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Jez Bell
Broadcast & Online Licensing Director
MCPS-PRS Alliance
Jez Bell headed up the Online business unit at the MCPS-PRS Alliance from 2004, and is now the Alliance's Broadcast and Online Licensing Director, responsible for delivering the company's broadcast, online and mobile licensing strategy and overseeing its customer relationships. He has a long experience in copyright licensing and administration and negotiated the first ever European collecting society deals with iTunes and YouTube, played a key role in the Joint Online Licence Copyright Tribunal reference and more recently negotiated the first pan-European 'Option 3' deals with Omnifone and iTunes.
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Chris Birrell
Digital Formats Label Manager
Demon Music Group
Chris has over 12 years experience working in the catalogue music business on both physical and digital repertoire across a variety of music styles including world music, soul and funk, dance, and rock and pop . He currently manages Demon Music Group’s digital music division. His commercial role at Demon is focused on new deals with digital and mobile music stores around the world alongside general management of the label and overall strategy to grow Demon’s digital business, and maximise revenue from the high profile artists and catalogues represented.
Demon Music is part of the 2entertain group and is a leading catalogue exploitation company as well as one of the biggest independent music companies in the UK. Demon represents digitally Al Green, T-Rex, Ian Dury, The Farm and Gillan as well as the famous Philadelphia International, Trax Records and Hi Cream catalogues. Demon has negotiated digital deals with BBC Worldwide to represent digitally key children’s brands such as Charlie & Lola, In The Night Garden and Space Pirates.
Chris previously trained on the respected West Lothian College Music Business Administration course and studied Law at Strathclyde University.
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Laura Chaibi
Media Research Manager
Orange
Laura currently heads up Media Research for Orange Home UK supporting revenue generating teams for web and mobile as well as supporting the industry growth of digital advertising in the UK and across Europe.
She is actively involved with the IAB (Internet Advertising Bureau UK) and the EIAA (European Interactive Advertising Association) research initiatives and is on the technical steering committee for JICIMS (Joint Industry Committee for Internet Measurement Systems); the initiative working towards an online media planning currency in the UK. She is also actively supporting mobile measurement initiatives.
Previously, Laura specialised in understanding new media metrics, emerging digital technology and new media consumer trends across internet, mobile and interactive TV. She continues to explore and research new digital platforms and advertising opportunities with the onset of IPTV and mobile display advertising in the UK market.
In the last 10 years she has worked for companies including the BBC, AOL UK and Tourism Australia. She is also a qualified marketer holding an Advanced Certificate in Marketing from the Chartered Institute in Marketing.
Laura is originally from Vancouver, Canada and has lived in the UK since 1998.
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Stuart Collingwood
Vice President EMEA
Sling Media
Mr Collingwood joined Sling Media in June, 2006 and has responsibility for all of the company’s European operations including partnerships, country and territory expansion and strategic planning.
For the three years prior to joining Sling Media, Mr Collingwood advised pay TV providers, digital media companies and technology start-ups on the launch of new digital platforms and technology. He also served as Vice President EMEA for Liberate and spent eight years at Fujitsu-ICL. Mr Collingwood is based in London.
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Lisa Cowie
Senior Executive, Digital Research
Viacom Brand Solutions, A division of MTV Networks International
Lisa Cowie coordinates digital research within Viacom Brand Solutions International (VBSi), the sales house for MTV Networks. Having helped establish digital research within the company, Lisa has seen huge change in the role and importance of understanding digital media and its consumers.
She and the rest of the Insight team at VBSi are responsible for providing compelling, engaging and reliable consumer/audience insights, which drive the ad sales business.
Understanding the audience and youth culture today is at the heart of Insight in VBSi.
Prior to MTV, Lisa worked within the social trends division at the Office for National Statistics. She has a BSc Honors in Sociology & Media from Loughborough University.
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Russel Coultart
Managing Director
Digital Stores Limited
Russel Coultart is the Managing Director of Digital Stores Limited, which he founded with 2 partners in 2000 and has been running ever since.
The company is an online retail service provider running D2C online e-commerce stores for some of the biggest names in music, including The Beatles, Oasis, Queen and EMI Records as well as a growing portfolio of Character brands including Postman Pat and Bob the Builder, Cartoon Network TV and Nickelodeon TV The company also owns and operates the online store recordstore.co.uk.
Russel is a board member of the Entertainment Retailers Association, Chairman of the ERA Digital trade body and a member of the Official Chart Company's digital download committee.
