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Speakers
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Roy Aalderink is Founder/Producer and CEO of Concept Street – an independent, unscripted production company based in The Netherlands but creating, producing, and distributing (formatted) shows for audiences around the world.
During his career as Chief Creative and CEO of various Dutch production companies, Aalderink created dozens of formats for the...show more
Speaking on: Pitching Partners
As Senior Vice President, Unscripted Development, Documentary & Crime, NBCUniversal Entertainment, Cori Abraham oversees all unscripted crime and documentary development across NBCU’s broadcast, cable and streaming platforms: NBC, Bravo, E!, Oxygen True Crime, SYFY, USA Network and Peacock. She reports to Rachel Smith, Executive Vice President, Unscripted Content, NBCUniversal Entertainment.
Previously,...show more
Speaking on: Summit Showdown
Nancy Abraham serves as Co-Executive Vice President, HBO Documentary & Family Programming, responsible for development, production and acquisition of documentary and family programming. She was named to this position in December 2017.
Abraham originally joined HBO in 1995 and was named Vice President, HBO Documentary Programming in 1998. Prior to joining...show more
Speaking on: Keynote Conversation: Nancy Abraham & Lisa Heller, HBO Documentary Films
Isaac Ahn
Sr. Director, Unscripted Development, Lifestyle, Documentary, & True Crime
NBCUniversal Entertainment
Isaac Ahn serves as Senior Director, Unscripted Development for NBCUniversal Entertainment where he creates, evaluates, and identifies upcoming programming across the company’s entertainment platforms, which include Bravo, E!, NBC, Oxygen True Crime, SYFY, USA, and Peacock. Ahn reports to Jenna Rosa, Senior Vice President, Unscripted Development for NBCUniversal Entertainment.
In this...show more
Speaking on: 30 Minutes With: Jenna Rosa & Isaac Ahn, NBCUniversal: Lifestyle, True Crime & Docuseries
Julia Alexander is the Director of Strategy at Parrot Analytics, a media research and entertainment firm where she advises clients at Fox Sports, Bungie, Lionsgate, and more, as well as a weekly analyst and columnist at Puck News.
Alexander is a leading expert on the changing economics dictating Hollywood, with a...show more
Speaking on: Five Steps to Conquering Media in 2025 and Beyond, with Julia Alexander, Parrot Analytics
Koulla Anastasi is Commercial Director at Woodcut Media and MD of Woodcut International, the company’s global content sales business. Working alongside CEO, Kate Beal, she is responsible for expanding the company’s global activities focusing on the strategic development of Woodcut’s content slate, building global partnerships, and new project co-development. She...show more
Speaking on: Genre Jams - True Crime; Pitching Partners
Peter Andrews is the Head of Network Programming for Australian Broadcaster SBS and is based in Sydney. He is responsible for the overall programming & content strategy for SBS, SBS On Demand, SBS VICELAND, SBS Food and SBS World Movies, overseeing the team that is responsible for the acquisition of...show more
Speaking on: Breakfast With...
Lisa Marie Angelo is the Director of Development & Original Production at ALLBLK/WEtv Unscripted. Lisa was part of the winning team that pitched the idea for Love After Lockup at WE tv's Pitchfest, developing the show from its initial pitch through production. The New York Times calls it a "word...show more
Speaking on: Speed Pitching - Two
Eliya is a founding member of Wag Entertainment and has been across more than 600 hours of programming during her time at the company. She is responsible for supporting the business across all operational areas and execs a slate of Wag's returning series. Recently these have included Dan and Helen's...show more
Speaking on: Pitching Partners
Ben Barrett is known for pioneering new models of production financing and distribution for television production. As the Global Head of Content Financing and Partnership at Blue Ant International, he works closely with both Blue Ant and external production businesses to secure production financing and also sourcing content and new...show more
Speaking on: Meet a Distributor
Fanny Baudry is managing director of Wheelhouse’s digital-first and influencer arm, Wheelhouse DNA, where she leads IP development and production and oversees the company’s day-to-day operations. Wheelhouse launched DNA in 2020 and CEO Brent Montgomery tapped Baudry, then Wheelhouse vice president of business development, to launch the division that serves...show more
Speaking on: Sizing Up Social Content
Ninder Billing is VP of Unscripted International Co-productions at A+E Media Group. Based in London, she is tasked with identifying opportunities for co-productions with international appeal, new third party formats, creating creative partnerships, and overseeing development and coproduction in the unscripted space, working in close collaboration with the company’s extensive...show more
Speaking on: Speed Pitching - Three; Breakfast With...
Wesley Block is the co-founder of Kino AI where he and his team are developing next-generation software for professional storytellers. Before building Kino, Wesley was a filmmaker (and one day he will be one again). He co-directed MIT:Regressions, a feature-length archival footage documentary about the history of technology in the...show more
Speaking on: AI…. Practically Speaking
Melanie Bowman is the Senior Development Executive at Tastemade, an award-winning media company that engages a global audience of more than 300 million monthly viewers on all major digital, mobile, and streaming television platforms. Prior to working at Tastemade, she served as the Head of Development at Sawhorse Productions, and...show more
Speaking on: Lunch With...
