Laurent Sauvage
Creative Director France 3
ABOUT
Laurent Sauvage
Multi awards-winning broadcast, creative and strategic thinker.
47 years old, married, 2 children, Laurent has started his career as a copy writer in advertising agencies in Paris for Young and Rubicam, Lintas, TBWA, McCann Erickson. Laurent has created campaigns for Absolut Vodka, Honda, Sega and for many more other companies or products.
Consequently, Laurent joined France 2 (free to air channel), ‘’Dream-On,’’ ‘’Reservoir prod,’’ as a copy writer, creating and producing many promos, branding many successful tv shows.
Laurent has also participated, as the On-Air Director of Discovery Channel Southern Europe, in the building, marketing, launching and branding of Discovery tv channels across Italy, Spain, Portugal and France. Laurent also launched many tv programs and specialized in documentaries and life-time programs.
Laurent has joined France 3 (free to air channel) as the Creative Director, leading a team of 40 people, taking care of the national TV and 24 regions tv. Strategic On-Air creative services including campaigns, brands, promos, digital and marketing strategy.
Since September 2017, Laurent is also in charge of the France 3 Off Air department of 51 people.
Peter Schels
Managing Director Al Dente Eentertainment GmbH
ABOUT
Peter Schels
Former Acquisition executive of RTL television for films & series, producer and director of various entertainment programs in Germany.
Winner of more than 35 national and international awards for corporate and/or pr movies. Member of different international juries
Speaker on various events and high schools. Producer of, the “mother of all corporate movies/die Mutter aller Imagefilme” , Europe´s most successful corporate movie ever.
Meanwhile producing corporate movies in more than 50 countries worldwide.
Stefan Scholz
Director Visualizaton brandscape GmbH
ABOUT
Stefan Scholz
The graduate of business administration with the focus on marketing, cross-entered the world of media in 1993. After editorial services to the most successful Music video program on German television, his focus lies on the creation of industrial productions. With 25 pictures per second he emotionalizes people for over 23 years. His discipline is the realization of image-, event- brand-, TV-, cinema-, point of sale- and trade show – communication in moving image. As head of visual media, he sees the world in Full HD to 8K and finds communication the most interesting, when imagined in space. 20 terabytes are his constant companion.
Chris Schueler
President Christopher Productions
ABOUT
Chris Schueler
Chris Schueler has created over 100 television programs in the past 25 years that have garnered 24 Emmy® Awards and have been broadcast throughout the country and around the world. Winner of a Bronze, Silver, Gold and Grand Award from the New York Festivals, his focus is on educational and social issues. Mr. Schueler creates youth programming and social issue documentaries that are “Television to Touch the Heart.” His clients have included the United Nations, the National Institute of Mental Health, the PBS network, the CBS Network Foundation as well as networks and governments in 35 countries around the globe.
German Sela
Head of Brand Movistar+
ABOUT
German Sela
Since 1997 always involved in branding and promo.
His early days were in the cinema business where he was involved in the production, marketing and distribution strategy of more than 50 feature films as Head of Marketing. In those days he also worked as Music Supervisor for several of them
After that he moved, to pay TV at CANAL+ Spain where he was Creative Services Director (2004-2011) and Brand Director (2011-2015) running a DTH and OTT platforms and a portfolio of more than 20 channels.
His promos and branding works have received distinctions and awards at NY Festival, PROMAX, D&AD, ADCE Awards, LAUS...
Since 2015 he’s running and developing Movistar+, the new brand that results from the merge of CANAL+ Spain and Movistar (Telefonica Group). CONVERGENCE is the Sign of the Times….
Andrey Skvortsov
CEO Mercator Group
ABOUT
Andrey Skvortsov
CEO and co-founder of the Mercator Company
Industrial advertising expert. Author of sales/marketing, PR and IR films and presentations for Russian and European companies, such as Kaspersky, PwC, Vimetco, Sberbank, Russian Railways, Gazprom, ММК, Yota, Orange, Moscow Exchange, Rostelekom, Rosnano, Sibur and others.
