Meet Our Judges

Anais Baker
​Head of Global Formats
Amazon MGM Studios

Wesley Dening
Head of Global Formats
Eureka

Wes Dening is an award-winning Executive Producer and oversees the expansion and execution of Eureka’s slate of international hits. Since joining Eureka’s US office in 2016, Dening has developed and Executive Produced some of the most recognized unscripted shows in the marketplace including “The Floor” (Fox), “The Quiz with Balls” (Fox), “The Mole” (Netflix), “Holey Moley” (ABC), “Stars on Mars” (Fox), “Dating Around” (Netflix), “Full Bloom” (HBO Max) and “Crikey! It’s the Irwins” (Discovery), to name a few.

As Head of Global Formats, Dening also oversees the development and production of Fremantle’s entertainment, reality and game show formats in Australia, including the relaunch of “Australian Idol” (Seven) in 2023.

Dening’s series have earned US and international acclaim including Rose D'or Award & TCA Award nominations for “Holey Moley”, Realscreen, C21 Awards & TBI International Format Awards for “Holey Moley”, DGA Nominations & C21 Format Awards for “Full Bloom”, a Critics Choice Award for “Dating Around” and a Logie Award Nomination for “Australian Idol”.

Jennifer Dettman
Executive Director, Unscripted Content
CBC

Jennifer Dettman is an award-winning television executive with 15+ years of experience leading innovative television and digital content creation. She is one of the top executives in the country and an internationally respected voice in the industry. Jennifer has played a leading role in the industry's ongoing digital transformation to define new paths for a changing media landscape and is dedicated to creating best-in-class Canadian unscripted content on all platforms, including CBC and documentary Channel award-winning documentaries and hit CBC factual entertainment series Canada's Ultimate Challenge, Bollywed, Dragons' Den, Family Feud Canada, The Great Canadian Baking Show and Still Standing.

Sean Doyle
Executive Director, Unscripted Originals
Disney

Sean Doyle is Director of Unscripted Originals at Disney+ with responsibility for the EMEA unscripted slate. Since joining Disney+ he has been the creative lead for unscripted with a raft of series and films including the critically acclaimed Finding Michael, The Pope Answers and Coleen Rooney: The Real Wagatha Story.

Prior to joining Disney, Sean was channel lead on More4 turning the channel’s fortunes around to become a leading digital offering for viewers resulting in More4 winning Channel of the Year at the Broadcast Digital awards. As well as his work on More4, Sean was Deputy Head of Channel 4’s Features & Formats department and responsible for a huge number of hit series. Sean was also commissioning editor at Channel 5 and part of the team that led the broadcaster to commercial success culminating in its Channel of the Year award at the 2018 Edinburgh TV Festival.

Syeda Irtizaali
Editor, Unscripted Commissioning
BBC

Syeda Irtizaali is Editor of Unscripted for the BBC helping to oversee content slates and strategy across Documentaries, Specialist Factual, Entertainment, Factual Entertainment, Arts, Daytime and Storyville. She also oversees hit series The Traitors UK after securing it for the BBC. Syeda started her career as a journalist with BBC News and went on to work as a producer and executive producer in entertainment and factual entertainment across several independent production companies including Monkey, Planet 24, Diverse, At It and Brighter. She had a substantial stint as a Commissioning Editor for Entertainment and Live Events at Channel 4 and was responsible for commissioning and overseeing hits such as “Alan Carr: Chatty Man,” “The Million Pound Drop,” “The Last Leg,” “The Big Fat Quiz of The Year”, “The Lateish Show with Mo Gilligan” and “The Big Narstie Show.” She returned to the BBC in Feb. 2020 as Commissioning Editor in Entertainment, where she oversaw “Top Gear” and “Masterchef” before being promoted to Portfolio Editor for BBC One, BBC Two, BBC Four and BBC iPlayer within Dan McGolpin’s team overseeing channel and iPlayer content strategy.

Susie Jones
Head of Factual
ABC Australian Broadcasting Corporation

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 of content across SBS, ABC, Network Ten, Nine, Seven Network, and the Discovery Channel. Susie spent six years working at Matchbox Pictures as a Development Executive, developing content for all networks. In 2016, she joined SBS as commissioning editor for documentaries where she was responsible for a slate of award winning content, including multiple seasons of Who Do You Think You Are?, The Ghan, Addicted Australia and See What You Made Me Do. Jones was also previously SBS's Head of Entertainment and Food.

Yasmin Rawji
EVP, Unscripted Programming
FOX Entertainment

Yasmin Rawji was named Executive Vice President, Unscripted -- Network, of FOX Entertainment, in 2023. Based in Los Angeles, she is responsible for the development and production of FOX’s entire reality slate. Additionally, and in conjunction with FOX’s in-house unscripted studio FOX Alternative Entertainment, Rawji works on the company’s International Unscripted Format Fund to identify intellectual property for the global market. 

Among the programs under Rawji’s purview are the culture-piercing singing competition THE MASKED SINGER; Gordon Ramsay’s hit cooking competition series, NEXT LEVEL CHEF, which delivered 16.7 million Total Viewers in its post-Super Bowl LVII Season Two Premiere, becoming the most-watched cooking series telecast in television history; GORDON RAMSAY’S FOOD STARS; KITCHEN NIGHTMARES, which recently returned after a decade hiatus; celebrity social experiment SPECIAL FORCES: THE WORLD’S TOUGHEST TEST, the #1 freshman unscripted series of the 2022-23 season; competition program LEGO MASTERS, hosted by Will Arnett; guessing game-meets-baking competition CRIME SCENE KITCHEN, hosted by Joel McHale and Summer 2021’s #1 new series; dating programs JOE MILLIONAIRE: FOR RICHER OR POORER and FARMER WANTS A WIFE; as well as all TMZ specials produced for FOX.