After long and successful tenures developing and producing premium nonfiction content and overseeing content strategy for leading media brands including AMC Networks, Paramount Media Networks and ABC, Marco Bresaz launched Pronounced Media in 2023. Pronounced Media is devoted to deeply engaging storytelling that fully entertains as it opens viewers minds...show more
Speaking on: What’s the Deal? How Dealmaking is Changing in the Streaming Era
Brie Miranda Bryant is the Senior Vice President, Unscripted Development and Programming at Lifetime where she is responsible for development, series and specials for unscripted programming. A seasoned media and entertainment executive, she has shepherded a string of buzzy, critically-acclaimed series and specials including the record-breaking, Emmy-nominated documentary for Outstanding...show more
Speaking on: State of the Unscripted Nation: Innovating Through Challenge
In her role as EVP, Business Strategy and Co-productions, Global Media, Julie Chang oversees commercial deal negotiation and strategic co-production opportunities for Global Media’s original content slate for linear and global free streaming channels. Julie also heads up all business-related operations such as production management that supports the editorial commissioning...show more
Speaking on: Trendwatch ‘24-‘25; Lunch With...; Speed Pitching - One
Noella Charles is the Vice President of Development and Original Production, Unscripted for AllBlk/WEtv, based in the network's New York office. As part of her responsibilities, she collaborates with production partners and agencies to identify innovative and engaging unscripted content that resonates with the network's audience. Noella currently helps oversee the...show more
Speaking on: Lunch With...
Julie Choi represents the top showrunners in unscripted television hits such as Love is Blind, Selling Sunset, Top Chef, RuPaul’s Drag Race and talent including Ross Mathews, Allison Holker, and Shangela at the well-respected talent agency Buchwald.
Prior to her career as a talent agent, Julie was an executive at Game...show more
Based in New York City, Sydney Clover is the Senior Director of Development for National Geographic. In this role, she works alongside the global production community to develop original premium content for the brand on multiple platforms including National Geographic on Disney +.
Since joining the Channel in 2019, Clover has...show more
Speaking on: 30 Minutes With: Sydney Clover, National Geographic Channel
David Collins is an nine-time Emmy award-winner who over the last 25 years has produced hundreds of hours of groundbreaking content. He is the Creator of the pop culture phenomenon Queer Eye (which celebrates its 20th anniversary in 2023) and co-creator and Executive Producer of the critically acclaimed voguing competition...show more
Speaking on: State of the Unscripted Nation: Innovating Through Challenge
Sean Collins is the Channel Manager for Channel 4 in the Content Strategy & Planning team. Sean is responsible for creating the most innovative and competitive schedules for Channel 4, optimising content planning and investment decisions across linear & streaming services. He works closely with the Director of Content Strategy...show more
Speaking on: Speed Pitching - Three; Breakfast With...
David Cornwall is the Managing Director of Scorpion TV. An international production and distribution company dedicated to the worldwide sales of award-winning documentaries, films and television shows. With a focus on culturally diverse content, Scorpion TV was founded to fulfil the needs of producers small and large to maximise their...show more
Speaking on: Getting It Made, Getting Paid; Meet a Distributor
As vice president of development for ID, Erica Diaz-Gant is charged with conceptualizing and creating premium content for television’s preeminent true crime destination, ID, and a slate of true crime originals streaming on MAX and discovery+. In 2023 to date, ID is currently the #1 total day non-sports cable network...show more
Speaking on: Day of the Docbuster; Speed Pitching - One; Genre Jams - True Crime
Greg Diefenbach is the managing director of premium documentary streaming service MagellanTV. Globally available across a wide range of platforms, MagellanTV offers a highly curated collection of award-winning factual content to members worldwide. In addition to the flagship streamer, Deifenbach and team have also launched six FAST channels in more...show more
Speaking on: Super FAST Channel Panel
Erika Dilday, producer, journalist and media executive, is the Executive Director of American Documentary Inc. and the Executive Producer of its award-winning documentary series POV on PBS and America ReFramed on WORLD Channel.
Previously, she was the CEO of Futuro Media Group, a multimedia organization that gives a critical...show more
Speaking on: Speed Pitching - Three
Kristina Edwards currently serves as Vice President, Unscripted Formats and Competitions, NBCUniversal Entertainment. Based in Los Angeles, she reports to Corie Henson, EVP Unscripted Content, NBCUniversal Entertainment.
Kristina is responsible for Unscripted Current and Development for Peacock, NBC, Bravo, USA, and E!. She currently oversees Deal Or No Deal...show more
Speaking on: 30 Minutes With: Shelby Shaftel & Kristina Edwards, NBCUniversal: Competition & Formats
Max Einhorn, SVP of Acquisitions and Co-Productions, heads all content acquisitions and production for FilmRise’s ubiquitous distribution business and its owned-and-operated FilmRise Streaming Network. Joining in 2014, he contributed to the development of FilmRise’s analytics and has grown a team that has entered hundreds of deals including Forensic Files, Unsolved...show more
Speaking on: Speed Pitching - Three
Iwan England is S4C’s Head of Unscripted tasked with developing co-productions, premium limited series and formats for the public service broadcaster. He has more than twenty years’ experience as an award-winning Executive Producer and Series Director with notable wins including a Broadcast Award, BAFTA Cymru Best Documentary and British Podcast...show more
Speaking on: International Spotlight: United Kingdom; Breakfast With...; Slow Pitching
Shane Ertter serves as the Manager of Content Development for VICE TV, the joint venture with A+E Networks, formerly known as VICELAND. Shane joined VICE in 2019, working as Network Production Coordinator for all internal projects, liaising with 3rd party production companies on series and one-offs. In his current role,...show more
Speaking on: Speed Pitching - One; Lunch With...
Emmy Award-nominated entertainment journalist Scott Evans currently hosts NBCUniversal's nationally syndicated entertainment news show Access Hollywood and the talk show Access Daily with Mario & Kit. Connecting with Hollywood's elite through his authentic and engaging style, Evans' talents are also showcased on his weekday Amp morning radio show, It’s Go Time...show more
Speaking on: 2024 Realscreen Awards Ceremony
Andrew Farrell is an AACTA & Logie Award winning producer who is Head of Factual at Sydney based production company CJZ.