Russel has had a varied and dynamic career. He first worked as a broker in the city, then moved to a career in the music industry, initially as a recording studio engineer, then setting up and running a record label, Transient Records and working as, a musician, recording artist, and DJ, and running club nights in Hawaii and London, before starting Digital Stores.
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Simon Danker
Director, Digital Media
BBC Worldwide
Simon Danker was appointed as Director, Digital Media in June 2006. Simon heads up the team responsible for widening the availability of programmes on multiple platforms including Video-on-demand, the Internet and mobiles.
Key responsibilities include working with all divisions within BBC Worldwide on digital media initiatives and brokering global partnerships, such as content partnerships with YouTube and MySpaceTV for the delivery of clips on BBC Worldwide branded channels. In addition to this, in February 2008 Simon was responsible for striking a deal with download service iTunes which saw BBC Worldwide become the first UK broadcaster to offer television content on iTunes.
Simon joined BBC Worldwide in 2000. Prior to taking up this new role he was Director of UK and Ireland TV within BBC Worldwide's Global TV Sales division. Simon has managed and grown the development of programme sales to Video on Demand (VoD) platforms such as BT and Homechoice. In addition to selling programmes to broadcasters in the UK and Ireland, Simon was responsible for growing the relationship with UKTV, in which BBC Worldwide has a 50% stake.
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Ben Drury
COO
7digital
Ben began his career in 1996 as a founder of dotmusic.com, an internal venture at United News and Media. Dotmusic quickly became a leading online music destination attracting over 1.8m unique users per month (in 1999). In 2000 Ben was headhunted by BT Group to head up the broadband music efforts at their ISP BT Openworld. As Head of Music at BT, Ben successfully launched a major music channel before leading the acquisition of his old company dotmusic in 2002. At BT, Ben pioneered music and video downloads on dotmusic with the UK 's first unlimited subscription offer. Following the partnership between BT and Yahoo! to form BT Yahoo! in 2003, Ben engineered the sale of dotmusic to Yahoo!
In January 2004, Ben founded 7 Digital with James Kane . 7 Digital currently powers over 350 successful download services including Live8, X Factor, Amnesty International's "Make Some Noise" project and Coldplay, with over two million tracks and 50,000 videos downloaded to date.
Outside work, Ben enjoys mountaineering, squash and playing guitar and is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts (FRSA).
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Simon Fell
Director of Technology
ITV Consumer
Simon Fell is the Director of Technology for ITV Consumer. He has been with ITV since 1991.
Having been involved with ITV since before the merger of Carlton and Granada Simon has seen much change and development as Digital Television and the Internet have transformed the media landscape. Throughout that time he has been deeply involved in operations and engineering and in recent years has established and run ITV’s Emerging Technologies unit that has helped pilot and rollout new platforms for ITV.
Since the establishment of ITV Consumer he has lead the technology team behind the rollout of new mobile and broadband initiatives.
Within ITV he has been championing HDTV, which has led to the successful HDTV trial on DTT in the London area. He is a member of the DTG Council and the chairman of the DTG’s UK High Definition Forum. He is also a Fellow of the Royal Television Society and represents UK Broadcasters on the EBU Technical Committee.
He has had thirty years' experience as an Engineer in the Television Industry; previous jobs include Director of Engineering for Rushes, Chief Engineer of 625 and Electronic Engineering at Channel Four. He has also worked in America with Rank Cintel USA and in Leeds with Yorkshire Television.
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Alison Fennah
Executive Director
European Interactive Advertising Association
Alison Fennah is Executive Director of the European Interactive Advertising Association, the pan-European trade organisation for sellers of interactive media. Alison helped to launch the organisation in 2002 and has overseen the development of a wide-ranging activity programme involving EIAA members, media agencies and advertisers with the aim of growing the European interactive advertising market. Prior to her work with the EIAA, Alison worked as a European Marketing and PR Manager for Yahoo! Her involvement in interactive entertainment and technology began in the early 1990s marketing PC games and continued with the launch of some of the first Sony Playstation products. Fluent in French, Spanish and Portuguese, she has a BA Combined Honours in Modern Languages from Birmingham University.
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Marc Gareton
Executive VP - International
Warner Bros.
Marc Gareton is Warner Bros. Digital Distribution Executive Vice President in charge of International where he has responsibility for the Studio’s Digital strategy and runs the P&L for the division.