Recent hits launched under Rawji’s purview include the trivia conquest show THE FLOOR, hosted by Rob Lowe and 2023-24’s #1 game show; THE QUIZ WITH BALLS, hosted by Jay Pharoah; and THE 1% CLUB, with host Patton Oswalt.

Rawji also has worked on MASTERCHEF, MASTERCHEF JUNIOR and GORDON RAMSAY’S 24 HOURS TO HELL AND BACK, as well as BEAT SHAZAM, hosted by Jamie Foxx. In addition, she oversaw FOX’s telecast of the 71ST PRIMETIME EMMY AWARDS in 2019. Rawji joined FOX in 2017 as a Director of Alternative Programming and was promoted to Vice President the following year and Senior Vice President in 2021. 

Prior to joining FOX, she worked in production, serving as a senior producer on “Dancing with the Stars,” for which she was nominated for an Emmy Award, and “America’s Got Talent”; and as a producer on “Nickelodeon Kids’ Choice Awards,” “The Millionaire Matchmaker – Celebrity Edition” and “The X Factor.” 

Roy Aalderink
Founder & CEO
Concept Street

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 Dutch and Flemish markets, of which many got international adaptations, including BBC in the UK (Save My Holiday), RTL Germany (Rehab), Cuatro Spain (Rehab), YLE Finland (My Last Words) and UPtv (Jo Frost: Nanny on Tour) in the USA. His music event show Gospel in Paradiso won the Rose d’Or for Best Music Program, and formatted docuseries My Last Words got a Special Mention in the Reality Category of the Rose d’Or. Roy also produced over 40 hours (4 different formats) of English-language shows for global (UHD/4K) streamer Insight TV.

On top of that, Roy’s portfolio includes local adaptations of many successful international formats, such as Survivor, (Celebrity) Wife Swap, Embarrassing Bodies, Say Yes To The Dress, The Restaurant That Makes Mistakes - and most recently the The Real Housewives franchise (The Real Housewives of Amsterdam).

Hollie Abbott
Development Executive
Boom Cymru

Hollie was most recently the Director of Development at Cardiff-based Boom - part of the ITV Studios group - where she oversaw a broad slate of network and internationally focused factual and fact ent formats. During her time in the role, she won 7 new series commissions and 9 funded developments from a variety of broadcasters. She is a development specialist having worked at a wide range of companies including Zinc Media, Firecracker, Keshet and STV. Her credits include Stacey Dooley Sleeps Over (W), Big Zuu’s Big Eats (Series 2-4, Dave), Hot Cakes (BBC Three/CBC Gem/TVNZ), Alan Carr’s Adventures with Agatha Christie (More4) Adults Only (5Star) and upcoming Our Little Farm on the Prairie (C5) and Who Will Love My Doggy? (Channel 5). Hollie is currently taking some time out to travel the world, develop her own projects and find out more about the global media industry.

Mary Agnes
Executive Producer & Showrunner
7/10 Creative

Mary is an Emmy-nominated Executive Producer/Showrunner of more than 200 episodes of broadcast & digital series including Vice’s Emmy-nominated food/news series COUNTER SPACE, Tastemade's CURIOUS CHEF, Hulu's BIG APPETITE, Vice's VICE DEBATES and PBS's AMERICA'S TEST KITCHEN and COOKS COUNTRY. A versatile creative with proven experience driving development and production of TV and multi-platform digital programming, Mary has developed over 40 original TV series that have sold to 20+ clients including: A&E, VH1, PBS, Vice, History, Discovery, Travel, HGTV, Adult Swim, ABC Family, H2, Animal Planet, TLC, NBC, BBC, Food, NESN, Wayfair and Fremantle.  She came up through the development teams at Scout Productions and Powderhouse and has done in-house development for Vice World News, Roku Originals, Double Elvis, Punched in the Head, Time Inc., and WGBH.  Mary ran TV and Video at America's Test Kitchen and also worked in Facebook's Creative Shop.

Shaan Akbar
Founder
AV Labs

Shaan Akbar is the founder of AV Labs, a strategy-driven creative agency representing & managing talent, producers, content creators, "game gods" and formats while distributing content across multiple platforms & venues. In addition, AVL combines advertising, authentic storytelling, distribution, and data to collaborate with brands and creators.

Prior, Akbar was with Warner Bros Discovery for over 15 years executive producing, developing, and marketing numerous hits & groundbreaking unscripted series across high profile networks such as Discovery Channel, TLC, Motor Trend, Velocity, Science Channel, and Discovery Health. Notably, he co-founded and led development and production for Velocity at Discovery Inc., steering it to become the fastest-growing men’s network, creating an automotive media boom. He then led content development, production and strategy efforts rebranding Velocity to the Motor Trend network becoming the most valuable automotive media brand in the world for Warner Bros Discovery and helped drive a monthly audience of 26 million across web, TV and print, and 110 million social followers, culminating in 1.3 billion monthly impressions across all platforms.

