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KEYNOTES & FEATURED SPEAKERS
Saul J. Berman Dr. Berman has over 20 years consulting experience advising senior management of large corporate organizations, as well as start-up companies, on a broad range of strategy, organizational transformation and operations issues. His clients have included entertainment and telecommunication companies, consumer goods manufacturers and retailers in the United States, Japan, Europe and Australia. Dr. Berman also leads IBM’s team of business consultants who are specifically dedicated to helping the world’s leading media and entertainment companies tackle complex business problems. His work takes him around the globe, where he has worked closely with business leaders in a variety of ways, such as helping large entertainment companies evaluate their future business strategies and working with venture groups and major publishing companies to identify new market opportunities. Voted one of Consulting Magazine’s “Top 25 Most Influential Consulting Leaders of 2005, “ Dr. Berman has authored numerous articles and publications and is quoted regularly in media outlets including The Wall Street Journal, Businessweek, USA Today, CNN and CNBC. Additionally he is a frequent speaker at industry conferences and strategic planning seminars such as the Association of Strategic Planning, the National Association of Broadcasters, the Cable & Telecommunications Association for Marketing, the National Association of Recording Merchandisers, and Digital Hollywood. Prior to joining IBM, Dr. Berman was the global lead partner for the Strategic Change practice at Pricewaterhouse Coopers where he also created the “Future Series” of thought leadership publications. He was also a divisional vice president at a major department store and an assistant professor of management at the University of Southern California, Los Angeles, where he taught classes in corporate strategy, international business and operations management. Dr. Berman was previously a member of the Board of Sponsors for the Entertainment Technology Center at the University of Southern California Film School and was a member of the Board of Directors for the California Chapter of the Strategic Leadership Forum’s International Society for Planning and Strategic Management. He received his Ph.D in Management and Information Systems and holds an MBA in Production Systems and Operations Research from the Columbia University School of Business. He is a graduate of The Wharton School at University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, with a B.S. degree in Economics.
Albert Cheng In this new role, Mr. Cheng is charged with general management and strategic oversight of digital media, as well as development of ancillary revenue streams for Disney-ABC Television Group's diverse portfolio of broadcast and cable networks, including ABC Entertainment, ABC News, ABC Daytime, ABC Family, Disney Channel and SOAPnet. To that end, he leads a newly formed digital media team that oversees product development, marketing and operations for the Group's digital media content platforms, including video-on-demand, broadband, web-based and mobile platforms, as well as interactive television technologies. Mr. Cheng and his digital media team support franchise management through the development of related new products. Additionally, he is responsible for creating new business ventures and partnerships in the digital media and online space, as well as providing additional negotiation planning and support for ABC broadcast affiliate relations in this emerging new area. Mr. Cheng works closely with Disney and ESPN Networks Affiliate Sales and Marketing to ensure the distribution and development of digital media services to cable, satellite, telcos and wireless providers. He also works in close partnership with the Disney-ABC Television Group's marketing team and the Media Networks' strategy group, as well as other divisions within The Walt Disney Company developing these content platforms and consumer products.
Robert B.
Clasen
David Del
Beccaro
SVP, New Media / Chief Financial Officer, NBC Universal Cable
In his New Media role, Perrette spearheads the division’s domestic strategy and development of new content distribution businesses, including video-on-demand (VOD), pay-per-view (PPV) and high definition (HD). In this role he reports to David Zaslav, President of NBC Universal Cable and Domestic TV and New Media Distribution.
As CFO of NBC Universal Cable, Perrette is also responsible for the financial operations for cable distribution of NBC Universal’s leading portfolio of cable & broadcast assets, which are: Bravo, CNBC, CNBC World, MSNBC, NBC Weather Plus, mun2, Olympics, SCI FI, Telemundo, Telemundo Puerto Rico, Sleuth, Universal HD and USA. In his CFO role, Perrette reports to Lynn Calpeter, Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of NBC Universal.
As part of NBC’s acquisition of Vivendi Universal Entertainment, Perrette led the integration of NBC and Universal’s Cable divisions, creating one of the broadest, most profitable and fastest growing television groups. He also served as Chief Financial Officer of the Bravo Cable Network since January 2003, following his lead role in NBC’s acquisition of the network from Cablevision. In 2003, Bravo became the fastest growing Cable network in the US and home to such hit series as Queer Eye for the Straight Guy and Celebrity Poker.