Prior to that he was S.V.P for Warner Home Video Business Decision Support, providing business executives with actionable information around the world and managing the company’s Balanced Scorecard. He led WHV’s Global Business Transformation from 2004 to 2005. Marc was S.V.P WHV for Latin America, Canada, Australia, New Zealand from 2002 to 2004 after being Managing Director of WHV Australia New Zealand where he migrated a VHS rental market to a DVD retail business in a short period of time. Before, he held a senior Marketing position at WHV France where he created a number of industry initiatives for the studio and coordinated the European DVD launch.
Prior to WB, Marc worked at Group Moulinex/Krups in Marketing roles across Europe. He’s a graduate from Reims Management School.
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Alex Gibbons
Director of Digital Media Europe
Akamai
Alex Gibbons is Director, Digital Media Sales EMEA at Akamai. Gibbons is responsible for all Akamai’s commercial interests across Northern, Southern and Central Europe, specifically for the Digital Media Industry. His primary responsibility is to lead and support the local management and their teams in customer acquisition and ensure that excellence is achieved in all implementations across Broadcast, Radio, Gaming, Film, Social Networking, Portals, Search, Music and Mobile-Media industry segments. He joined Akamai in 2000 as one of the first Major Account Executives for Europe.
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Tim Hadley
Director
Omnifone
As PR Director at Omnifone, Tim has been instrumental in the successful launch of MusicStation, the award winning unlimited music download service, at 3GSM World Congress 2007 and MusicStation Max, the world's first pre-licensed unlimited music phone, at Mobile World Congress 2008. Tim has worked with Omnifone since the beginning of 2007, seeing its successful launches through Europe, Africa and Asia-Pacific. The company recently won the Best Mobile Music award at Mobile World Congress in Barcelona. With a decade's experience in mobile, gaming and new media sectors in a variety of agency, in-house and consulting roles, Tim has worked with a wide range of major players including Microsoft, InfoSpace, HTC and Orange UK.
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Karl Heisler
Director Business Development DigitalWorks Europe
Sony DADC
Karl Heisler is Director Business Development Europe at Sony DADC where he has responsibility for Digital Content Services. Karl has more than 10 years experience in the content and telecommunication industry supporting the successful launch of various content portals at Sony and Vodafone.
Previous experience includes IP TV portal launches for broadcasters (ProSieben and Austrian national broadcaster ORF) and first broadband VOD portals for Telekom Austria.
Karl studied computer science and economy where he graduated at the University of Salzburg. He worked for a range of companies in the telecommunication industry including IBM, Informix and POET before he joined Sony in 1999.
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Shawn Hopwood
Senior Director Licensing & Evangelism
Dolby Laboratories
Shawn Hopwood is Director of Internet Technologies at Dolby Laboratories. He is a Silicon Valley veteran who brings more than 15 years of experience to the rich-media online technology space. In his current role, Mr. Hopwood manages Dolby's role in the emerging Internet Content Delivery arena.
Dolby Laboratories is the industry's leading provider of audio solutions for the mobile, digital broadcasting, and Internet markets globally.
Mr. Hopwood has worked to advance the media technology field at such innovate companies such as Apple Computer and SGI. At Apple Mr. Hopwood oversaw the Interactive Media Evangelism Group responsible for Apple's multimedia software technologies including QuickTime, QuickDraw 3D, Speech and ColorSync technologies. During his time with Apple, Mr. Hopwood successfully oversaw the launch of more than 150 third-party products based on Apple's technology. At SGI, Mr. Hopwood served as senior product line manager, where he was responsible for overseeing the product marketing, and industry adoption efforts for OpenGL, SGI's flagship 3D technology.
Mr. Hopwood is a frequent speaker on industry panels and trade discussions at technology conferences and events around the world, and has been a panelist at numerous industry events, including, Digital Hollywood, iHollywood, Seybold, MacWorld, and Intel Developer forums.
In 1991, he was honored as one of the 50 Leaders of the Future in Ebony Magazine, and has been listed in the Who's Who of Computer Executives and U.S. Executives. He studied architecture and fine arts while attending the New York Institute of Technology in Westbury, NY.
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Gideon Lask
e-commerce Director
HMV
With over ten years of E-commerce experience, Gideon runs the online business at HMV. As Director of E-commerce Gideon is responsible for HMV.com, HMV’s digital services, and HMV’s new social discovery site, Getcloser.com. At peak HMV.com receives well over 10m visits per month, and represents 10% of HMV’s total sales. Before joining HMV four years ago, Gideon Lask was managing director of LetsBuyIt.com, and prior to that a management consultant at Ernst & Young.