Akbar's development and production on series led to several Emmy and Telly wins & nominations for Warner Bros Discovery. He is a member of the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences.

Sarah Amos
VP Development & Production, Non-Fiction TV & Documentaries
Conde Nast Entertainment

Sarah Amos is the vice president of development & production (nonfiction TV, documentaries) at Condé Nast, managing the unscripted slate, including the recent FX series The Secrets of Hillsong and the Onyx series Black Twitter: A People’s History. Before joining Conde Nast, she was the VP of development and production for Marvel Entertainment’s New Media division and was an executive producer on the Disney+ original series Marvel’s 616 and Marvel’s Hero Project. Prior to working at Marvel, Amos was the executive producer of live products for ABC News Digital.

Koulla Anastasi
Commercial Director
Woodcut Media

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 also Executive Produces a number of Woodcut Media's successful productions includingWorld's Most Evil Killers, Murdered At First Sight and The Killer In My Family.

Prior to joining Woodcut, Anastasi was Channel Director for Crime + Investigation (CI) and Lifetime at A+E Networks® UK and responsible for developing and driving the brand and editorial strategy for CI and Lifetime across commissions and acquisitions in the UK & Ireland and EMEA.  She developed, commissioned and exec produced over 150 hours of programming, including some of the channels’ biggest hits, Britain’s Next Top Model and Crimes That Shook Britain.

Bengt Anderson
Executive Producer
National Geographic

Bengt joined the National Geographic Channel as anExecutive Producerin Productionin April of 2017. He currently helms RUNNING WILD W/BEAR GRYLLS, TRAFFICKED W/MARIANA VAN ZELLER, TORN (feature doc), EXPLORER, WICKED TUNA, RESCUED, and AGE OF BLOOD for the network. Prior to joining NGC he spent nearly four years designing and executing series at National Geographic Studios asExecutive Producer - Production and Development. Those series includeI AM REBEL(EP: Doug Liman),STAR TALK w/NEIL DE GRASSE TYSON,RISE UP: THE LEGACY OF NAT TURNER, THE BIG PICTURE w/KAL PENN, DIRTY ROTTEN SURVIVAL and THE GREAT HUMAN RACE.

Before his tenure at NatGeo, Bengt was a creative for hire and has delivered hundreds of hours of successful projects for nearly every major American television network. He works as both a show runner and director in the unscripted, documentary and sketch comedy genres and is known for his ability to synthesize and translate complicated subject matter into meaningful entertainment. He is highly-sought after communicator and relationship-builder and as well for his extensive track record of shepherding productions from concept phase all the way to broadcast.

In addition to his work at National Geographic, Bengt has produced/directed such hit shows such as the Emmy Award nominated Undercover Boss (CBS), Emmy Award winning competition reality series, Top Chef (BRAVO), American Pickers (History Ch.),The Marriage Ref (NBC), Backyard Oil, Brew Masters, Dual Survival, The Detonators (Discovery Ch), Wife Swap(ABC) and the hilarious sketch comedy series Stankervision (MTV2).

Bengt creatively flourishes in and outside of “the box,” relishing any opportunity to push the creative envelope and loves weaving big ideas, rich characters and cutting-edge cinematic styles together for audiences world-wide.

Bengt is a proud graduate of the California Institute of the Arts 2000.

Tom Anstiss
Executive Producer
Wonderhood Studios

Tom Anstiss is a multi-award-winning Executive Producer at Wonderhood Studios in London. He created the highly acclaimed specialist factual format My Grandparents’ War for Channel 4 collaborating with A-List Hollywood talent including Helena Bonham Carter, Kiera Knightley & Kit Harington. 2 seasons of the series have been sold across the globe to PBS, CBC, SBS, Netflix and dozens of other territories.

Tom oversees a diverse slate of premium box set series and films in history, arts, true crime, and observational documentary for all the major networks. From the recent Grierson shortlisted Dodi: Last Days of a Playboy for Paramount + to the award-winning observational film The Forgotten Children.

Tom has executive produced and directed films for BBC Documentaries, ITV Factual, Vice, BBC Panorama and Channel 4 Dispatches. With over 25 years’ experience, he has worked for the world’s leading independents and originated returnable new factual formats, long-running series and award-winning films.

Tina Apostolopoulos-Moniz
VP, Unscripted
Lark Productions

Lauren Appelbaum
SVP, Entertainment & News Media
Disability Belongs (formerly RespectAbility)

Lauren Appelbaum is the SVP, Entertainment & News Media, at Disability Belongs™ (formerly RespectAbility). Drawing upon her background in broadcast journalism and as an individual with an acquired nonapparent disability – Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy – she works at the intersection of disability, employment, and the entertainment industry. From entertainment executives to presidential campaigns, she has conducted trainings on the why and how to be more inclusive and accessible. She has worked with studios, newsrooms, and nonprofits across the country to create equitable and accessible opportunities to increase the number of people with lived disability experience throughout the overall story-telling process. She is a founder of the Entertainment Lab and Children’s Content Lab, with goals of building the disability community within the industry and connecting Lab Fellows to opportunities as writers, directors, and in below-the-line positions for both scripted and unscripted content. She received the 2020 Roddenberry Foundation Impact Award for creating the Entertainment Lab. Appelbaum has a master’s degree in broadcast journalism from Syracuse University and previously worked for NBC News’ Political Unit.