Supervisor for information graphics at Russia-1, Russia-24, and Moscow-24 TV-channels. Member of the Academy of Russian Television. Weather presenter and travel show host on NTV.
Writes an articles, marketing and public speaking blog for Harvard Business Review Russia. Developed and teaches “Information Graphics,” “Visual Allegories,” “Presentation Film” and “Public Speaking” courses. Teaches the pubic speaking class at Skolkovo business school.
Author of «The Stanislavsky Method for Public Speakers» cartoon.
Actor and skydiver.
Ed: Faculty of Geography, Moscow State University(1994), MBA (AIBEc)(2004), Robert McKee’s story seminar(2007), Harvard Business School (OPM-38)(2009), Acting School (prof. Teplyakov class)(2014)
Jessica Soho
Broadcast Journalist GMA Networks
ABOUT
Jessica Soho
Jessica Soho is the most awarded broadcast journalist in the Philippines with more than two hundred fifty (250) local awards and more than thirty (30) international awards to date. She is the first Filipina to receive a George Foster Peabody Award for her documentaries on the illegal trade of kidneys and the harrowing plight of Filipino boxers. Her coverage of Super Typhoon Haiyan(local name:Yolanda) in 2013 was instrumental in winning the fourth (4th) George Foster Peabody Award for GMA News and Public Affairs.
Soho is also a Hall of Fame recipient of Reader’s Digest Asia "Most Trusted News Presenter” award, having been bestowed with it for eight consecutive times. In August 2018, she received the UP Gawad Plaridel, the highest honor given by the University of the Philippines system to a media practitioner. She has interviewed UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon, former US President Jimmy Carter, US Defense Secretary Ashton Carter and Filipino immunologist Dr. Katherine Luzuriaga, one of the Time Magazine's 100 Most Influential People of 2013, among many others.
Her overseas assignments include the coverage of the conflict in Afghanistan ( where she and her team survived a landmine) and Pakistan, the exile of the Marcoses in Hawaii, the Hongkong Handover in 1997, the traditional Christmas Tree Lighting at the Whitehouse in 2005 with former US First Lady Laura Bush, the inauguration of United State President Barack Obama in 2008, the Royal Wedding of Prince William and Catherine Duchess of Cambridge in 2011 and the canonization of Pope John Paul II in 2014.
With a career spanning more than three decades from the fall of the Marcos dictatorship to the restoration of democracy in the Philippines, she started covering the military and defense beats in 1985. In 1991, her report on the hostage crisis in northern Philippines earned a Bronze Award in the New York Film and Television Festival.
Soho served as First Vice President for News Programs of GMA Network until 2014. Under herleadership, the network soared to be the country's leading and most credible broadcast news organization. Soho was the driving force behind the creation of I-Witness, the highly-acclaimed documentary series of GMA-7. She also pioneered the Special Assignments Team which produces investigative and enterprise stories. She has also served as juror for the International Emmy Awards since 2010.
Currently, Soho is the anchor of GMA News TV's flagship newscast. State of the Nation with Jessica Soho, host of top-rating magazine show, Kapuso Mo, Jessica Soho, and chief correspondent/ host of the investigative news magazine program, Brigada. Her premium on in-depth analysis is once again showcased in her live remote anchoring and coverage duties from Itogon, Benguet, where a massive landslide killed over 50 people. She continues to engage reporters on a wide range of timely news events, such as monsoon flooding, Mayon Volcano’s restive activity, Chinese intrusion in Philippine waters, and boxer Manny Pacquiao’s victory, to name a few. Soho graduated from the University of the Philippinesin Diliman, Quezon City with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Journalism.