In his prior role at NBC, Perrette was Vice President & CFO of Business Development and was instrumental in completing over $1.5BN in acquisitions, most importantly of Bravo Cable Network and San Francisco station KNTV. He also negotiated and executed several JVs and partnerships for CNBC International as part of its global strategy. In his finance role, Perrette was responsible for NBC's strategic investment portfolio, which included holdings in A&E, Paxson, National Geographic International, and ValueVision International.
Before joining NBC,
Perrette worked for NBC parent, GE and GE Capital, and was an analyst
with CS First Boston in London and Tokyo. He received a BA degree in
Public Policy from Hamilton College. Perrette lives in New York City
with his wife Amy. Chief Research Officer, CBS Corporation President, CBS VISION
In January 2006, David F. Poltrack was promoted to Chief Research Officer, CBS Corporation and President of CBS VISION. In his new position, Poltrack oversees all research operations at CBS Corporation. CBS VISION is a new research unit designed to explore and offer insight on emerging technologies, media consumption patterns, and advertising value in the media marketplace. His responsibilities encompass audience measurement, market research, program testing, advertising research, and monitoring of the national and international video marketplace. He also designed and oversees TELEVISION CITY at the MGM GRAND, Las Vegas. This state of the art Research Center provides ongoing consumer feedback concerning all programming and new entertainment technologies.
He joined CBS in 1969 as Manager, Marketing Services, CBS Television Stations, National Sales. After holding various positions with CBS Television Stations, in 1979 Poltrack was named Vice President, Marketing Services for the CBS Television Network. In 1982, he was named Vice President, Research, CBS/Broadcast Group, and in 1988, he was appointed Senior Vice President, Planning and Research, CBS/Broadcast Group. He was promoted to Executive Vice President, Research and Planning, CBS Television in 1994.
Poltrack is past chairman of the Media Rating Council (MRC), a trustee and a member of the executive committee of the Marketing Science Institute, past president of the Market Research Council, vice president of the Advertising Research Council, and a member of the National Association of Television Arts and Sciences. He is past chairman of the Advertising Research Foundation, and a former member of the board of the International Radio and Television Foundation (IRTF).
He is winner of the Hugh Malcolm Beville, Jr. Award presented by the National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) and the Broadcast Education Association in recognition of those who have made significant contributions to the design, use, or understanding of broadcast audience research.
As Adjunct Professor at New York University, he teaches courses on the graduate level at both the NYU Stern School of Business and the Steinhardt School of Education. He also teaches at the Columbia University Graduate School of Business, and is a visiting professor at Cheung Dong Graduate School of Business, Beijing, China.
He is author of Television Marketing: Network, Local, and Cable (McGraw-Hill). His articles are published in professional journals including the Journal of Advertising Research, the Journal of Psychology and Marketing, and the European Broadcasting Union Review.
He is a graduate of the University of Notre Dame (B.A., magna cum laude, History) and New York University (M.B.A., Marketing).
He resides with his wife, Leslie, in Connecticut.
Mr. Rose’s consulting work includes: -Strategy and overall portfolio review for a multi-billion dollar private equity firm -Counseling and deal support for one of the top 10, large cap, private equity firms -Development of a billion dollar captive private equity fund for a leading, global media company -Due diligence of a leading Hispanic broadcaster -Evaluation of a leading publicly traded Newspaper -Turn-around of a receivables outsourcing portfolio company for a private equity firm -Acquisition of a multi-billion specialty pharmaceutical company -Convergence/bundling strategy for a leading Telco -Evaluating acquisition opportunities in retail and packaged goods sectors for a leading consumer company -Designing and launching a satellite services company for a Telecommunications company
At EMI Mr. Rose was responsible for: -Developing new digital distribution retailing models and creating a digital distribution business -Leading a restructuring of the company that reduced staff size by 40 percent of 2 years -Evaluating new approaches to approach retail trade promotion and pricing -Driving key merger discussions and sale of key assets
Mr. Rose received a Bachelor of Arts degree in
Mathematics, summa cum laude from Wesleyan University where he also was
awarded the Graham Prize for natural science. He holds a Masters in
Public and Private Management from Yale University. Mr. Rose is also on
the Board of Trustees of WNYC and Young Audiences. Previously, as president of cable and communications, Tom Rutledge was responsible for managing all of the consumer services delivered by Cablevision Systems Corporation's state-of-the-art network, including Interactive Optimum digital video, Optimum Online high-speed data, and Optimum Voice, voice-over-IP. His appointment in January 2002 was a key step toward ensuring the delivery of Cablevision's new generation of digital telecommunications offerings to more than 4.4 million households in the company's New York metropolitan service area. A 28-year cable and telecommunications industry veteran, Mr. Rutledge previously served as president of Time Warner Cable. Prior to his role as president, Mr. Rutledge served as senior executive vice president, spearheading the launch and development of a number of Time Warner Cable's broadband consumer products, including: digital cable, high-speed Internet, video-on-demand, and switched and IP Telephony services. Mr. Rutledge began his industry career in 1977 at American Television and Communications (ATC), a predecessor company of Time Warner Cable, starting as a manager trainee after graduating from college. Mr. Rutledge held a number of positions in addition to president of the company's Austin, Texas and Portland, Maine divisions. Mr. Rutledge currently serves on the board of the NCTA, CableLabs and the CTAM Educational Foundation. He received his bachelor of administration in economics from California University in California, Pa. in 1977. In 1995, he also attended Harvard's advanced management program. PANELISTS & MODERATORS:
Eric D.