Umay Ayaz
Media Networker
Udea Media

Umay Ayaz, as a Media Networker and Senior Consultant, with 14 years of experience in acquiring, adapting, and distributing both scripted and unscripted content across diverse markets, leverages her extensive international expertise to offer strategic consulting and distribution services.

Umay excels in guiding independent local creators and producers through the complexities of global business practices, enabling them to engage with suitable international projects while facilitating similar opportunities for global players in local markets.

Over the years, her proficiency in forging connections and fostering cross-country collaborations has resulted in successful international cooperations. With a diverse network of multicultural format creators, production companies, broadcasters, and distributors, Umay effectively bridges gaps between different media landscapes.

In addition to her primary roles with her own brands, UDEA MEDIA and THE FORMAT TV, Umay is skilled in designing and facilitating workshops and lectures to share her extensive industry knowledge. Her commitment to career development is evident in her efforts to help individuals find their ideal roles within the media industry and beyond.

Rachel Bailey
Senior Acquisitions Manager
Channel 4

Claude Barnes
Executive Producer/Showrunner
Keep It In The Family Productions

Claude Barnes is an award-winning television executive with 43 years of experience in the television and digital content industry. His trend-setting work in English and French production, coupled with his Never a problem, only a solution attitude, has made him highly sought after as an executive producer, showrunner, and director. Through his production companies, Keep it in the family productions inc and Télé Ragoût inc, Claude has produced and directed 28 series and 7 documentaries that have aired internationally. His notable works include Milk? (Netflix), Icons of Wrestling (The Bio Channel), Jet Age (CBC Gem), Behind the Camera (Discovery International, CBC Documentary Channel), GT Racer (Discovery US), Paddling Bryans, Door to Door (Blue Ant), Aftershock: Surviving Haiti (Radio Canada, Blue Ant), PhotoXplorers (Bravo), Les Enchanteurs (TV5/UnisTV), and six seasons of Louis et la faune urbaine (TV5 Monde, UnisTV). Claude's latest productions include a climate change documentary for Hollywood Suite titled Sargassum: The Floating Forest, which is currently in production in Barbados, Mexico, and the US and an auction series called Les Trésors des autres for TV5/UnisTV.

Hannah Barnes
Director of Unscripted and Original Content
VA Media Network

Hannah is an experienced leader in content creation and building businesses. She has a strong background in linear television and has recently transitioned to digital and AVOD, particularly for YouTube.

Throughout her career in the UK and Australia, Hannah has been instrumental in identifying and developing numerous award-winning successful formats, such as Queer Eye for the Straight Guy UK, Gogglebox Australia, Selling Houses, Love It or List It and Great Australian Bakeoff, and many others across various genres including reality, lifestyle, factual, documentary, scripted, film, and kids' content. Her contributions have been felt by major media brands such as Sky UK, BBC, RTL, Channel Five, Foxtel, and Optus Sport.

Hannah currently spearheads Original Production and Unscripted Content at VA Media Network, where she has developed a deep understanding of the global video and social media landscape. At VA Media, Hannah has been responsible for the significant growth of Unscripted Channels on YouTube, including True Crime Central, Australian Crime, We Are Pride and Documentary Central, and she recently successfully launched two new channels, Machina and Luxury Living.
Hannah's passion for storytelling and innovative content creation is evident in her recent project, "My First Time," an original digital series catering to the LGBTQIA+ community. This initiative underscores her commitment to diversity and inclusion and showcases her ability to adapt to the evolving digital content sphere.

Ben Barrett
Global Head, Content Financing & Partnerships
Blue Ant International Limited

Ben Barrett, known for pioneering new models of production financing and distribution for television production, serves as Global Head of Content Financing and Partnership at Blue Ant Studios. In this role, he works closely with both Blue Ant Media and external production businesses to secure production financing and sourcing content and new partnership opportunities for the company.

Ben started his television career at sports and adventure distributor Extreme International, where he became Managing Director in 2000 and a co-founder of the Extreme Sports Channel. After its sale, he joined Zig Zag Productions as Head of Distribution and Commercial Ventures and became Commercial Director in 2008. In 2010, he set up the commercial consultancy Ben Barrett Consulting, focusing on co-funding, rights exploitation and commercial affairs for a range of UK and international producers. In 2013, Ben joined forces with Lilla Hurst to set up Drive Media Rights, which established new models of production financing and distribution and grew into an established distribution business and was acquired by Blue Ant Media in 2022.

Lee Beckett
Sr. Vice President
ISH Entertainment

Lee Beckett is an Emmy award-winning executive producer and currently Sr. Vice President of Ish Entertainment, which has delivered projects to a wide variety of networks and platforms including HBO, Showtime, Netflix, Hulu, Starz, Comedy Central, Lifetime, VH1, WE, MTV, Logo, Sundance, Oxygen, Freeform and many more. Most recently, Ish Entertainment produced Fallen Idols: Nick and Aaron Carter for MAX, for which Lee served as Executive Producer. She began her career producing narrative feature films and eventually added numerous nonfiction formats to her production slate as Executive Producer and General Manager at XCon Productions, which developed and produced documentary content for Discovery, ABC, Netflix and others. Prior to joining Ish Entertainment, Lee served as Vice President of Original Production for ABC News Studios, where she oversaw the production of documentary content for the Disney family of networks and streamers.