Mikhail Solodovnikov
General Manager and Chief Creative Officer, Founder T&R and Portable.TV
ABOUT
Mikhail Solodovnikov
During his ten years as GM, Mikhail has developed and successfully launched over a dozen of award-winning TV talk shows, news programs and special series such as prime-time blockbuster "News with Rick Sanchez,” late-night show "Dennis Miller Plus One" with SNL alumni comedian Dennis Miller, financial show “Boom Bust”, the Emmy-nominated “On Contact” with Pulitzer-prize winning journalist Chris Hedges, “America’s Lawyer” with hall-of- fame lawyer Mike Papantonio, "World According to Jesse” with former Minnesota Governor Jesse Ventura, “The Big Picture” with Holland Cooke, daytime shows “In Question”, “Redacted Tonight”, “Watching The Hawks”, "Eat The Press", “Just Press Play” and "Sports HQ".
In 2013 he spearheaded the launch of "PoliticKING” with legendary broadcaster Larry King on RT America. This iconic daily show was on the air for 7 years.
Mikhail is the founder of digital platform Portable.TV. Its users can stream news and talk shows, sports, comedy, documentaries, video game reviews, travel guides, science and technology documentaries. Portable.TV is an official partner of the National Hockey League (NHL) since 2020. Same year Portable.TV began offering instant digital access to Kontinental Hockey League (KHL) content to fans worldwide and till this day it remains the only mobile and smart TV app to deliver both European and North American professional hockey.
Mikhail has established a career in media industry and is recipient of several awards, including 2 Gold PROMAX North America Excellence Awards for Best Art Direction in News. He serves as Director on the Board of International Academy of Television Arts and Sciences. Mikhail resides in Washington DC, outside of his professional life, he enjoys playing tennis and golf.
Pete Stevenson
Director The Edge Picture Company
ABOUT
Pete Stevenson
Pete has been a Director of The Edge Picture Company for over 25 years. He’s responsible for managing client relationships and delivering creative solutions for organisations and brands across the world. He brings extensive experience and passion to every project, always looking for ways to use the power of film to grab attention and change perceptions. He speaks regularly to client leadership groups large and small and runs sessions on the Psychology of Film and its role in Behaviour Change. He’s also been closely involved over many years as a Taskforce member with Government-sponsored Engage for Success, an organisation focusing on inspiring and fostering better engagement across the UK. Pete’s work has garnered hundreds of international awards over the years, including the prestigious Grand Prix at the EVCOM London Film Awards. In 2021 The Edge Picture Company was chosen by the New York Film & TV Festivals as their Production Company of the Year for a record 15 years in succession.
Scott Takeda
Director/Storyteller Takeda Entertainment, INC.
ABOUT
Scott Takeda
By training, Scott really should be working on the next generation Apple device or creating a data storage matrix for NASA. He intended to get an electrical engineering degree, but in his sophomore year, his brain circuits shorted after he got a C. (His first, ever.) So he switched majors to journalism and started his lifelong pursuit of telling stories. After a decade in news, he opened Takeda Entertainment to expand his storytelling to clients, picking up six regional Emmys along the way. Interesting trivia: Scott works on both sides of the camera. If you’re a regular viewer of ‘General Hospital,’ you will see him pop up now and then as Judge Richard Lowe. (Cue faraway stare into the distance.)
Andre Takeda
VP Creative Services, LatAm Warner Bros. Discovery
ABOUT
Andre Takeda
I was VP Creative Services at FOX Networks Group Latin America, leading the in-house team responsible for all marketing campaigns and branding for more than 15 channels. Now that FOX is a Disney company, I was Head of Creative Services for The Walt Disney Company Latin America, expanding my role to other lines of business. I managed a team of 120+ creatives, producers and editors in all the region.
My team was awarded in Cannes Lions, D&AD, Clio, El Ojo de Iberoamérica, One Show, Promax, New York Festivals Advertising and the Program Promotion Team of the Year at the New York Festivals TV & Film. I was part of the jury of Promax Global, The New York Festivals TV & Film, Argentine Creative Circle, Venice TV Award and El Ojo de Iberoamérica.
I started my career as a copywriter in Brazil before moving to Argentina. Besides helping other people’s ideas come to life, I love street photography and I have three books published in Brazil and Portugal.