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Simon Morris
Marketing Director
Lovefilm
Simon Morris is a Londoner and a graduate of the European Business School in 1987. His career began at Lintas Worldwide advertising Agency, where he worked on various Unilever accounts, as well as Boddingtons, Japan Airlines and Virgin as account director.
He crossed over to a marketing role with SEGA UK at the start of the legendary games wars in the early 90’s as UK marketing director.
In 1994 he moved to become consumer Marketing Director of BSkyB for 2 years, and stayed in television as Marketing Director of Ginger Television Productions. During this time his own consultancy firm helped Lego Media break into international television, and also provided marketing for the launch of Autonomy in 1997.
From 1998-2001 he was a co-founder of the dot.com content super brand 365 Corp.
He has been involved with Arts Alliance Media in the creation of LOVEFiLM since the beginning of 2004. The company has won through a fiercely competitive market as the largest online DVD rental company in both the UK and Europe with a million subscribers. It has recently completed a deal to acquire Amazons rental customers,in an agreement which also saw Amazon invest in Lovefilm and become its largest shareholder.
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David Maher Roberts
CEO
The Filter
David Maher Roberts is an entrepreneurial executive with web start-up and international new media experience.
After completing European Economics and Law and Advanced Management programs, Mr. Roberts began his career as a magazine editor and publisher. At the young age of 24, he successfully raised the funds to launch Unique, the first student lifestyle magazine, and The Game, a European football magazine.
With roots firmly in content and fulfilling specific information and entertainment needs, Mr. Roberts went on to become the publishing director at Future Games in 2001. There he served as the board director responsible for the entire portfolio of 10 magazines, 2 websites, and 80 employees. After 2 years, he founded Future Plus, a creative agency to provide tailor-made print and digital content solutions for Future’s advertisers. As Future Plus’s publishing director, Mr. Roberts generated revenues of more than 8 million dollars in just over 2 years. From June 2004-December 2006, he also served as the New Media Director for Future’s European web operations.
After leaving Future, Mr. Roberts served as the New Media director at iSporty, where he provided the founders with a launch strategy and platform for their sport social network and he was a founder and senior partner of Digital-dna LLP, where he consulted on creating and implementing web strategies for their clients.
In his spare time, Mr. Roberts plays, watches, and coaches football and passionately makes and listens to music. He lives with his wife and two children outside of Bath.
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Dermot Nolan
Director General
Digital TV Group
Dermot Nolan has over twenty-five years experience in the television and telecommunications industries spanning broadcasting, consumer electronics, mobile, regulation, satellite, semiconductors and telecommunications.
With a background in strategic consultancy, management, industry and regulatory affairs he brings a broad perspective to the complex issues currently facing the UK and international digital television industries. Previous experience includes HDTV policy debates, mobile television, IPTV systems, satellite pay-tv, semiconductor industries, digital television, competition policy and regulatory policy affecting UK and EU convergence industries.
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Kevin Obi
Senior VP, Digital Assets
NBC Universal International
Kevin Obi is Senior Vice President of Digital Assets at NBC Universal International.
Based in London, Mr Obi is responsible for leading the strategy and development of NBC Universal’s Digital Assets in the international market. This includes the creation, expansion and operation of owned and branded broadband and wireless assets.
Kevin Obi and his team will also lead digital international alliances across the business and support any related mergers, acquisitions and investments from the NBC Universal/ GE Peacock Private Equity Fund.
Prior to his appointment in June 2007, Mr Obi was Director of Synergy Inc, where he led execution of major strategic and business development activities for telecoms and new media organizations. Before that, he was Director of Corporate Development for Orange UK, where he was responsible for business development, innovation and led convergence initiatives across Orange and France Telecom in the UK.
Mr Obi also worked as a Management Consultant in the telecoms and media practice of Deloitte Consulting/Braxton Associates, and before this, spent his early career working as an Engineer.
Kevin Obi has Bachelors and Master degrees in Engineering and an MBA from Cranfield School of Management, UK.
NBC Universal is one of the world's leading media and entertainment companies in the development, production, and marketing of entertainment, news, and information to a global audience. Formed in May 2004 through the combining of NBC and Vivendi Universal Entertainment, NBC Universal owns and operates a valuable portfolio of news and entertainment networks, a premier motion picture company, significant television production operations, a leading television stations group, and world-renowned theme parks. NBC Universal is 80%-owned by General Electric, with 20% controlled by Vivendi.