Giuliana Benvenuto
Senior Manager, Acquisitions, North America
Cineflix Rights

With fourteen years of experience in film and television distribution, broadcasting, and financing, Giuliana Benvenuto has been part of the Cineflix Rights team since February 2018. Giuliana sources and acquires quality third-party programming content for the company’s distribution catalogue. With a focus on North American acquisitions, Giuliana’s current producer clients include Scott Brothers Entertainment, Hoff Productions, Arcadia Entertainment, and Ideacom International.

Giuliana is a graduate of Toronto Metropolitan (formerly Ryerson) University’s RTA School of Media and began her career at Ontario Creates and Entertainment One. Prior to joining Cineflix Rights, Giuliana honed her skills during her five years at Corus Entertainment as Content Acquisitions Associate, where she acquired content from worldwide suppliers for all of Corus’ channels. Giuliana is passionate about the media industry and is eager to be a part of shaping its future.

Emily Berens
Director of Development
ATTN:

Emily Berens is a development executive based in Los Angeles. She currently oversees television and podcast development at ATTN:, where her credits include the Emmy Nominated What Am I Eating? with Zooey Deschanel (Max), Undeniable: The Truth to Remember (CBS), and VOMO: Vote or Miss Out (ABC), and podcasts The Lost Olympians and Bizarre History for Audible. Before ATTN:, she served on the development team at Evolution Media, and spent six years at Pilgrim Media Group, where she held positions as both series producer and development executive on projects such as High on the Hog (Netflix), The Boy Band Con (YouTube Red), and Bring It! (Lifetime). 

Marissa Blahnik
Managing Director, Arts & Culture + Digital & Emerging Media
Twin Cities PBS

Marissa Blahnik is an award-winning content creator with extensive experience in digital and broadcast media production and development. As managing director for the Twin Cities PBS (TPT) Arts & Culture team and Digital & Emerging Media team, Blahnik oversees a portfolio that includes food series, Relish, performance series, Stage, YouTube music education series, Sound Field and vertical video content creation. Her previous projects at TPT include four years as the managing editor of the digital journalism platform Rewire.org, eight seasons with the regional arts series, MN Original, and as part of the production team for the premiere season of the PBS series, SciGirls. Prior to joining TPT, Blahnik developed television formats with Powderhouse Productions in Boston and was a part of Court TV’s documentary unit in New York City.

Magdalena Borowska
Documentary Buyer Tvp Info
Telewizja Polska SA

David Brindley
Chief Creative Officer
Twofour Broadcast Ltd

Allison Brough
VP, Unscripted Development
Blink49 Studios

Jim Brown
Co-Founder
B4 Films

B4Films Co-Founder Jim Brown held senior positions with ITV and the BBC, before crossing the Atlantic to write, produce and direct a number of highly successful returnable formats including reality series’ ’90 Days in Hollywood’ and ‘Weddings Unveiled’. While in America he produced and directed several feature documentaries with some of the biggest names in the entertainment world. Aretha Franklin, Tina Turner, Bono, Twiggy, Duran Duran, Olivia Newton John, The Spice Girls,
Queen, The Sex Pistols, Grace Slick, Fleetwood Mac, and George Michael.

Jim has just completed ‘King Charles III – A Grand Royal Design’, an access all areas documentary.

Jim has been showrunner/director on many of the world’s most successful shows including The Price is Right – Star Search - Sale of the Century and Jeopardy.

As a Showrunner Jim has travelled the globe creating and placing new formats with international buyers and fixing shows that had lost their way. He has produced series’ in London, Rome, Turin, Istanbul, Madrid, San Sabastian, Munich, New York, and Los Angeles.

Richard Brown
Head, Unscripted Television
Will Packer Media

Richard Brown is head of Unscripted Television at Will Packer Media, with a track record of producing popular and longstanding reality television series including the highly popular Queens Court for Peacock, now in its second season, Ready to Love for OWN, now in its eleventh season, and Make a Move. Richard also oversees documentary development and production as well as live events for WPM. Prior to joining Will Packer Media, Brown executive produced 200 episodes of Pictionary for Fox and CBS Media Ventures as well as series such as YouTube Originals series The Big Tiny Food Face Off and Game On for CBS as well as the History Channel pilot Einstein Challenge.

Vanessa Case
VP Content, Paramount+ and Pluto TV, Paramount Global
Paramount

Vanessa Case is the Vice President of Content for Paramount+ and Pluto TV in Canada. Based in Toronto, Case oversees all of Canada’s content acquisitions and originals for the streaming platforms, with oversight of all content decisions for Paramount+ and Pluto TV in Canada.

Working closely with both local and global teams across the business, Case is instrumental in executing the content offering for the Canadian brands, through the coordination of third-party acquisitions, oversight of original content decisions, and development of innovative windowing strategies to drive growth in streaming.

Case previously served as Senior Vice President and Global Head of Production at VICE Studios & Pulse Films, overseeing physical production and production operations. Her most recent projects include ENCOUNTERS for Netflix, AMERICAN GLADIATORS for ESPN, BAMA RUSH for HBO and numerous DARK SIDE series for VICE TV and CRAVE. Prior to her time with VICE Studios, Case was the Executive Vice President of Content for Blue Ant Media, where she helped launch several world-renowned brands in Canada and internationally, including BBC Earth, Smithsonian Canada and the global SVOD Love Nature.