Chih Chong Tan
Executive Producer Sitting in Pictures Pte Ltd
ABOUT
Chih Chong Tan
With 25 years of experience in the local film and television industry behind him, Chih Chong brings along with him both depth and breadth gained over a broad spectrum of works in factual entertainment, magazine, comedy, drama and feature film projects. Since graduating with a B.Sc in film production from the University of Texas at Austin, Chih Chong has proved his mettle in this extremely volatile and competitive industry in Singapore having done work for companies as diverse as MediaCorp, National Geographic Channel, Discovery Channel, Fremantle Media, Voom Networks, AETN, CTN, RTM, and many others. Chih Chong also dabbled in feature films and was a producer on the highly successful Singapore film, Forever Fever.
Nessa S. Valdellon
First Vice President & Senior Vice President GMA Public Affairs & GMA Pictures
ABOUT
Nessa S. Valdellon
Nessa S. Valdellon has worked in television for over two decades as a producer, an executive producer, and a production manager of documentaries, magazine shows, reality TV programs and historical dramas. She is now Senior Vice President, GMA Pictures and First Vice President for GMA Public Affairs, which produces 27 of the most awarded television programs in the Philippines.
Valdellon began her career as a producer for the investigative news magazine program The Probe Team. She would later pioneer in the reality genre in the Philippines with several hit programs such as Wish and Extra Challenge. She produced Out! the first show in a primarily Catholic nation to focus on gay, lesbian and transgender rights. She co-wrote and produced social realist dramas My Hometown (Bayan Ko) and Teacher (Titser). She supervised historical dramas on Philippine heroes for primetime television. Her work has won various international awards for GMA Network.
Alfred Vendl
Director of Science Visualization Lab Department of Digital Art University of Applied Arts Vienna
ABOUT
Alfred Vendl
Natural Science:
Studies of Material Science at Technical University of Vienna, PhD, Univ. Prof., Research Scientist at Imperial College /University of London, England, University Freiburg/Breisgau, Germany, University of California - San Diego La Jolla, USA , Max-Planck-Institute of Metal-Research Stuttgart, Germany.
Film and Television:
Education as Cameraman in Vienna, Free-lance Cameraman since 1968, since 1970 work for ORF (Austrian Television) as cameraman, writer, director, producer and host of scientific talk-shows.
Writer, director and/or producer of more than 200 prime-time documentaries for ORF, ARD, ZDF, WDR, BR, ARTE, BBC, Discovery, Smithsonian, WNET, etc.
Many international TV-Awards, Emmy-Award 2008 for “Nature Tech”.
Since 2016 director of Science Visualization Lab at Department of Digital Art University of Applied Arts Vienna.
Margaux Veramesse
Cheffe de Projet Vidéo E-magineursRamon Verdet
Creative Director AMC Networks International Southern Europe
ABOUT
Ramon Verdet
Based in Madrid, Ramón Verdet is the creative director at AMC Networks Southern Europe, leading thematic channel company in Spain and Portugal. His works have achieved with more than 100 international awards including The New York Festivals, Promax, Clio, Laus,… Also directed documentary series and wrote and took part as musical composer for many of his works.
Podcast writing and directing, he believes that there is no limits for storytelling because, at the end of the day, we all need a good story to move on.
Brian Vos
Executive Producer Jump Studios Ltd
ABOUT
Brian Vos
A broadcast and marketing executive, Brian’s experience includes live and post-produced programming, corporate communications, media strategy and buying, brand marketing and project management.
His credits as television producer include sports, music/variety, drama, documentary, public affairs, and comedy. In the field of post-production and broadcast design, his work includes network identity packages, broadcast design packages and commercials.
Clients include ESPN/ABC, Star Choice, Teletoon, HBO, ATCO, Alabama Power, AARP, Intact Insurance to name a few.
Brian’s work has earned him an Emmy nomination for the NBA Draft, multiple gold and silver Broadcast Design Awards, numerous NY Festivals, Telly, Pixie, Davey, Summit awards.