Alterman Eric was also the founder of JED Broadcasting, a Northwest radio broadcasting company, and New Brand Agency Group, a publishing company based in New York City. He began his career as an attorney where he worked in a variety of areas, including licensing and securities, for Akin, Gump, Hauer and Strauss in Washington, DC. Eric graduated from Tufts University and the Washington College of Law as a member of the Law Review.
Simon
Applebaum
As SVP, Director of Digital Connections, Eric Bader, who joined MediaVest in April 2006, is charged with overseeing MediaVest’s digital investment, product and world-class digital team that stands 35-strong today. He also provides digital leadership throughout the larger organization and serves as a member of MediaVest’s Leadership Council.
Eric leads
the agency’s digital work for clients including Coca-Cola, Continental
Airlines, Kraft, Masterfoods and P&G, working with his Digital
Connections team to provide planning, buying, execution and tracking
investment capabilities across a rich spectrum of digital platforms such
as advanced television, mobile, downloadable video, broadband and
traditional online. A 15-year emerging media veteran, Eric believes that the key to success in an increasingly on-demand world is staying grounded in the fundamentals building brands and customer value, but also breaking some rules and having fun with the online medium. Prior to joining MediaVest, Bader built a solid legacy of leadership and innovation, most recently at College Sports Television (CSTV) and for years at Ogilvy Interactive. Most recently, he operated Hound, a consultancy business he founded, specializing in online, e-commerce, content development and integrated marketing.
Michael Cai studies developments in broadband services, broadband technologies such as FTTx and broadband wireless, electronic gaming, and other value-added services. He also follows emerging digital home technologies such as networked storage and whole-home entertainment solutions. Michael has written reports on the Chinese telecom market, broadband wireless, broadband services, storage, entertainment middleware, and gaming. Michael has presented his research in numerous industry events including CES, Supercomm, CONNECTIONST, and E3.
Michael earned his MBA with a 4.0 GPA from Baylor University in May 2002. He also holds an MA in leadership from Landegg International University, Switzerland, and a BA in economics from Shandong University, P. R. China.
INDUSTRY EXPERTISE: Multimedia Networks, Consumers and Mobile Platforms, Gaming, Broadband Services, Business of Bundled Services, Broadband Wireless Technologies/WiMAX, and Storage
Brian
Cooley
Earlier in his career, Cooley served as news director at broadcast market leaders KMEL/San Francisco and KKBT/Los Angeles. Just prior to joining CNET, he was morning host and Web evangelist at KPIX /San Francisco, where he built Westinghosue Brodcasting's first station Web site.
Media Appearances: Brian is frequently called upon by national and regional broadcast, radio and print outlets for his technology expertise and commentary. A small sampling of his recent appearances include CNN, CNBC, Fox Sports Radio, ESPN2’s Cold Pizza, National Public Radio’s Marketplace, San Francisco’s KPIX-TV CH 5 (CBS), Los Angeles KCBS-TV, San Francisco’s KGO-AM 810 (ABC), and Los Angeles’ KNX-AM 1070 (CBS).
Mike
Fidler
Mike Fidler is chief executive officer of Digeo, Inc., bringing a strong background in consumer electronics and cable technologies. Fidler is responsible for setting the strategic direction of the company and implementing key initiatives to drive Digeo’s evolution from a successful technology start-up to a well-established company with clear leadership positions in software, silicon and hardware.
Previously, Fidler was senior vice president of Sony Electronics' (SEL) Home Products Division, where he was responsible for directing the marketing of Sony's TV, home audio/video, and IT displays business. He also served as senior vice president, Blu-ray Disc Group, responsible for promoting the Blu-ray Disc format to relevant industries including motion picture studios, music labels, consumer electronics manufacturers, information technology companies, optical replication and post-production houses. Prior to that, Fidler served as senior vice president of the Digital Platform Division of America. Before joining Sony, Fidler held the positions of senior vice president, New Technologies and senior vice president, Marketing at Pioneer Electronics.