Andrew has worked as a TV news reporter & producer, magazine editor & feature writer, television field producer, writer, series producer and executive producer. As a writer and...show more
Speaking on: Pitching Partners
Fenton founded Zig Zag in 1999 and has established the company as an innovative transatlantic television production company, respected for its eclectic approach to over 1000 hours of programme making. The company is one of the largest remaining truly independent UK production companies.
Prior to Zig Zag Fenton began...show more
Speaking on: International Spotlight: United Kingdom
Benjamin Field is an award-winning producer and director with two decades experience in the development and execution of specialist factual and formats. He is known for his work on The Girl Who’s Allergic to Herself for Sky TV, My Life: I’m Leading the Dance for the BBC and is recognized...show more
Speaking on: AI…. Practically Speaking
Zara Frankel works in PBS Programming as the Senior Director of Programming and Development. She collaborates extensively with filmmakers, production companies, and new talent to develop interesting and innovative content across genres for PBS.
Prior joining PBS, Zara worked for digital ad agency, AKQA. She is a graduate of Florida State...show more
Speaking on: Lunch With...; Speed Pitching - Two
Zane Friedkin is VP of Development at Story Syndicate, the premium documentary production company whose recent work includes Harry & Meghan, Stolen Youth: Inside the Cult at Sarah Lawrence, and I'll Be Gone in the Dark. Zane oversees the creative development of all nonfiction projects at the company and has...show more
Speaking on: Day of the Docbuster
Andrea Gabourie, president of Toronto-based FORTÉ Entertainment, is a multiple, internationally award-winning Creator and Executive Producer and one of Canada’s leading entertainment professionals.
FORTÉ’s recent productions include post-production on the Disney+ hybrid scripted/reality program, THE QUEST, and two seasons of the original international documentary series How I Got Here...show more
Speaking on: Pitching Partners
Harry Gamsu is Vice President, Creative, Format Development and Sales at Warner Bros. Film and Television Production. In his role he is responsible for relations between WBITVP’s international unit and the Warner Bros. US television production bases Warner Horizon, Telepictures and Shed. In the LA-Based position Harry is responsible for...show more
Speaking on: Pitching Partners
Adriana F. Garcia began her career in unscripted television in post-production, where she developed a strong sense of story. She continued to produce series for TLC, FYI, Facebook Watch, and other streaming platforms at Authentic Entertainment before shifting her focus as Director of Development and executing series for HGTV, Science...show more
Speaking on: Speed Pitching - Two
Based in Washington D.C., USA, Laetitia Giansily-Doyle joined Terranoa in 2011 and is responsible for sales and co-pros and for sourcing programming to add to Terranoa's growing catalogue for distribution to all media outlets around the world.
Laetitia has been working in the production and distribution industry for over...show more
Speaking on: Meet a Distributor
Pamela Gimenez is Vice President of Unscripted Current Production at NBCUniversal Television and Streaming. Gimenez is charged with creative production oversight on select documentary and lifestyle unscripted programming across the NBCU Television and Streaming entertainment portfolio, which includes NBC, Bravo, E!, Oxygen, Syfy, Universal Kids, USA Network and Peacock.
Gimenez joined...show more
Speaking on: Genre Jams - Lifestyle; Cocktails With…NBCUniversal Entertainment; Lunch With...
Sean Gottlieb is Vice President, Head of Development for A&E, where he oversees development and production of non-fiction programming for the network. He joined A&E in April 2014.
An Emmy® Award-winning producer with over 20 years’ experience, Gottlieb developed and is Executive Producer of I Survived A Serial Killer, Taking the...show more
Speaking on: 30 Minutes With: Sean Gottlieb, A&E
Benjamin Grayson is a producer hailing from Forest Cove, Texas. After spending years working for film and television directors, Grayson worked as a development executive at Radley Studios and later Range Media Partners. In 2022, he co-founded Wild State with longtime friend and collaborator Chris Hemsworth. He served as an...show more
Speaking on: Inside Nat Geo with Tom McDonald, EVP, Global Factual & Unscripted
Kate Harrison Karman is President of Cream Productions.
Based in Toronto, Cream develops, finances and produces distinctive and award-winning content across a wide range of TV and digital platforms in North America and internationally.
Among the company’s many credits include Age of Samurai: Battle for Japan...show more
Speaking on: Getting It Made, Getting Paid
Lisa Heller serves as Co-Executive Vice President, HBO Documentary & Family Programming, responsible for development, production and acquisition of documentary and family programming. She was named to this position in December 2017.
Heller originally joined HBO in 2000 and was elevated to Vice President in 2001, followed by Senior Vice President...show more
Speaking on: Keynote Conversation: Nancy Abraham & Lisa Heller, HBO Documentary Films
Sara Helman joined TLC in October 2015 as the Vice President of Development & Production. She helps to oversee development strategy and programming initiatives, as well as love and relationship, family and lifestyle content for the network. Helman has worked on a wide variety of shows, including the 90 Day...show more
Speaking on: Speed Pitching - One; 30 Minutes With: Sara Helman, TLC
Roger Henry is Vice President of Programming for MotorTrend TV (formerly Velocity), responsible for overseeing strategy and scheduling of all content on MotorTrend TV and MotorTrend FAST Channels.
Henry joined MotorTrend in November 2018 when Discovery’s Velocity Channel was rebranded. Prior to this, he led Velocity as Vice President...show more
Speaking on: Lunch With...; Speed Pitching - One
Connie Hodson is Director of Acquisitions & Programming for Little Dot Studios - an award-winning digital content studio and media network, specialising in creating meaningful connections between premium content and digital audiences. She is responsible for acquiring premium content for Little Dot Studios’ 40+ owned network channels, and 8 Fast...show more
Speaking on: Breakfast With...
