Andy Duncan - Managing Director, Camelot UK Lotteries: Former Chief Executive, Channel 4

Andy Duncan was appointed as Channel 4's fifth Chief Executive in July 2004. Before departing Channel 4, he launched the Next on 4 strategic blueprint of the enhanced public service role Channel 4 aims to play in the fully digital media future.

During his time as Chief Executive, investment in programming and content grew to over £600 million annually and Channel 4 has also built the most successful free to air digital TV portfolio of any terrestrial broadcast group. Under his direction Channel 4 also pioneered a number of new digital services including becoming the first broadcaster in the world to launch a full video-on-demand service, 4oD. Digital expansion is continuing including the launch of the 4IP digital innovation fund.

Prior to joining Channel 4, Andy was a member of the main Board at the BBC, as Director of Marketing, Communications and Audience, overseeing the launch of digital TV and radio services and Freeview, which he also chaired for its first 2 years. Andy joined the BBC from Unilever where he worked for 17 years including as a Senior Global Executive in general management and marketing.

Andy has been Chairman of Media Trust since 2006 and is National Chair of RTS Futures.

Jon Snow - Presenter, ITN/Channel 4 News Deputy Chair of the Board of Trustees, Media Trust

Jon Snow has been the main presenter of Channel 4's award-winning evening news programme since 1989.

Jon's skills as a first-rate interviewer and broadcaster take him beyond the Channel 4 News studio.

In late January 2003, he was the first mainstream television newscaster to travel to Baghdad in Iraq at this time, where he presented Channel 4 News every night for a week. During that visit, he was the first UK broadcaster to interview Iraqi Foreign Minister Tariq Aziz, and the only broadcaster to quiz UN Chief Weapons Inspector Hans Blix – Jon live from Baghdad - with Blix in New York.

In March 2006 Jon hosted Channel 4 News nightly for a week from Iran. He also produced a series of in-depth reports from the country. He has also anchored similar news programmes from Africa and India. Jon Snow joined ITN in 1976 and has reported from Afghanistan to Zanzibar.

Among his assignments, he reported the overthrow of Idi Amin in Uganda; the Iran hostage crisis; The Russian invasion of Afghanistan; the Iran Iraq war; the fall of the Berlin wall and the release of Nelson Mandela. He was also based in Washington for ITN for three years.

In April 2005 he won a BAFTA (The Richard Dimbleby Award for best contribution to factual programming). In the same year, Jon was awarded the Royal Television Society award for Journalist of the Year – an award he had last won in 1980 – and an award rarely won by a studio presenter.

However, as the main presenter of Channel 4 News, Jon continues to anchor the flagship programme from wherever major world events occur: from South Africa during the country's first democratic elections; from Washington at the Israeli-Palestinian peace signing; from Hong Kong at the time of the handover to China. He was also presenting the day and night of 9/11.

Matt Brittin - Vice President, Google, Sales and Operations - Northern and Central Europe

Matt was appointed Vice President of Google for Northern and Central Europe in October 2011, he was previously Managing Director of Google in the UK & Ireland.

Google’s products are enjoyed by millions of people throughout the UK and help thousands of businesses succeed online.  Matt and his team aim to help UK consumers and businesses make the most of the internet.

Before joining Google at the start of 2007, Matt spent much of his career in media and marketing, with particular interests in strategy, commercial development and sales performance.  This included Commercial and Digital leadership roles in UK media.
Matt has an MBA from London Business School and an MA from Cambridge.

In 2008 New Media Age readers voted him the greatest individual contributor to New Media and in 2010 he was voted Wired magazine’s ‘Most Influential Person in the Digital World’. He rowed in several boat races for Cambridge and has won medals for Britain in the World Rowing Championships. Matt lives near the Thames with his wife and two energetic sons.

Scott Cormack - KPMG Europe, Leadership team and Lead Partner on BBC Audit

Scott has 34 years in the profession and is one of KPMG’s most experienced global partners. He has just stepped down as a member of the UK board and is in the leadership team of KPMG Europe.

He has worked extensively in the financial sector, spent three years in Brussels running KPMG’s operations of the European Commission, and latterly served as global lead audit partner for Nestle and Allied Domecq.

He has strong FMCG credentials and extensive knowledge of Branded businesses. He has conducted professional assignments all over the world. He has been a practitioner in IFRS/IAS since 1983. Currently, Scott is serving as the Lead Partner on the BBC Audit. He is also an ambassador for mens' health in the UK and in particular raising funds and awareness for prostate cancer.