Fidler is a founding member and vice president of the DVD Entertainment Group, an industry-funded nonprofit organization that provides updated information about DVD to media and retailers. He has served on various committees established by the Consumer Electronics Association (CEA) that focused on providing the necessary marketing support for launching new technology products.
Fidler graduated from Pace University in New York with a Bachelor of business administration in marketing.
Barry Frey
Prior to joining Cablevision, Mr. Frey founded Next Level Media & Marketing LLC, which created and executed successful media and marketing strategies for companies in the cable, multimedia and interactive industries. His clients included The Advertising Council, Resorts Sports Network, VOY Hispanic CONCERT Video on Demand, and Laureus Sports Awards. Previously, Mr. Frey was in charge of sales and marketing divisions at leading companies including: Crown Media, the National Basketball Association (NBA), and USA Networks.
While at Crown Media, Mr. Frey served as senior vice president of global media sales and managed the sales division responsible for creating the first digital product placement agreements on television. Previously, Mr. Frey was senior vice president with the National Basketball Association and oversaw the development of leading multi-million dollar, multi-platform advertiser agreements. Earlier in his career he was responsible for overseeing international sales and new business development at USA Networks.
Paul
Gluckman
Jeffrey A. Greenbaum is a partner at Frankfurt Kurnit Klein & Selz, PC, where he practices advertising law. Mr. Greenbaum counsels advertisers, media companies, online marketers, advertising agencies, and commercial production companies on a wide variety of advertising, marketing, branded entertainment, and intellectual property matters, including agency/client contracts, production contracts, advertising regulation, rights clearance, e-commerce, consumer privacy, and network clearance. Mr. Greenbaum also regularly represents advertisers in connection with federal, state, and local regulatory investigations, as well as before the National Advertising Division and other self-regulatory organizations. Mr. Greenbaum has previously served as chair of the Committee on Consumer Affairs of the New York City Bar, and currently serves as a member of the Committee. For several years, he has also chaired the New York City Bar’s annual “Hot Topics in Advertising” program. Mr. Greenbaum has served as an adjunct faculty member at Parsons School of Design, and is a frequent speaker on advertising and intellectual property issues. He writes the monthly “Legalease” column in Shoot magazine. He has also been quoted in publications such as The New York Times, Adweek, and Creativity. Mr. Greenbaum is a graduate of Brandeis University (BA, summa cum laude, 1990), where he was elected to Phi Beta Kappa, and a graduate of Columbia University School of Law (JD, 1993), where he was a Harlan Fiske Stone Scholar.
Julie
Kearney
Peter
Kerckhoff
Stephen
Jacobs
At BPSD, Jacobs presided over Sony’s industry-leading content creation business and directed the transition from an analog, hardware-based business to a digital application-based marketing and sales organization. Under his leadership, Ride the HD Wave became a reality for network studios at NBC and CBS, Gannett-owned KUSA, and an increasing number of situation comedies and prime-time dramas. Jacobs was also instrumental in Sony’s joining forces with Accenture to create Concadia, a pioneer in creating solutions for rich media management.
Prior to joining Sony in April 2000, Jacobs had a distinguished career in broadcast journalism. Honored with multiple News Emmys from the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences, he held various executive positions at CBS News from 1984 onward. He was a Senior Producer for The CBS Evening News with Dan Rather from 1984 to 1987, Senior Producer for CBS News Special Events from 1987 to 1984, and Executive Producer of CBS News Special Events from 1994 to 1997. After the Presidential election of 1996, he went on to help create CBS.com where he was Executive Producer for News.
Prior to CBS, Jacobs was Pentagon producer at ABC News where he also received a News Emmy for a unprecedented five part series on the Soviet Union. In addition, Jacobs has received numerous other professional awards ranging from the Broadcast Design Association, American Women in Radio and Television, and with his colleagues at CBS News, the George Polk Award for international reporting for their coverage of the Democracy Spring and Tiananmen Square uprising in 1989. He has spoken extensively at industry conferences covering the application of technology to editorial and business issues.
Jacobs received his BS with honors from Cornell University in January 1974. He is married to Maxine Howard and together they have two daughters.
Al
Lieberman
Lydia Loizides VP, Director of Media & Technology Experience Analytics
Ms. Loizides is Vice President, Director of Technology and Media Engagement Analytics at the Consumer Experience Practice, part of Interpublic Group. Her objectives are to drive greater understanding of consumers’ changing relationships with traditional and emerging media technologies, cultivate strategic alliances and partnerships with technology vendors and advise IPG Media agencies and their clients on how to best use emerging media technologies in their communication plans.