Chan Wai Tong
Executive Producer Radio Television Hong Kong
ABOUT
Chan Wai Tong
Chan Wai Tong is an Executive Producer. He graduated from Film College and obtained a Master of Cultural Studies. He started his career at stage and film production. He is a Examiners(Film and Media Arts) of Hong Kong Arts Development Council. He has experience producing and directing drama and documentary, always striving to find the best way to tell a story with heart and emotion. He has won more than 50 awards, such as:
Chicago International TV Competition - Gold Plaque (Direction)
US International Film & Video Festival - Gold Camera Award.
Houston International Film Festival- Platinum Award
Berkeley Video & Film Festival- Best of Festival
The Aurora Awards- Platinum Best of Show
Columbus International Film & Video Festival- Honorable Mention
The Accolade Competition- Award of Excellence (Direction)
USA The Videographer Awards- TV/Directing Award of Excellence
Asian Television Awards
Hong Kong Youth Literary Awards
Telly Awards
Meg Wells
Director/Filmmaker Independent
ABOUT
Meg Wells
Meg is an award-winning filmmaker, development executive and branded entertainment leader. She has built and led internal and stand alone content studios, has helmed creative and production teams across the globe, and is deeply experienced in authentic and human-centered storytelling. She has worked with major international brands + clients, some of which include: Red Bull, Sony Entertainment, the Olympic Games, Google, Under Armour, Gillette, Lego, Dell, Paris St Germain, BeIN Sports, the NBA, MLB, PGA, NASCAR, Fox Sports, Oakley, Gatorade, Ziploc, Delta Airlines, Acura, J&J and the Home Depot.
As a filmmaker and director, she has written and directed more than a dozen multi-episodic and branded content series, and several feature length documentaries. As an Executive Producer and Development Executive, she has commissioned and produced content for major distribution partners and brands, and as a Consultant, she is sought after for her ability to deeply understand human motivation + value systems, and strategically engineer powerful, audience centric narratives for brands to engage in more uniquely authentic ways.
Currently, Meg is consulting for brands and agencies looking to build studios and create original IP in the branded entertainment space, works as a Fractional Chief Content Officer, Development Executive, EP and Showrunner, and takes on a limited number of commercial + short film directing opportunities for production companies across the globe.
Previously, she was the Executive Producer and Head of Content House for Under Armour, where she built the Under Armour Originals brand and in-house Branded Content Studio, was an Executive Producer and Showrunner for Red Bull Media House, leading a world-wide team of producer, directors and creators supporting all of RBMH’s global broadcasts, was a Senior Producer/ Director for Turner Sports and instrumental in the launch of the NBAtv OTT and linear channels, as well as NBA Digital and NBA.com, and worked across a portfolio of additional Sports properties, developing award-winning brand and image campaigns, documentary and long-form content. She started her career as a Producer + Director in news and entertainment at CNN and TBS.
Hugh Welsh
President DSM North America
ABOUT
Hugh Welsh
Mr. Hugh C. Welsh is the President and General Counsel of DSM North America a global leader in Life Sciences and Material Sciences. Traded on the Amsterdam stock exchange with 24,000 employees world wide and $12 billion in annual sales, DSM develops, manufactures and sells nutritional and food ingredients, biomedical materials, specialty plastics and resins, fibers and renewable energy. Mr. Welsh currently serves on several DSM global and regional management teams and has direct responsibilities in DSM’s nutrition and food specialties operations as well as responsibility for legal, government affairs, corporate communications, finance, HR and other shared services, corporate partnerships and DSM’s sustainability, inclusion and diversity initiatives in the region North America. Hugh currently serves on the Board of Directors of, Partners in Food Solutions, the US Chamber of Commerce Corporate Citizens Center, Seafood Nutrition Partnership, Patheon, and Africa Improved Foods. He previously served on the board of BIO, the American Chemistry Council.