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Chuck Parker
EVP International DVD and Global EDS
Thomson / Technicolor Home Entertainment Services
Charles (Chuck) Parker is Executive Vice President for Technicolor Home Entertainment Services. Since 2003, Parker has overseen all aspects of Technicolor's European video, DVD, and CD manufacturing and distribution operations. This includes managing turnkey fulfillment and distribution services, all facets of inventory management & warehousing, invoicing and collections, as well as managing the commercial relationship of Technicolor Home Entertainment customers and the P&L of the THES business in Europe. Mr Parker has additionally managed the THES business in Australasia since 2005; and since 2006, he has been responsible for the creation and the worldwide launch of a business dedicated to the electronic distribution of video to the home.
Mr Parker joined the company in 1996 and has held several senior management positions since his appointment, including CIO of Technicolor. Prior to joining the company he was a combat arms officer serving the US army. He holds an MBA from the University of Notre Dame, where he graduated with honors.
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Adrian Pope
Director of Digital and Business Development
[PIAS] Entertainment Group
Adrian Pope’s background and career have been centred upon business development and strategic opportunities presented by new and emerging media for companies in the entertainment sectors.
Adrian’s specific experience benefits from having worked at a senior level on both sides of the fence when it comes to the means by which entertainment properties are brought to market.
Having worked at RED (now Muze) and Music Week in the 90’s he became lead consultant for Music & Video at specialist strategic agency Understanding & Solutions. Adrian worked across online, mobile, DVD and TV related businesses advising senior executives on both sides of the pond from global content owners to multiple retailers; mass media platforms to consumer electronics giants.
In 2000 Adrian jumped ship to work for a repertoire owner - leading UK independent label, Independiente (Travis, Paul Weller, Embrace). Having produced TV programmes, DVD’s and run global digital marketing campaigns across online and mobile, Adrian joined [PIAS] Entertainment Group in January 2004 and set up [PIAS] Digital.
The [PIAS] Entertainment Group is the definitive marketing, sales, distribution and licensing solution for owners of music, film, comedy and sport repertoire on an international basis.
Through its broad range of services, [PIAS] Entertainment Group offers independent artists, management companies, labels and rights holders a tailored level of service ranging from an entry level of product sales and distribution to a more comprehensive solution that manages every aspect of their business. Such a service allows our clients to compete at the highest level, retain control and ownership of their rights and concentrate on the continued development of their repertoire.
[PIAS] Digital is the definitive online & mobile digital distribution solution for quality independent repertoire owners. PIAS Digital provides production, supply, sales, marketing and accounting services for nearly 200 leading independent repertoire owners across audio and audio-visual products. [PIAS] Digital works globally across a broad range of online, mobile and emerging retail platforms.
Adrian’s role has evolved to become Director of Digital & Business Development and a board member of [PIAS] Entertainment Group. His expanded role includes the development of service offerings across the portfolio of [PIAS] interests that enable [PIAS] and its clients to reach as many routes to market as possible for the repertoire it represents.
Adrian has been a board member of AIM, a BAFTA Interactive judge and continues to advise to the UK Download Chart. Adrian lives in London with his wife and two boys.
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Steve Purdham
CEO
We7
Steve is CEO and founder investor in We7, the new ad funded Music phenomenon. He has a passion for music, but apart from early days as a DJ, his real success to date has been in the computer industry, an industry he has been in since age 14 (when PCs were science fiction). Prior to We7, Steve was Co-Founder and CEO of SurfControl, where he developed the company’s vision and architecture. He took the company public on AIM, EASDAQ and the London Main market from which he generated hyper-growth creating a successful global operation with profitable revenues exceeding $100m. SurfControl was sold for almost $450m in 2007. Steve has been recognised by many prestigious business awards including IOD Director of the Year.
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John Robson
VP & GM Digital Distribution EMEA
Paramount Pictures
As Vice President for Digital Distribution EMEA at Paramount Digital Entertainment, John is responsible for establishing Paramount 's Digital Distribution interests including Download-to-Own, Video-on-Demand, Subscription and Free Video-on-Demand, across Europe, Middle East and Africa.
Previously, John held both positions as Commercial Director and Marketing Director of Paramount Pictures Home Entertainment UK. Prior to this, John held various roles at leading British supermarket chain; J Sainsbury's, including being responsible for their national television advertisement and in-store marketing strategy.