Ms. Loizides also serves as an Adjunct Lecturer, Center for Design, Digital Arts and Film at New York University, is a Trustee of The National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences, a member of the Board of Governors of The National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences, NY, and Chairs the Advanced Media Committee of The National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences, NY, that awards Emmys for excellence in advanced media. She also writes a weekly installment for Media Post entitled, Media Technology Futures that explores technology’s impact on media.
Prior, Ms. Loizides was Principal of Paphion Inc., a media and technology consultancy where she worked with media companies including Sony, Advanced Newhouse Communications, Scripps Networks, Arts & Entertainment Networks, ASCAP and others, to build and deploy advanced media businesses. As part of Ziff Brothers Investments, she led qualitative and quantitative research efforts in the communications, media and entertainment equities sectors. Previously, she served as Senior Analyst with Jupiter Research, leading the research efforts in cable and satellite markets, personal technologies and entertainment and media. Before her tenure with Jupiter, she spent six years in software development and product marketing. She served as Senior Product Manager for VSystems Inc., now part of Eskar Inc., and Product Marketing Manager at Ncompass Labs Inc., now part of Microsoft, were she was instrumental in bringing the first OLE component browser and leading-edge component and content management software technology to market.
Ms. Loizides has been published in leading industry publications and journals. She writes a weekly installment, Media & Technology Futures for Media Post Publications that is subscribed to by over 5,000 readers. She is an active participant in, and committee member of, the National Association of Multi-ethnicity in Communications (NAMIC), Society of Cable and Telecommunications Engineers (SCTE), Cable and Television Association of Marketers (CTAM), The Internet Society (ISOC), and the National Television Academy of Arts & Sciences (NATAS).
Ms. Loizides received both her undergraduate and post-graduate degrees from Simon Fraser University in Canada.
Marsha
MacBride While at the FCC, Marsha worked for four years in the political programming branch, where she advised broadcasters and candidates on rule compliance. She also worked on the implementation of the 1996 Act, the regulations initiating the DTV service, closed captioning, the V-chip, the biennial review of 1998, SHVIA as well as an array of enforcement proceedings and application streamlining initiatives. Marsha is a 1985 graduate of The National Law Center, George Washington University, and a 1981 graduate of Douglass College, Rutgers University.
Dr. Ken
Morse
Andrew Nachison Andrew is an internationally recognized expert on media, technology and cultural trends. He is a writer and online publishing veteran who learned from remarkable teachers: the art of fiction from novelist Frank McCourt, computer programming from BASIC creator John Kemeney, and social activism from Pacific island nuclear testing witness and author David Bradley. He has reported and edited for The Associated Press; written for The New York Times, Infoworld, Audubon and other magazines; managed one of the world’s most ambitious small-market newspaper Web sites, lawrence.com; played clarinet at Tanglewood and Carnegie Hall; studied wildlife, development and environmental policy in Kenya; spoken on media convergence and business strategies in Asia and Europe; and currently serves on the advisory boards of the World Editors’ Forum, The Enthusiasts Group LLC, and NewsTrust. Prior to launching iFOCOS he was director of The Media Center at the American Press Institute. Andrew has led dozens of symposia, seminars and executive forums on media convergence, media business development, emerging technology and other facets of the connected society, and he co-conceived and executed The Media Center’s 2003 merger with another media futures think tank, New Directions for News, creating a global network of researchers, thinkers and doers who contributed to the research, dialog and findings that guide his current trend watching explorations and client engagements around the world. Andrew has worked as a newspaper reporter and editor, as an online news editor and general manager, he founded the interactive media consultancy Nach Media, and taught journalism and new media at Indiana University. He has published one piece of short fiction, written many others (at nach.com) and swears there’s more to come. He earned a BA in philosophy at Dartmouth College and lives with his wife and two sons in Reston, Virginia.
David D.
Oxenford
Shelly
Palmer
Palmer is the Chairman of The Advanced Media Committee (and 1st Vice President of the New York Chapter) of the National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences (NATAS) the organization that bestows the coveted Emmy® Awards. Palmer oversees the Advanced Media Technology Emmy Awards, which he created in 2003 to honor outstanding achievements in the science and technology of the new media-side of the business.