 

Paddy Coulter - Director, Oxford Global Media

Paddy is a specialist in media and development with the Oxford Global Media consultancy and also works as Communications Director for the Oxford Poverty & Human Development Initiative (OPHI) at Oxford University’s Department of International Relations.

He previously worked as Director of Studies at the Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism and Director of the Reuters Fellowship Programme at Oxford University (2001/2007); Director of the International Broadcasting Trust (1990/2001; Deputy Director 1987/1990); and Head of Communications at Oxfam (1982/1987).

Paddy has had a lengthy involvement with the voluntary sector, having served on the boards of Comic Relief and UNICEF-UK as well as Oxfam. He is currently a Trustee of Fahamu, the African social justice network, and INTRAC, the International NGO Training & Research Centre. He is a Fellow of Green Templeton College, University of Oxford and a Visiting Fellow at the University of Bournemouth Media School.

 

Sarah Davis – Group Commercial Legal Director, Guardian Media Group plc

Sarah started her Legal career as an “out door clerk” at Media law firm Stephens Innocent before qualifying at the same firm as a Solicitor in 1995.  After many enjoyable years working for clients in the Arts and media sectors Sarah left private practice to take up an in-house role as Legal Counsel at NDS Ltd before joining

Guardian News & Media Limited in 2000.  In 2006 Sarah became General Legal Director at GNM followed by a move to Group Commercial Legal Director for GMG plc in April 2010.

Sarah is a trustee of Poet in the City a charity committed to bringing poetry to new audiences, a Director of theatre company Border Crossings as well as a governor of University of East London.

 

Rupert Howell - Vice Chairman, Advertising Association: Former Managing Director, Brand and Commercial, ITV

Rupert started his advertising career with two-year stints at Ogilvy and Grey, followed by four years as New Business Director of Y&R. He founded his own agency HHCL in 1987, which went on to become Campaign's 'Agency of the Decade'. In 1997, he sold it to Lord Bell's Chime Communications plc, becoming CEO. Five years later he left to join McCann Erickson as President, Europe, Middle East and Africa.

He joined ITV in 2007 as Managing Director, ITV Brand and Commercial and is an Executive Director on the ITV PLC Board. Rupert has non-executive roles in the M.C.C., Warwick Business School, Old Vic Theatre Company and Advertising Association.

 

 

Jane Reed CBE - director of Times Newspapers Limited

Jane Reed is a director of Times Newspapers Limited and consultant to News International Limited.

A past magazine editor, publisher and divisional managing director, she was managing editor of the Today newspaper and director of corporate affairs for News International. She is a council member of The National Literacy Trust and a Trustee of the St. Katharine & Shadwell Trust.

 

 

Ian Pearman - CEO, AMV BBDO

A graduate of Clare College, Cambridge and the Advanced Management Programme at Harvard Business School, Ian joined AMV BBDO as a trainee in 1996, and since then has worked on pretty much every one of the 88 brands that the agency works with. He joined the management team in 2005 and was made CEO in 2010.

Since taking the helm of the agency, AMV has become the most creatively and strategically awarded agency in the UK, won the inaugural global Grand Prix for Creative Effectiveness at the Cannes Advertising Festival, and was ranked as the 17th "Best Company to Work For" in The Sunday Times annual survey. In that survey, Ian was personally ranked as the 4th “Most Trusted” and the 6th “Most Inspiring” leader amongst all of the UK mid-size companies that entered the survey.

At the World Economic Forum in Davos this year, Ian was one of 190 individuals nominated and honoured as a “Young Global Leader”. He will serve a five-year term working with the YGL Forum on a variety of projects.

He also serves as a trustee and Chairman of NABS, the advertising industry charity.

 

Sophie Turner Laing - Managing Director, Content, BSkyB

Sophie was appointed Sky's Managing Director of Entertainment in April 2007. She has overall responsibility for Sky's entertainment and news portfolio, including Sky1, Sky2, Sky3, Sky Movies, Sky Box Office, Sky Arts, Sky Real Lives and Sky News. She also oversees the Sky Creative Agency, which looks after on-air promos and design, and Sky Network Planning.

Prior to joining Sky in 2003, Sophie was Vice-President of Broadcasting at Flextech Television for three years, before taking over as Controller of Programme Acquisition at the BBC. Sophie began her career at Henson International Television working on the Muppet Show and she then went on to co-found HIT Entertainment in 1989, a specialist distributor of children's and natural-history programming.

Sophie also sits on BAFTA's Board of Trustees, is the Chair of BAFTA's Commercial Committee, and is a Trustee of BAFTA Management Ltd. In addition to this she is Governor of the National Film & TV School as well as a Co-Opted Crew Member for Variety Club (UK).

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