Meet Brad Holcman, since joining A&E in 2012 as Senior Director of Non-Fiction and Alternative Programming, Brad has been overseeing some edge-of-your-seat shows like 60 Days In, the Emmy® Award-winning Intervention, Booked: First Day In, and Accused: Guilty or Innocent? But that's not all—Brad also heads up the home shows...show more
Speaking on: Speed Pitching - Three; Speed Pitching - One
Naimah Holmes serves as President of Hot Snakes Media, where she oversees all aspects of production for unscripted and scripted series, as well as internal and external development and acquisitions. Holmes most recently served as Vice President of Factual Content for Discovery Network during the transformational launch of discovery+ and...show more
Speaking on: Trendwatch ‘24-‘25
Dani Howe is the Director of Marketing of Smosh, the viral comedy brand founded by Anthony Padilla and Ian Hecox. At Smosh, the Los Angeles based marketer and creative, oversees all marketing initiatives for the company's digital audience of over 75 million and beyond, leading social campaigns for Smosh tent...show more
Speaking on: Sizing Up Social Content
Marcie Hume is Vice President, Programming for A&E, responsible for developing, creating and overseeing new series for the network. She joined A&E in August 2017.
Her current projects for A&E include Women on Death Row, Witness to Murder, and the hit caught-on-camera franchise that includes Neighborhood Wars, Road Wars, and Customer...show more
Speaking on: Trendwatch ‘24-‘25; Lunch With...
Aneka Hylton-Donelson serves as a Director of Development for National Geographic Channel, where she does creative development for factual and general entertainment concepts, limited series, formats, specials and assesses talent and cultivates production partnerships for National Geographic linear and the Disney+ platforms. Most recently she developed the new series, Never...show more
Speaking on: Lunch With...
Katie Isaacson is the Director of Development for CNN Original Series. She joined CNN in 2016 and is responsible for cultivating relationships within the creative community and developing original programming across a variety of CNN platforms. She works closely with the wider CNN Original Series team to develop and produce...show more
Speaking on: Speed Pitching - One
Most recently Susie spent a year and a half as Slate Manger & Creative Executive at Netflix ANZ. She began her career in the BBC Comedy department in London, before returning to Australia where she spent more than 15 years as a freelance creative producer and director for a range...show more
Speaking on: International Spotlight: Asia-Pacific; State of the Unscripted Nation: Innovating Through Challenge; Breakfast With...; Slow Pitching
Dane Joseph serves as Vice President of Unscripted Series for Hulu, where he’s helped spearhead the development of the unscripted series slate and oversees current for over two dozen nonfiction series, including the record-breaking launch of The Kardashians, The D’Amelio Show, Taste the Nation with Padma Lakshmi, Rapcaviar Presents with...show more
Speaking on: Lunch With...
Philip is head of content for Media Ranch, where he leads all areas of development, with particular focus on adaptations, originals and new co-development and sales opportunities for the US market. He runs Media Ranch's annual format incubator “Horsepower”, which fosters new talent with key broadcast partners such as TF1,...show more
Speaking on: Meet a Distributor
Marc Kamler serves as Head of Unscripted Packaging at Innovative Artists, one of the world’s leading talent and literary agencies.
Kamler represents the creative and business interests of global award-winning production companies, producers, and talent who have been recognized by the Oscars, Emmys, BAFTAs, Realscreen Awards, and BANFF Rockie Awards.
Kamler has...show more
Speaking on: What’s the Deal? How Dealmaking is Changing in the Streaming Era
Jenna Keane leads the creative vision and thoughtful execution of all content from development to delivery as a Partner at female-owned and operated RTR Media. A specialist in lifestyle television, Jenna has created hit series and championed talent to become beloved household names.
Jenna has 25+ years’ experience developing and producing...show more
Speaking on: Genre Jams - Lifestyle
Teri Kennedy is Head of Lifestyle Programming and Daytime Originals for A+E Networks, a position she assumed in September 2022. In this role she develops original lifestyle and daytime programming for A+E’s portfolio of networks, fast channels, the Home.Made.Nation strand, and for worldwide sales and distribution.
Since joining A+E Networks, Kennedy...show more
Speaking on: Genre Jams - Lifestyle
Fozia Khan is the Head of Unscripted at Amazon Studios UK. Prior to joining Amazon, she was a Commissioning Editor for documentaries at Channel 4 where she worked across 24 Hours in Police Custody and commissioned Damilola: The Boy Next Door and Is Covid Racist? Prior to commissioning, Fozia was...show more
Speaking on: Day of the Docbuster; Breakfast With...; Slow Pitching
Raja is the Co-Founder of Dark Slope, a virtual production and gaming company operating at the collision of spatial technologies and entertainment. Dark Slope’s virtual production capabilities power productions with the latest in LED volume production, generative AI workflows, motion capture, game-engine world building, real-time FX and animation, real time...show more
Speaking on: AI…. Practically Speaking
Katrina Kowalski
Senior Vice President, International Content Programming & Acquisitions, Pluto TV
Paramount
Katrina Kowalski is Senior Vice President, International Content Programming and Acquisitions for Pluto TV at Paramount. In this role, she leads an international team and is responsible for Pluto TV content strategy, programming and content partnerships in all markets outside the US.
Most recently, Katrina served as Vice President of Content...show more
Speaking on: Super FAST Channel Panel
Oz oversees all marketing, sales and business development activities, leveraging over 25 years of experience.