Along with his contributions to the advancement of television, Palmer is a pioneer in the field of Internet technologies. He is the inventor of Enhanced Television used by programs such as ABC’s Who Wants to Be a Millionaire and Monday Night Football. In 2004, ABC's Celebrity Mole Yucatan received an Emmy® Award in the category of Enhancement of Original Television Content. It was Palmer who led ABC’s team of advanced media professionals and spearheaded the award-winning project.
Palmer is a popular speaker and moderator at technology and media conferences hosted by industry organizations and top tier colleges and universities, like: The Consumer Electronics Show (CES), The National Association of Broadcasters Convention (NAB), The National Show presented by the National Cable Television Association (NCTA), Telecom presented by the United States Telecom Association, Digital Hollywood, iHollywood, DV Expo and ITV Europe. He is a guest lecturer at Stern Graduate Business School at NYU, The Columbia Institute for Tele-Information (CITI) at Columbia University, The Graziadio School of Business Management at Pepperdine University, The Digital Content Lab at the American Film Institute and other top tier colleges and universities.
Over the last two decades, Palmer has enjoyed a highly distinguished career as a composer and producer. His professional vitae includes years of experience in television production and musical composition. He created and produced HotPop, a teen lifestyle and music show airing on Starz/Encore’s WAM! As a prolific composer, Palmer was the recipient of the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers (ASCAP's) 12th Annual Film and Television Music Award for ABC’s hit series Spin City. He was also recognized the following season in the category of “Most Performed Television Themes.” Palmer's music credits include the theme songs for Live with Regis & Kelly, Rivera Live and MSNBC as well as the digital debut of the "real" cat singing the classic “Meow, Meow, Meow, Meow.”
Palmer is
the host of Media 3.0 with Shelly Palmer a weekly business news series
which can be seen on public television and online at www.media30.com.
A graduate of New York University’s School of the Arts, he is the author
of one of the most popular television business news blogs,
www.EmmyAdvancedMedia.com and a weekly columnist for www.Mediapost.com.
His new book Television Disrupted: The Transition from Network to
Networked TV(www.televisiondisrupted.com) about the technological,
economic, and sociological forces that impact the future of television,
media and entertainment is is available on www.amazon.com. For more
information, visit www.shellypalmer.com.
Robert
Riesenberg
Mark
Rowland
Mark combines vast experience in strategy development, market planning and operational improvement with a deep knowledge of IT and telecommunications technology. His specialized expertise includes market analysis, business case development, technical due diligence, procurement of network services and equipment, IT project management, as well as the planning, design and implementation of networks and IT systems. Mark's technical knowledge includes cellular and wireless networking, and next-generation Ethernet and IP infrastructure.
Mark's in-depth experience and keen instincts have been key to his success in analyzing the viability of new technologies, developing and launching new products, and assessing market readiness. Recognized for his technical abilities as well as business proficiency, Mark has often been asked to lead projects requiring creativity, leadership and extensive technical knowledge.
His clients include telecommunications, finance and utility companies in the U.S., Asia Pacific and Europe. Previously, Mark gained 10 years' consulting experience working with PA Consulting. He has also worked for Logica and AT&T Network Systems (Bell Labs).
Mark holds an MS in Information Technology and Management from Sheffield Hallam University, UK.
Senior
Director, Mobile Video & Gaming
As Senior Director of Mobile Video & Gaming within Motorola’s Mobile Devices business, Jason Rubinstein is responsible for defining and bringing to market rich consumer experiences in mobile entertainment. In this role, Jason works with industry partners, developers and mobile operators around the globe to develop a portfolio of mobile devices and solutions delivering enhanced video and gaming functionality to the screen that you always have with you – your mobile phone.
Jason has over 15 years of entertainment and technology experience. Prior to joining Motorola, Jason served as General Manager of ubi.com, the online division of Ubi Soft Entertainment (www.ubi.com). Before joining Ubi Soft in 2001, Jason was Vice President and General Manger of the live music division at Riffage.com and produced critically-acclaimed programming for TV and the web including The 2000 New Orleans Jazz Festival, "BBC Music Live," and "Live From The Great American Music Hall."
Jason has also managed Intel's games and music industry market development and technology initiatives and held posts in marketing and business development at Total Entertainment Network (renamed Pogo.com, then sold to Electronic Arts), DreamWorks Interactive and Sierra On-Line/The Imagination Network (sold to AT&T, then AOL). Prior to joining Sierra On-Line, Jason held both production and marketing posts at CBS Records and the Warner Music Group.