Jan Westphal
Head of Producers RTL Television and RTL Medien Gruppe (RTL GROUP)
ABOUT
Jan Westphal
Jan Westphal is currently Head of Producers of RTL Television Germany. He previously served as Managing Director of the TV production company PRODUCTION EINS based in Cologne, Germany and also he was Executive Producer for Entertainment and Show at RTL Television. During his tenure he was, among others, the Executive Producer of German Idol, The German Music Awards and The German Television Awards. Prior to his Job at RTL TV he was a presenter, writer and programme manager for VOX TV, Deutsche Welle and NBC.
In his early days Jan was Head of Entertainment at Antenne Bayern, Germanys number one radio station, co-founder of Campus Radio in Munich and the former press spokesman of the Festival of Young Artists in Bayreuth.
Jan Westphal was a lecturer at the University of Munich as well as the University of Applied Sciences in Cologne. He also served as a UN media observer during the first free presidential elections in Namibia.
In 2008 Jan Westphal won the German Television Award for Best Entertainment (German Idol)
Ellen Windemuth
CEO WaterBear Network
ABOUT
Ellen Windemuth
Ellen is the CEO of WaterBear Network, overseeing the strategy and direction of the new free streaming platform dedicated to the future of our planet.
Prior to WaterBear, Ellen was owner and CEO of Off the Fence, having founded the company in 1994. Under her leadership, Off the Fence acquired, produced, and co-produced over 6,000 hours of content.
Ellen is a seasoned Executive Producer and Distributor and has produced over 500 hours to date herself. She executive produced My Octopus Teacher, which won this year’s BAFTA and Oscar for Best Feature Documentary. She is the Chair of the Jackson Wild Film Festival Board, Honorary President of the Sunnyside Doc 2019 festival in La Rochelle, France and is active in conservation and land development. Ellen was presented with Wildscreen’s Christopher Parson’s Outstanding Achievement Awards 2018. She has three children and a great passion for the outdoors.
Noel Wong Ying Fei
Executive Producer Xebec Media Ltd.
ABOUT
Noel Wong Ying Fei
Noel started his profession as a print and television journalist and was a war correspondent in Pakistan right after the 911 Attack. With his fervent aspirations for Chinese arts and crafts, he not only wishes to promote this heritage but also to nurture the next generation. 2012, He worked together with Ray Mak to create a documentary - Soul of China, which won several international awards. 2017, they produce their second feature length documentary - Water of Life and Death, again won several international awards, including Gold World Medal and UNDPI Silver award of New York Festival Awards.
Wing Yan Wu
Producer Radio Television Hong KongGuillermo Yborra
Production Supervisor The Walt Disney Company
ABOUT
Guillermo Yborra
I’ve been working on Pay TV channels since 2005.
Now I am the Production Supervisor for The Walt Disney Company.
We, on the Creative Service Department the EMEA Kids Hub and produce Disney Junior in 14 languages, Spanish channels as well as support Off Air campaigns, AdSales, Affiliates and Disney+.
Toshie Yoshida
President TI ComNet Japan
ABOUT
Toshie Yoshida
Toshie Yoshida's career in the broadcasting industry spans more than 30 years. Prior to establishing TI ComNet, she worked as an announcer in Japan and the U.S. After returning to Japan, she worked as a producer on a number of programs.
In 2001, she established TI ComNet Japan, which specializes in translation, dubbing, film coordination, and program sales for broadcast content. In recent years, she has been lecturing and writing about the overseas development of local content.
Tatjana Zivanovic-Wegele
Executive Producer Luxlotusliner
ABOUT
Tatjana Zivanovic-Wegele
Tatjana Živanović-Wegele is Executive Producer of the design and branding agency Luxlotusliner in Munich.
Born in Belgrade, graduated piano at the University of Music and Performing Arts in Graz / Austria. Gained further education as producer for broadcast, branding design and event in Munich /Germany.
Since 1991, she has been working as musician, composer, musical director, artist and producer for media and arts together with contemporary artists, directors and theatres.
Since 2002, she has been working as creative executive producer, consultant and controller as direct link between the creative department and the customer, for art, industrial clients and Broadcasters worldwide with award winning projects.