Oz Krakowski joined Deepdub in 2020 as the Chief Revenue Officer. In this role, Oz drives the company’s marketing strategy, sales and business development. Oz brings with him over 25 years of technical and business leadership...show more
Speaking on: AI…. Practically Speaking
Robyn Lattaker-Johnson is an industry veteran with more than 20 years in the film and television industry, with a heavy focus on unscripted content development and production. A unicorn in our business, Robyn has worked across several disciplines and led teams as a senior network executive, development consultant, talent agent,...show more
Speaking on: Day of the Docbuster
Reporting to Myriam Lopez-Otazu in the International Content division, Andreas works across production and development, focusing on formats and EMEA pan-regional co-productions and pre-sales. Previous positions held at Banijay Rights (Commercial Director - Factual) and AETN International, amongst others.
Speaking on: Speed Pitching - Three
Richard Life has worked for more than 25 years in the international television production, finance and distribution business in partnership with some of the world’s leading creators of scripted and non-scripted content.
As SVP of Acquisitions and Co-productions for Cineflix Rights, the UK’s largest independentdistributor of television content, Richard’s remit is...show more
Speaking on: Genre Jams - True Crime
Nicola Lloyd joined ITV in September 2016 from Twenty-Twenty where she was Executive Producer of BAFTA award-winning First Dates alongside Celebrity First Dates and First Dates Hotel. Prior to this, Lloyd worked as a Series Producer on Ramsay’s Costa Del Nightmares with Sue Murphy at Optomen and series produced What...show more
Speaking on: International Spotlight: United Kingdom; Speed Pitching - Three; Breakfast With...
Renata Lombardo is a veteran unscripted development executive and producer who serves as SVP of Development and Current Non-Scripted at Scout Productions. Passionate about developing new talent and reinventing familiar names, she has spent over two decades working with the industry’s premiere content creators. Renata is the Executive Producer for...show more
Speaking on: Pitching Partners
Minerva Lopez is Senior Vice President, Development, Universal Television Alternative Studio (UTAS), a division of Universal Studio Group. In this role, she manages a slate of over 20 projects in every genre, including true crime and premium documentaries. She reports directly to Monica Rodman, EVP, Development, UTAS.
Lopez collaborates with talent...show more
Speaking on: Risk and Reward: Pitching and Programming Big, Bold Ideas
Myriam Lopez-Otazu, the Group VP Content & Acquisitions EMEA & Int’l joined Discovery networks back in 2013. Based in Madrid, Myriam manages editorial strategy working across three key areas: planning and internal library management; third party acquisitions; and multi-market commissioning across linear channels and discovery+.
During her time at the company,...show more
Speaking on: International Spotlight: Europe; Breakfast With...
Alexandre Marionneau graduated from CELSA (Paris IV – Sorbonne), and worked in a production company dedicated to institutional films.
He then lived in Taiwan and worked a French teacher in an Alliance Française for 3 years. Back in France in 2012, he joined France Télévisions and started developing the...show more
Speaking on: International Spotlight: Europe; Lunch With...; Slow Pitching
Poppy McAlister is Head of TVF International, the UK's leading independent factual distributor. Based in London, Poppy leads a team of 15 across international sales, acquisitions, production, marketing, finance and operations.
The TVF catalogue encompasses everything from factual entertainment and lifestyle series to exceptional one-off documentaries, representing some of...show more
Speaking on: Meet a Distributor
As Vice President of non-fiction and alternative programming & production for AMC Networks, Neil McDonald oversees original non-fiction programming development and their current portfolio of non-fiction series and specials. He first joined AMC Networks in 2010 as a manager of production and programming.
Since joining AMC Networks in 2010, Neil has...show more
Speaking on: Speed Pitching - Three; Lunch With...
McDonald joined Nat Geo in 2022 after many years with the BBC, and oversees the development and production of all global unscripted series and specials across all formats and categories for Nat Geo content produced for Disney+ and its global linear channels (National Geographic, Nat Geo WILD, Nat Geo MUNDO)....show more
Speaking on: Inside Nat Geo with Tom McDonald, EVP, Global Factual & Unscripted
Duncan McIntosh is Vice President of Development for Fox Alternative Entertainment. He creates, develops and adapts unique formats in-house, in collaboration with producers and production companies, and with international partners. FAE specializes in groundbreaking formats for FOX, external buyers and international markets. Highlights while at FAE include Snake Oil, We...show more
Speaking on: Speed Pitching - Three; Speed Pitching - Two
Michael McMahon is a founding partner at Primitive Entertainment. With more than 30 years experience producing premium non-fiction content, Michael works with major broadcasters and distributors in North America, Europe and Japan.
His films and television series have won more than 50 international awards and screened at major festivals worldwide.
Michael served...show more
Speaking on: Genre Jams - Natural History
Chicago native Ryan McNeily is a Partner in the Non-Scripted Film and TV group at WME, where he has worked for the past 13 years. He specializes in the packaging and selling of premium non-fiction TV projects and independent film sales. He represents a diverse roster of celebrities, high-end producers,...show more
Speaking on: State of the Unscripted Nation: Innovating Through Challenge
Maarten Meijs serves as Chief Executive Officer of Talpa Studios since January 2022. As the head of Talpa Studios, an independent global content house for non-scripted formats founded by John de Mol, Meijs has steered the company with a creative mindset and a strategic vision. Under his leadership, Talpa Studios...show more
Speaking on: Inside the Format Lab - Exploring Talpa Studios' Formula for Success
Max Micallef is Vice President, Head of West Coast Development for The HISTORY Channel. In this role, Micallef spearheads the development and production of some of HISTORY’s nonfiction programming. He joined the network in December 2018, and is based in Los Angeles.