Bijan
Sabet Bijan Sabet is a General Partner at Spark Capital. His investments at Spark include thePlatform (acquired by Comcast) and 4th Media. Prior to joining Spark, Mr. Sabet was Senior Vice President, Corporate Development of GameLogic after serving as an Entrepreneur-in-Residence at Charles River Ventures (CRV). Before his work at CRV, Mr. Sabet was Vice President, Business Development and Product Management at Moxi Digital where he was responsible for establishing and managing strategic relationships with cable and satellite operators as well as driving product strategy. In this role, Mr. Sabet spearheaded the introduction of the Moxi Media Center, a low-cost replacement for a digital cable or satellite set-top box that integrates Digital Video Recording, Music Jukebox, DVD player, and Internet Gateway into one device that wirelessly networks video, audio, and broadband connectivity throughout the home. Moxi later merged with Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen's Digeo and is currently deployed by Charter, Comcast and Adelphia Cable. Previously, Mr. Sabet was an early member at WebTV Networks, which introduced the first true convergence digital consumer product, combining Internet TV, interactive TV, digital TV, Digital Video Recording, and games into an integrated consumer electronics device. At WebTV, Mr. Sabet held responsibility for business development in North America. In this capacity, he established key alliances, commercial relationships and joint ventures with leading network operators and consumer electronics companies. Twenty months after it was founded, WebTV Networks was acquired by Microsoft Corporation for over $425 million. WebTV is now MSNTV as well as the platform for both of Microsoft's TV distribution platforms, Cable TV Foundation and IPTV. WebTV products have been sold throughout the world, and have been deployed to both DirecTV and Dish Network satellite customers. Before WebTV, Mr. Sabet held various sales and management positions at Apple Computer and Integrated Systems (acquired by Wind River Systems). Mr. Sabet holds a BS degree from Boston College.
Adam Shaw Before joining the NFL Network, Shaw worked for Fox Television in Los Angeles for eight years where he held a series of positions. Starting in 1996, he was manager and director of business development for Fox Sports Net, then VP of affiliate sales for Fox Cable Networks, and then senior vice president of business development for Fox Cable Networks and COO for FX.
In 2001, during his tenure at Fox, Shaw conceived the idea for Advision, an Internet-based advertising concept providing local businesses an easy and affordable way to advertise on TV. In 2005, he collaborated with childhood friend Nick Grouf to materialize the Advision concept into a viable business and rename the company Spotrunner. Today, Spotrunner is a highly successful Internet-based advertising agency that gives local businesses the ability to plan and implement an entire television advertising campaign in days instead of months and at a fraction of the cost of traditional methods.
Prior to moving to LA to work for Fox, Shaw worked for two years in New York at the Boston Consulting Group before taking a nine-month hiatus in Mexico, Turks and Caicos working for Club Med.
Shaw graduated magna cum laude from Yale University in 1993.
Eric
Shepcaro
As digital media community-builder, Ned has established partnerships with the leading B-to-B media companies and educational institutions, including VNU Business Media, Billboard Magazine, The Hollywood Reporter, Reed Business Information, Multichannel News, Business 2.0, Business Week, CableFax/CableWorld, VIBE/SPIN, MidemNet, NYU’s Stern School of Business, USC’s Center for Telecom Management and UCLA’s Anderson School of Management, and hundreds of the leading digital media companies, including Microsoft, Real Networks, Sony Corporation of America, AOL Time Warner, Napster, Yahoo! and many more. An expert on legal issues and business methods, Ned provides value to his clients and partners by offering timely news and research, producing executive forum on cutting-edge topics, and leveraging his extensive network of media assets and strategic relationships across games, music, film, television and mobile industries. Ned’s background is in law. Before joining Digital Media Wire, Ned spent 7+ years as a corporate and entertainment attorney practicing at several of the leading law firms in the world with an international client base across industries including technology, Internet, media and entertainment. As a founding member of the iLaw Group in the Entertainment Department at Loeb & Loeb LLP in Century City, he handled complex licensing transactions and financings for media and entertainment clients including Universal Studios and MGM and launched dozens of Internet and new media start-ups. He has counseled company founders from initiation of a business plan to seed, angel, venture capital and later-stage private financings and managed all legal aspects of Internet clients from corporate organization, stockholder relationships, board compositions and dynamics, stock option plans, capital raising and security regulatory matters, Internet law issues, trademark, copyright, content and technology licensing, advertising and privacy issues. From 1997 to 1999, he practiced in the Los Angeles office of Mayer, Brown & Platt where his practice centered on representation of U.S. and foreign banks in complex lending transactions. From 1995 to 1997, he was a foreign lawyer at Nishimura & Partners in Tokyo, Japan, where his practice involved international mergers and acquisitions and the formation of technology and entertainment joint venture companies. He also served as President of the Roppongi Bar Association in Tokyo. In 2000, he was an Adjunct Lecturer of Law at Tulane University Law School where he taught an entertainment law seminar. Ned is a graduate of Brown University (AB, with honors, 1990) and the University of Texas School of Law (JD, 1994) where he was Chief Articles & Notes Editor of the Texas International Law Journal. Ned is a frequent speaker at media and entertainment industry events, including MidemNet (moderator at 2004 and 2005 conferences), Digital Music Forum (host and moderator, 2001-2005), Billboard Digital Entertainment Awards (co-chair and host, 2004) and the O2 Digital Media Awards (judge 2004), and has been quoted in publications including American Lawyer, The Hollywood Reporter, Billboard and Crain’s Mermigas on Media, and interviewed on National Public Radio (NPR), NY1 Evening News and nationally syndicated radio shows, Inside Digital Media, WebTalk and Online Tonight with David Lawrence. He sits on the Board of Directors of Wild Way, a non-profit dedicated to cultivating environmental awareness and developing educational programs for inner-city and “at risk” kids and has traveled extensively from Europe to Asia to South America to Northern Africa. Ned is married and lives with his wife and son in Hollywood Hills, California.