Throughout her career Case has served as an industry expert speaking and moderating panels at events including Realscreen, MIPCOM/MIPTV, Sunny Side of the Doc and Banff Media Festival. Case is currently a member of WIFT (Women in Film and Television), has been a long standing WIFT Connect Mentor, sat on the Banff World Media Advisory Board and was previously a cabinet member of Women Against MS (WAMS).

Saskia Chanoine
Content Partnerships
Bloomberg Media

Sean Charles
Manager, Development & Production Scripted + Unscripted
WE TV

Sean Charles is a Scripted & Unscripted Development & Production Manager at ALLBLK/WE tv an AMC Networks property.

He is responsible for producing and developing all original content for the streaming service and linear platform, in addition to assisting in acquisitions and scheduling. Sean most recently worked in Corporate Communications as a Production Coordinator working on all cross branding and marketing assets, across internal and external communications from Sundance Film Festival to Offsite meetings.

He received his B.A in Media Communications from Queens College, CUNY and holds an M.B.A from Mercy College.

Ellie Coleman
Managing Director
Coleman Television

Ellie Coleman is the Managing Director and a Filmmaker at indie production company, Coleman Television based in Norfolk, England.

Ellie manages a bespoke multi talented team that produce predominantly factual content for broadcasters across the world, from pre-production through to delivery all in house at Coleman Television.

Her most recent productions include two archive packed documentaries for Channel 4 in the UK, JFK: 24 Hours that changed the world and D-Day: Hour by Hour.

Emma Collin
Programming Director
Indigo Entertainment

Emma is co-owner and Director of Programming at Indigo Entertainment Ltd, a global distributor licensing around 2,000 hours per annum. She has produced, exec produced and licensed thousands of hours across factual, film, drama and kids’ programming across the globe. In the unscripted space, her career includes such highlights as launching and building the reputation for David Blaine across Asia and Central Europe, the Red Bull Taurus World Stunt Awards, blue-chip natural history for the BBC; and most recently repping Mercedes-AMG’s Project ONE (the story behind the first street-legal hypercar with F1 technology) as well as the genre-defying reality series The Fashion Hero – A New Kind of Beautiful.  She has developed and exec-produced factual series for both UKTV and Discovery.

Emma spearheads Indigo’s acquisition and IP strategy. Her ability to take a project from ideation to delivery, often bringing complementary talent and commercial partners together, makes her an invaluable partner. 

A passionate advocate for mother nature, Emma prioritises projects grounded in sustainability and actively seeks partners who share her desire to protect the natural environment and raise awareness about climate change.  

Emma is also a proud mum to a menagerie of three kids and numerous animals! 

Sarah Coursey
SVP, International Content
Happy Accidents

Matt Creasey
EVP, Sales, Acquisitions and Co-Productions
Banijay Rights

Matt Creasey was appointed EVP, Sales, Co-productions & Acquisitions at Banijay Rights in August 2020.

Based in Los Angeles, Creasey oversees all sales operations and teams for territories outside EMEA. Exploring opportunities across linear, SVOD and AVOD, he also leads on scripted co-productions in the US and rest of the world, alongside sales and acquisitions.

Creasey assumed the role following Banijay’s acquisition of Endemol Shine Group, having previously served as EVP, Sales and Acquisitions for sales arm Endemol Shine International.

Reporting to Banijay Rights CEO Cathy Payne, he is across the company’s extensive multi-genre catalogue of over 195,000 hours of stand-out programming.

With an invaluable client base, cross-platform sales experience, unrivalled knowledge of the catalogue and extensive commercial wisdom, Creasey sits within Banijay Rights’ senior leadership team and has helped grow the company into one of the world’s leading content distributors.

He joined Endemol Shine International in 2006 as Director of Sales, Distribution, and has spent his career to date selling and exploiting some of the world’s largest entertainment brands. Prior to his significant stint at Endemol Shine International, Creasey was Head of Sales at Celador International.

Laura Crowson
VP, Development
Warner Bros. Discovery

Laura Crowson is Vice President, Development for Discovery Channel.  In this role she is responsible for bringing new series and specials to the network while supervising the development and production of concepts to green light. Crowson also helps set development strategy for the network. 

During her tenure with Discovery, Crowson has managed the development of such series as Naked and Afraid, Gold Rush: Dave Turin’s Lost Mine, Deadliest Catch: Bloodline and Undercover Billionaire.

Before joining Discovery, Crowson served as a development executive/producer for Gurney Productions in Los Angeles. Earlier, she was in the agent training program at Creative Artists Agency (CAA).

Jamie D'Alton
Owner
Motive Films

Jamie D’Alton is one of Ireland’s most prolific documentary and factual television producers. For the past 15 years he has produced smart, hard-hitting and socially aware films that have resonated with both critics and audiences.

Emmy Award Winning The Deepest Breath is his latest feature documentary. Produced in partnership with A24, Ventureland and RAW, it premiered at the Sundance Film Festival (2023) and was released globally on Netflix. The film won two Critics Choice Awards and Outstanding Sports Documentary at the Emmys. He also developed and produced the feature documentary Notorious (2018) on UFC star Conor McGregor for Universal. Distributed around the world, Notorious is the highest grossing Irish documentary of all time.

Other recent exec producer credits include some of Irelands highest rating TV shows including DIY SOS: The Big Build Ireland, Special Forces - Ultimate Hell Week, Mean Machines, Inside Penneys, Toughest Place To Be and The Toughest Trade. 