Among Micallef’s credits are Great Escapes with Morgan Freeman,...show more
Speaking on: 30 Minutes With: Max Micallef, History Channel
J.C. leads scripted and unscripted content strategy for Cineflix Productions and oversees the deal making process with networks and third parties. He curates the development slate, boosting growth through internally generated ideas as well as partnerships with outside creatives, and is responsible for building the division’s emerging feature doc business....show more
Speaking on: Getting It Made, Getting Paid
Rob Mills is executive vice president, Unscripted and Alternative Entertainment, Walt Disney Television. In this role, he leads Walt Disney Television Alternative, a production unit for unscripted programming; and oversees development and production for alternative programming, specials and late-night for ABC Entertainment and Hulu Originals. He also has oversight of...show more
Speaking on: Keynote Conversation: Rob Mills, ABC Entertainment & Hulu Originals
Tom Miyauchi is heading Nippon TV’s international unscripted formats business. He has been leading international partnerships and instrumental to Nippon TV’s format co-production projects with globally acclaimed studios and producers. Prior to joining Nippon TV in 2017, Tom was a Brand Manager for a US music & entertainment company Fender...show more
Speaking on: Pitching Partners
As Senior Vice President of Development and Original Programming. Angela is responsible for oversight of all aspects of original programming, as well as developing and producing brand-defining original series that drive viewership, create awareness and support the network’s overall business and revenue goals. She is based in the network’s Los...show more
Speaking on: 30 Minutes With: Angela Molloy, WEtv
Shaminder Nahal is Head of Specialist Factual at Channel 4. The department covers formats like SAS: Who Dares Wins to series like Investigating Diana and single films like Grenfell: The Untold Story – covering history, science, arts and topical issues. Recently she commissioned The Piano, Paula, Kids, Munya Chawawa: How...show more
Speaking on: International Spotlight: United Kingdom; Breakfast With...; Slow Pitching
Natasha Negrea is Head of Programming with TVO, a publicly funded educational broadcaster and media organization. She is responsible for the overall direction and evolution documentaries and children’s programming at the Canadian pubcaster. This includes overseeing the slate of award-winning commissions and acquisitions and building the strategy for scheduling and...show more
Speaking on: Breakfast With...; Slow Pitching
As SVP, Non-Scripted Content, Angela oversees Fremantle’s global non-scripted acquisition strategy including developing, financing, curating and launching content from Fremantle’s global network of labels and third-party producers. Joining Fremantle in 2013, Angela has spearheaded huge growth of the premium documentary slate including series such as Arctic Drift (from UFA...show more
Speaking on: Trendwatch ‘24-‘25
Rebecca was appointed Espresso’s Head of Sales and Acquisitions in September 2023, spearheading our expansion across all rights and territories. In addition to overseeing all operations, Rebecca manages sales into North America, the UK and France. A fluent French-speaker and qualified translator, Rebecca has an extensive background in factual distribution...show more
Speaking on: Meet a Distributor
Mikiko Nishiyama is EVP for Global Business and MD for Content Business & Distribution at Nippon Television Network Corporation (Nippon TV), where she comprehensively oversees the company’s international, domestic, and distribution businesses. She is a member of the founding team that established the international business arm in 2012 and held...show more
Speaking on: International Spotlight: Asia-Pacific; Breakfast With...
Aisling O’Connor is a Commissioning Editor, Unscripted in the Content division of the BBC, based in London, UK. She has a brief to work across all of the Unscripted genres with a particular focus on the independent television sector outside London.
Previously Aisling was the Head of TV Commissioning for BBC...show more
Speaking on: Breakfast With...
Jack Oliver is an experienced broadcast executive and producer with a strong track record in commissioning and acquiring distinctive international content for UK audiences. Currently responsible across the portfolio of channels with a heavy focus on Sky Documentaries, Arts, Nature and Crime. Having launched the new channels we have built...show more
Speaking on: Lunch With...; Slow Pitching
Theresa Patiri
Senior Vice President, Original Production, Operations & Business Affairs
WE tv & AllBlk, AMC Networks
A dynamic and accomplished entertainment executive with over 25 years of experience in the industry, Theresa Patiri currently serves as Senior Vice President of Production, Operations & Business Affairs for WE tv, AMC Networks’ home of compelling, can’t miss unscripted series and AllBlk, the company’s premium streaming service featuring a...show more
Speaking on: What’s the Deal? How Dealmaking is Changing in the Streaming Era
Céline develops and produces factual programs created with international audiences in mind, while also overseeing co-production financing for projects across the business and working to strengthen relationships with global partners. Before that, she was head of ditribution at ARTE Distribution for nearly five years ; and she spent more than...show more
Speaking on: International Spotlight: Europe
Leela Pon is Senior Vice President of Content of FOX Entertainment’s in-house unscripted studio FOX Alternative Entertainment (FAE). Based in Los Angeles, she is responsible for the daily oversight of the team that works to develop and create new series and formats for the studio.
Since joining in 2020, Pon has...show more
Speaking on: Risk and Reward: Pitching and Programming Big, Bold Ideas; 30 Minutes With: Leela Pon, Fox Alternative Entertainment
Hayley Reynolds is a Commissioning Editor working across Sky Documentaries, Sky Crime and Sky Nature. Her most recent commissions include BAFTA-winning Libby, Are You Home Yet?, BAFTA and RTS winning Chernobyl: The Lost Tapes, Emmy-winning Queen of Speed and ratings hit House of Kardashian. From 2017 – 2021 Hayley was...show more
Speaking on: International Spotlight: United Kingdom; Breakfast With...; Speed Pitching - Two
Joe Rivadeneira has been developing, selling, and producing television for over a decade specializing in non-scripted development and talent packaging. He currently is the senior vice president of factual programming for Beyond Productions and is currently producing for Amazon, NBCU, Hulu among others. Previously, he was leading Vox Media Studios...show more
Speaking on: Pitching Partners
Angelina Rivero is Director of Programming at NBCUniversal Telemundo Enterprises. She plays a key role in creating and executing the content strategy for Spanish language broadcast networks, Telemundo and Telexitos, as well as Spanish language cable network, UNIVERSO, reporting directly to the EVP of Programming and Content Development, Sandra Smester....show more
Speaking on: Breakfast With...; Speed Pitching - Two
As Senior Vice President, Unscripted Development, NBCUniversal Entertainment, Jenna Rosa oversees the development of docu-series and lifestyle formats across Bravo, E!, Oxygen True Crime, USA Network, and Peacock.