Perry Solomon
Steven
Starr As founder and chief executive officer, Steven has 30 years of experience in media and creator empowerment. Recent product launches include Indy.tv, a free recommendation engine for independent musicians; and Dijjer.org, an open source zero-bandwidth http technology for independent creators. He is also Ian Clarke's long-time partner on the Freenet Project.
Previously, he managed KPFK-FM, the largest community radio signal in the U.S. and co-founded the Los Angeles Independent Media Center. He’s held executive-level positions with a variety of Internet and entertainment-related companies over the years – including co-founder and chair of Intel-backed Uprizer, Inc.; founding CEO of user-generated AntEye.com; co-creator/producer of MTV’s ‘The State’; writer/director of the award-winning Indy feature ‘Joey Breaker’; and head of the New York Motion Picture Department for the William Morris Agency, representing Ang Lee, Tim Robbins, Larry David, and the Bob Marley Estate among others.
Steven began his career as a concert promoter for Bob Marley and the Wailers, and holds a bachelor’s degree in radio, television and film from the University of Wisconsin.
Dave Thomas Based in New York, he reports to Susan Whiting and is a member of Nielsen’s senior leadership team. Dave’s primary responsibilities are strategic planning, business development, strategic relationship development, negotiation and policy planning for major corporate contracts, and customer relationships. Dave oversees third-party and licensing agreements, and provides strategic direction to all senior vice presidents of sales and product management. Also reporting into Dave is Nielsen Advertiser Services (NAS), which provides advanced information solutions to help national advertisers deliver more effective campaigns and respond more quickly to competition. Dave joined Nielsen Media Research in 1989. He has served as Vice President, National Account Group Manager for the Nielsen Homevideo Index (NHI), Nielsen’s national and local cable television service. Dave’s responsibilities in this role included marketing and sales of Nielsen Media Research’s national product line, including the metered service to national cable networks. During Dave’s tenure, NHI added 22 new cable network customers. In July 1996, Dave was promoted to Senior Vice President and Director of Marketing for Monitor-Plus, the Company’s competitive, multimedia advertising intelligence service, where he directed all Monitor-Plus sales and marketing functions. Most recently, Dave served as Senior Vice President and Managing Director for Monitor-Plus. Dave was appointed to his current position in November 2000. Dave began his career at Cunningham & Walsh in 1977 and progressed through a variety of media management positions among agency, media-buying services and advertisers. He has held positions at 7Up, DeWitt Media and Media Buying Services International, where he was Vice President and Director of Planning and Development before joining Nielsen Media Research. Dave holds a BA from Wesleyan University.
Daniel
Tibbets, EVP, GoTV Labs Prior to joining GoTV Networks, Daniel held senior executive roles in production and development for companies such as CBS Enterprises, Fireworks Television, Inc., Papazian-Hirsch Entertainment and Twentieth Television. At Twentieth Television, Daniel ran FOXLAB, Inc. where he co-created and developed the first ever mobisode. In addition, he executive produced the first two original content mobisodes Love and Hate and Sunset Hotel, which launched in February 2005. Daniel also developed the first convergence program to air on broadcast television at FOXLAB. In addition to his work at Twentieth Television, Daniel is credited with the development and sale of the HBO series ROME from his work at Papazian-Hirsch. Daniel graduated from Arizona State University where he earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Marketing with an emphasis in International Marketing and Business.
Denmark West, EVP of Strategy & Business Development, MTV Networks
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