He has been nominated for multiple Irish Film and Television Awards (IFTAs). Prison Families, The Irish Of 9/11 and The Edge of Town, were all nominated for Best Documentary Series, Man On A Mission, won multiple awards including Best Sport Documentary and I Am Immigrant, a documentary about race, identity and the far right in Ireland, won Best Documentary at the 2017 IFTAs.

Amanda De Freitas
Creative Director
Salamanda Media

Amanda De Freitas is Co-Founder and Creative Director at Salamanda Media; an award-winning, female-led, non-scripted production company based in Manchester, England. 

With over 25 years experience in the industry, Amanda began her career at the BBC and went on to become an established freelance entertainment and factual entertainment series producer, director and developer, working on some of the highest-rating, award-winning shows in the UK including I’m A Celebrity Get Me Out Of Here, Dancing on Ice, Andrew Lloyd Webber's I'd Do Anything & Somewhere Over the Rainbow, Total Wipeout, Take Me Out, Big Brother, All Star Family Fortunes, Hell’s Kitchen, Soccer Aid, Pointless, The Weakest Link, The Children’s Champion Awards and Coach Trip.

Since setting up Salamanda Media in 2020 with Sally Evans, Amanda has co-devised and Exec Produced a number of succesful commissions for BBC, ITV, Channel 5, Youtube and Channel 4, including interior design series; Abbey Clancy's Celebrity Homes, innovative DNA Guessing Game format, Fame In The Family and groundbreaking reality series, New Model Agency which was made in association with Marks & Spencer.

Julien Degroote
EVP, Head Of Content Development & International
TF1

Julien Degroote currently serves as EVP, Content Development for French leading network TF1 GROUP.

He is responsible for commissioning, developing or creating and overseeing the new shows for the three TF1 GROUP national channels: TF1, TMC and TFX and the digital platform MyTF1. His credits include: THE MASKED SINGER, NINJA WARRIOR, GLADIATORS, STAR ACADEMY, THE WALL, TATTOO FIXERS, 1000+ daily show episodes including docu-soap LARGE FAMILIES.

Degroote is also in charge of spotting the best ideas and trends around the world as Head of Scouting (Scripted and Alternative).

Prior to joining TF1 in 2014, Degroote has been aTV producer for 12 years. As Head of Programs in the French independent TV production company COYOTE, he managed 200 hours of TV shows produced each year and multi-million budget for TF1 in different genres: FAMILY FEUD, FOUR IN A BED, PEOPLE’S QUIZ, 30+ live entertainment prime time shows.

Previously, Julien Degroote served as Creative senior executive of ENDEMOL FRANCE working on BIG BROTHER, STAR ACADEMY and overseeing the adaptation of THE CELEBRITIES’ FARM.

Aidan Denison
Programmer, TVO Docs
TVO

Will D'Epagnier
Director of Development
1895 Films

Will D'Epagnier is a Producer and the Director of Development at 1895 Films. He oversees the company's documentaries in development, identifying and creating content for U.S. and international markets. Will joined 1895 Films in as a researcher and associate producer for the National Geographic documentary on Queen Elizabeth II, "Being the Queen." As an associate producer, he strengthened his producing experience on an array of Travel Channel and Discovery+ documentaries, such as "The Exorcism of Roland Doe'' and "Alien Abduction: Betty and Barney Hill." He expanded his responsibilities as a producer, working on the documentaries "Charles: In His Own Words" (National Geographic, Hulu, Disney+) and "The Moment: How Sports Changed the World" (Red Bull Studios, Amazon Freevee UK, BBC Select), as well as 1895 Films' award-winning original podcast, "Artifactual." Prior to 1895 Films, Will was involved in the development process as a script consultant for Universal Pictures. He also interned for Echo Lake Entertainment and The Film Posse before graduating Emerson College.

Kevin Duncan
EVP of Bright North Studios
Bright North Studios USA

Shane Ertter
Manager of Development, VICE TV
VICE

Shane Ertter serves as the Manager of Content Development for VICE TV (fka VICELAND), the joint venture with A+E Networks. 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, Shane and his team oversee content generation, programming development, and the cable slate for various output platforms. While at VICE, Shane’s helped produce series like 'Betraying the Badge', 'Sex Before the Internet', 'Most Expensivest with 2 Chainz', and various other programs for broadcast, cable, and streaming. Prior to his time at VICE, Shane worked on productions ranging from 'The Real Housewives of New York City', 'Impractical Jokers','The Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade', and 'Saturday Night Live'. After graduating from Wagner College with a BS in Arts Administration, Shane continued to live in New York City for nearly a decade until moving in early 2021 to Arizona. In December 2022, Shane relocated to the "City of Angels" and is eagerly looking for hot tips, solid recommendations, and new collaborators and friends.

Samantha Ferguson
VP International
Rabbit Films

Sam Ferguson has been working in distribution for over 10 years and in media for 16 years starting her career at the British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA). Currently VP, International at Rabbit Films, which is a Finnish production and distribution company started by The Dudesons, she looks after format and finished tape sales across Asia and all English-speaking territories selling formats such as Ultimate Escape and Most Endangered Species.

Prior to joining Rabbit Films, she previously served as sales manager at ITV Studios Global Entertainment (ITVGSE), managing sales to Russia and the Baltic region working across formats such as Love Island and Come Dine With Me and scripted series. Prior to ITVSGE, she worked as a format sales executive at Banijay Rights and has also held positions at Zodiak Rights, PRS for Music and Sony Computer Entertainment Europe.