Under her purview, she has spearheaded the development of unscripted series including the breakout hit The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City which is...show more
Speaking on: 30 Minutes With: Jenna Rosa & Isaac Ahn, NBCUniversal: Lifestyle, True Crime & Docuseries
Brittinee Royes is Vice President, Unscripted Lifestyle and Docuseries, NBCUniversal Entertainment, where she is tasked with developing and overseeing current production for some of NBCUniversal’s most successful unscripted programming across the entertainment portfolio.
Brittinee is passionate about developing innovative formats and telling unique stories through a variety...show more
Speaking on: Genre Jams - True Crime; Summit Showdown; Cocktails With…NBCUniversal Entertainment; Speed Pitching - Two
Ralf joined ZDF Studios in 2003. He is Vice President of the Unscripted department, which has a strong focus on wildlife, science and history programming as well as entertainment formats sales. For more than 25 years, Ralf has held various positions in the media industry such as development, production, commissioning,...show more
Speaking on: International Spotlight: Europe; Genre Jams - Natural History; Breakfast With...; Slow Pitching
Jason Sarlanis is President of Turner Networks, ID & HLN, Linear and Streaming at Warner Bros. Discovery where he oversees programming development, production, content strategy and operations across TNT, TBS, TruTv, ID and HLN as well as a slate of true crime originals on MAX and discovery+.
Appointed to...show more
Speaking on: State of the Unscripted Nation: Innovating Through Challenge
Jodi Scheer serves as Director, Production and Development for HGTV and is based in Warner Bros Discovery’s LA office. She develops and oversees top-rated series such as Rock the Block, Home Town, Home Town Takeover, and Ugliest House in America among others. Prior to joining HGTV, Jodi was part of...show more
Speaking on: Cocktails With... Food Network & HGTV; Summit Showdown; Lunch With...; Speed Pitching - Two
Michael Schneider has been covering the business of television for more than 25 years — most of that time at Variety, where he oversees television coverage as its TV Editor. Schneider has won several entertainment journalism awards and also regularly contributes to local outlets including Spectrum News 1 and KCRW....show more
Speaking on: Keynote Conversation: Nancy Abraham & Lisa Heller, HBO Documentary Films; Keynote Conversation: Rob Mills, ABC Entertainment & Hulu Originals
Bio Coming Soon...
Speaking on: Speed Pitching - One; 30 Minutes With: Joseph Schneier, Discovery Channel
Nekia Seymore is a seasoned media professional with over 15 years of media expertise. Currently, she works as one of the creative forces behind some of your favorite shows on TBS, TNT, and she even had a fun stint working with Discovery. Her extensive and diversified experience has equipped her...show more
Speaking on: Speed Pitching - Three; Speed Pitching - One; Lunch With...
Shelby Shaftel currently serves as Senior Vice President, Unscripted Series and Development, NBCUniversal Entertainment. In this capacity, Shaftel oversees a slate of tentpole series for NBC, Peacock, and the company’s cable portfolio. She is tasked with spearheading projects from concept through production and post, directing creative, staffing decisions, talent, marketing,...show more
Speaking on: 30 Minutes With: Shelby Shaftel & Kristina Edwards, NBCUniversal: Competition & Formats
As Global Head of Studios and Content Development for Tastemade, Taye Shuayb runs an unscripted television unit including Development, Production, and Post. He’s responsible for the development pipeline, partnering with external creatives and developing internal concepts. He oversees creation of a diverse portfolio of shows, including "Street Somm," a
series...show more
Speaking on: Speed Pitching - Three; Speed Pitching - One
Jeff Simpson was appointed as Managing Director of BYU Broadcasting in July of 2021. Prior to this he served as the President and Publisher of Deseret News in Salt Lake City, Utah. He also served as the President of Deseret Book Company, a publishing company under the Deseret Management Corporation...show more
Speaking on: Speed Pitching - Two
Andy Singer is a seasoned, cable network executive and was recently Head of Content for Samsung’s FAST Platform: TV Plus. While at Samsung, Singer guided the platform’s content strategy & curation efforts across dozens of Samsung’s owned and operated, binge & compilation channels available in the US and Canada. He...show more
Speaking on: Super FAST Channel Panel
Betsy Slenzak was named Vice President of Unscripted Programming for The CW Network in March 2023. In this role, Slenzak develops and runs current production on alternative reality series, events and specials for the network.
Slenzak most recently served as Vice President of Entertainment Unscripted Content at NBCUniversal Television...show more
Speaking on: 30 Minutes With: Betsy Slenzak, The CW
As Head of Acquisitions Will is responsible for managing and developing the scripted and unscripted acquisitions strategy at Abacus Media Rights, one of the UK’s leading distribution companies. Will works closely with international producers assisting with deficit financing and co-productions as well as feeding back and advising on editorial.