John holds a Bachelor's degree from Manchester Metropolitan University and currently resides in Cambridgeshire, UK with his family.
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Nainan Shah
VP - New Platform Planning & Development
Sony Computer Entertainment Europe
Nainan Shah is Vice President of New Platform Planning and Development at Sony Computer Entertaiment Europe. He is responsible for planning the introduction of new console products, new system software and new business development activity expanding the scope of the PlayStation business in Europe . Through the. Efforts of his team he has recenty been responsible for SCEE's GPS navigation product for PSP, its video messaging service collaboration with British Telecom, the Play TV freeview DVR proposition or PS3 and the joint venture with BSkyB for video services to PSP.
He has previously been involved in industry activity as vice chairman of ELSPA and was a founding trustee of the Entertainment Software Charity.
Prior to his current role he was involved in setting up distribution and anti piracy activity in emerging markets of Eastern Europe Russia and the Middle East and Business Affairs acticity with game developers and publishers.
Nainan has been with SCEE for 14 years prior to which he was a solicitor in private practice specialising in music, digital media and IP.
He lives in London and is married with 2 children
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David Stevens
VP International Marketing
Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment
David Stevens is responsible for the development of the marketing functions within the European markets. He is also responsible for the development and implementation of emerging technologies across Europe. David holds the DDI certification and conducts management training courses in the European markets.
Prior to this David worked for TCFHE UK for seven years, where he developed market leading approaches to strategic sales management, category management and retail marketing, driving the UK business to become the market leader in its industry.
David has various qualifications including CIM, DISP and a First Class BA Honours Degree in Marketing.
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Florian Stronk
Head of Mobile Business EMEA
Konami Digital Entertainment
Florian heads up all mobile activities in EMEA and Oceania for Konami Digital Entertainment, one of the top five Japanese videogames publishers. In this role he directed the creation of the company’s European mobile content development facilities, as well as the establishment of a comprehensive supplier and distributor network. Under his responsibility Konami has released a line-up of highly acclaimed mobile games based on some of the world’s most successful video game brands, including Pro Evolution Soccer, Silent Hill and the Metal Gear series.
He achieved a masters degree in economics from the Berlin based Free University and holds the rank of captain in the German army reserves.
Away from work, Florian has a passion for endurance sports and competes in triathlon, running and long distance hiking competitions.
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Paul Taylor
Partner, Media Group
Osborne Clarke
Paul is a partner at Osborne Clarke – one of the recognised leading law firms in the media and entertainment sectors. He has represented producers, media owners and financiers in the film, television and music industries, as well as multimedia retailers and on-line services providers.
Paul is curently working on the establishment of new IP TV services, more Sky Platform channels and is heavily engaged in the litigation initiated by the FA Premier League regarding the reception of European broadcasts of Premier League matches in the UK.
Osborne Clarke are active members of PACT (the Producers Alliance for Cinema and Television), the Royal Television Society and the Anti-counterfeiting Group. Clients they represent include Vodafone, United Business media, News International, Amazon, Nintendo and Electronic Arts.
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Simon Wright
President and CEO
Virgin Entertainment Group, Inc.
Simon Wright is the Chief Executive Officer for Virgin Entertainment Group, Inc. based in North America. Wright has directly headed up the North American Retail operations since 2005 while also being responsible for the Group's International Retail and Cinema Operations. During this time he split his time between Los Angeles and London. In October 2007, having turned around the US business successfully he succeeded in selling the North American retail business to US investors and remained with that business and relinquished his other responsibilities. Now based in Los Angeles, he is currently focused on overseeing the business plan resulting from that transaction.
Wright has been with the Virgin Group of Companies for seventeen years holding a variety of senior positions with the Group over that time. In the past he has been Managing Director of Virgin Megastores UK and the Group CFO for Virgin Megastores Worldwide. In addition he was responsible for the development of Virgin Cinemas in both the UK and Japan.
Wright is the former President of GERA (Global Entertainment Retailers Association). He is also a member of the UK Music Hall of Fame Committee. Wright has also been a Board Member of The Official Charts Company, the organization responsible for compiling the Official Music Charts in the UK and has been a member of the UK Government Retail Task Force. In Los Angeles he is a founding member of BritWeek, working with the UK Government and prominent British nationals in Los Angeles to promote the British influence on Los Angeles and Southern California. In addition he has held a number of non-executive directorships.
Wright is from Cambridge, England.
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