Will has...show more
Speaking on: Meet a Distributor
Carlyn Staudt is Blue Ant Media’s General Manager for its premium global wildlife brand, Love Nature, which is a destination for award-winning natural history series and documentaries reaching 485+ million households in over 145 countries. As a member of Blue Ant Media’s senior management team, Carlyn also serves as the...show more
Speaking on: Super FAST Channel Panel
Bo is CEO of Off the Fence. Bo’s professional journey started in the UK with BA degrees in media production, finance and distribution, then to Rome for an MBA in film and on to London for a job in content sales for factual specialist TVF International and prolific UK producer...show more
Speaking on: Genre Jams - Natural History; Meet a Distributor
Adam Steinman is President and founder of newly formed Mount Royal Films LLC, a global film and television "format lab" based in Los Angeles.
In 2023, Adam Steinman signed a development and production deal with Walt Disney Television Alternative.
Under this new deal, Steinman will work in collaboration with the team at...show more
Speaking on: Lunch With...; Speed Pitching - Two
Rob Swartz is Sr. Vice President of Development and Production at REELZ, a leading independent cable and satellite general entertainment network with programming focused on real people in revealing stories ranging from the critically acclaimed and award-winning The Kennedys to Autopsy: The Last Hours Of. The network is home to true crime stories and law...show more
Speaking on: Lunch With...
As the head of the acquisitions team at Fifth Season, Tang seeks out and secures best-in-class unscripted and scripted content for the company’s global TV distribution slate, building partnerships with producers and financing projects at all stages of production. Notable unscripted titles developed on her watch include Netflix’s top-rating feature...show more
Speaking on: Meet a Distributor
Drew Tappon is the Head of Unscripted Programming, Specials and Development for OWN: The Oprah Winfrey Network, a position he has held since June 2021. He has oversight for all unscripted programming on the network, including the long-running Love and Marriage franchise, Belle Collective from Kingdom Reign Productions, Family or...show more
Speaking on: 30 Minutes With: Drew Tappon, OWN
Bridgette Theriault
SVP, Programming & Development, Warner Horizon / Development, Telepictures
Warner Bros. Discovery
Emmy®-winning producer, showrunner, and development executive Bridgette Theriault serves as Senior Vice President, Programming & Development, at Warner Horizon; and Development at Telepictures, divisions of Warner Bros. Unscripted Television. Theriault co-leads Warner Horizon alongside Dan Sacks, overseeing Emmy®-winning series The Voice (NBC) and perennial hits The Bachelor, The Bachelorette, and...show more
Speaking on: Trendwatch ‘24-‘25
Brooke Townsend is Sr. Director of Nonfiction Programming and Development for The HISTORY Channel. In this role, Townsend oversees multiple hit programs, including Pawn Stars, Pawn Stars Do America, and History’s Greatest Mysteries, as well as maintains a robust development slate.
A veteran of A+E Networks, Townsend began her tenure at...show more
Speaking on: Lunch With...
Sebastian van Barneveld is the Director, Global Distribution at Talpa in The Netherlands. He has a demonstrated history of working in the global broadcast media industry. Since 2005, he has been working in different roles within the media industry and for divergent companies. Previously, he graduated from the University of...show more
Speaking on: Inside the Format Lab - Exploring Talpa Studios' Formula for Success
Nicole Vogel serves as the VP, Programming and Development at Lifetime where she is responsible for development, series, and specials for unscripted programming. Most recently, Vogel has been instrumental in Lifetime’s documentary event, The Prison Confessions of Gypsy Rose Blanchard, which debuted in January 2024 launching Lifetime to top entertainment...show more
Speaking on: 30 Minutes With: Nicole Vogel, Lifetime
Bio Coming Soon...
Speaking on: Cocktails With... Food Network & HGTV; Lunch With...; Summit Showdown; Speed Pitching - Two
As Head of Acquisitions at Passion Distribution, Sean Wheatley spearheads the company’s content acquisition activity, working closely with Passion Distribution’s production partners - both with independent producers and the Tinopolis group companies. Since joining the company in June 2018 Sean has acquired a range of high-quality unscripted titles from production...show more
Speaking on: Genre Jams - Lifestyle; Meet a Distributor
Michael Winteris SVP of programming and development for Chicken Soup for the Soul Entertainment Studios which he launched with a slate of original programming including Vacation Rental Potential (A&E), Being Dad (Netflix), Going For Broke (Crackle) and the Emmy-nominatedHidden Heroes (CBS). As Chicken Soup has become majority owner of Crackle, one of the leading AVOD services in the...show more
Justina Wójtowicz (nee Hemperek) joined Rive Gauche in August 2020 and is EVP Acquisitions & Sales. She oversees Global Acquisitions, Co-productions & development, working with international producers & broadcasters to secure production finance and partnerships.
Prior to Rive Gauche she was the Head of Acquisitions at Beyond Distribution charged...show more
Speaking on: Meet a Distributor
Rina Yano is currently SVP, Business and Legal Affairs at Westbrook Inc., an entertainment company founded by Will Smith, Jada Pinkett Smith, Miguel Melendez, and Kosaku Yada. At Westbrook, Rina has led business affairs matters on several unscripted television projects such as the Fresh Prince of Bel Air Reunion on...show more
Speaking on: What’s the Deal? How Dealmaking is Changing in the Streaming Era
Bio Coming Soon...
Speaking on: International Spotlight: Asia-Pacific; Genre Jams - Natural History; Breakfast With...; Slow Pitching
Fabrizio Zappi is heading Rai Documentari since December 2021. Before that, he served as Deputy Director to RAI Fiction, where he was responsible for TV Series, TV Movies and Docu Fiction. Fabrizio holds a degree in Business Administration and a European Master in Audiovisual Management. He has been lecturing at...show more
Speaking on: International Spotlight: Europe; Breakfast With...; Slow Pitching