Jimmy Fox
Executive Vice President, Unscripted Development & Sales
Fremantle

Jimmy Fox is the founder and president of Main Event Media, based in Los Angeles. He founded the company in 2017. In his role as President, Fox oversees all aspects of development for the company. Most recently, he developed and executive produced CNN's Emmy-nominated "United Shades of America" with comedian Kamau Bell, E!'s "The Arrangement," ID's "Is OJ Innocent?" and Spike's "It Was Him: The Many Murders of Ed Edwards." 

Andrew Freston
Co Head of Unscripted Vice President
VICE New York

Andrew is Vice President, Co-Head of Unscripted at VICE Studios. In his current remit Freston works to identify and create true stories with a unique positioning that resonate for both US and global audiences. Partnering with top talent and creatives Andrew has helped to build a robust VICE Studios’ Non-scripted and Documentary production slate.

His production credits include MAX’s recent streaming hit Bama Rush directed by Rachel Fleit, ESPN’s 2 part 30for30 The American Gladiator Documentary directed by Ben Berman which premiered at the Hot Docs Festival, another notable project is the documentary film titled Superpower, centered around Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. Co-directed by Sean Penn and Aaron Kaufman, the film premiered in early 2023 at the Berlin Film Festival's Special Gala and is set to air on Paramount+. Freston also serves as the Executive Producer for the upcoming Netflix series Encounters.

His other executive producer credits include; Sundance hit, Meet Me In The Bathroom and Crusaders: Ex Jehovah's Witnesses Speak Out for VICE TV.

Andrew’s tenure at VICE began in 2011, in Los Angeles. His previous roles at VICE included being the Entertainment Category Director for branded content and marketing. Prior to joining VICE he worked at WME.

Tim Gerhartz
Managing Director
Red Arrow Studios International GmbH

Michela Giorelli
VP, Unscripted Production & Development
NBCUniversal Telemundo Enterprises

Michela Giorelli leads the Unscripted Team at NBCUniversal Telemundo Studios concentrating on the creations of premium documentary series, docurealities and reality formats in English and Spanish with strong Latino relevance.

Before working with NBC, Giorelli was the Head of Original Production for Discovery Latin America/US Hispanic for more than 25 years. During her career at Discovery, she was instrumental in the development and execution of more than 5,000 productions made for the US Hispanic and Latin American markets. Many have been nominated for and received important industry accolades, including the US and International Emmy award.

Her projects include the development and production of Max true crime series such as Massacre of the Mormons, Garavito: The Serial Beast, Menem Jr: The Death of a President’s Son; and Discovery feature docs as Caravanas, Children at the Border, Castro: The World’s Most Watched Man and The Colosio Case.

Giorelli also led the creation of reality series such as Mexicanicos and Texas Trocas, as well as the successful Latin American adaptations of formats such as Naked and Afraid, Amazing Race, What Not to Wear, While You Were Out, Wife Swap, and Ten Years Younger.

Nick Godwin
Creative Director & Co-Founder
BriteSpark Films

Award winning film maker Nick Godwin launched BriteSpark Films in partnership with Argonon Media in 2013. At BriteSpark he has created and executive produced series and singles ranging from Channel 5’s long running Nightmare Tenants, Slum Landlords, to Murder in the Wicked West for Investigation Discovery and Porn King: The Rise and Fall of Ron Jeremy for Channel 4. Before BriteSpark Nick was Head of Documentaries at Cineflix Productions where he executive produced series such as Nazi Hunters, Air Aces, and feature length drama documentary Manson. Earlier, he held the same role at Wag TV. Nick, a graduate of the UK’s National Film and TV School, also spent twelve years directing observational and specialist factual documentaries for British and American broadcasters.

Shade Grant
President
Grant and Others

Shade Grant is a Nonfiction Television Agent at leading entertainment and sports agency Creative Artists Agency (CAA). Grant is based in New York and represents many of the world’s leading production companies, producers, and talent in non-scripted television, as well as filmmakers in the documentary space. 

Grant began her career at ICM Partners in 2006, where she participated in the agency’s trainee program. With a background in independent film and the literary side of the television business, Grant transitioned to ICM Partner’s New York office in 2011. She joined CAA’s Nonfiction Television Department in 2022.

Born and raised in England, Grant graduated from Oxford University with a degree in Modern Languages.

Stevenson Greene
Head of Production and Development
OUTTV

Stevenson Greene is currently the senior executive of TV Development and Production at Producer Entertainment Group and OutTV USA and resides in Los Angeles, CA. In his short time at OutTV and Producer Entertainment Group, he has produced projects that are currently on OutTV such as NUBIA AMPLIFIED, THE BROWNS, DR. JACKIE, BEHIND THE DRAG PAGEANT OF THE YEAR, TRANSLATION, FOR THE LOVE OF DILFS with Stormy Daniels and HOT HAUS with Tiffany “New York” Pollard and more projects to come.

OUTtv USA is the world’s first LGBTQ+ television and streaming service. Home to a compelling mix of inclusive, queer-focused content from comedy to drama, documentaries, reality, and award-winning movies. OUTtv is dedicated to telling stories by and for the community and is the world’s leading provider of queer content.

Producer Entertainment Group (PEG) is a full-service artist management firm, record label and production company proudly representing many of the world’s top drag queens and LGBTQ+ talent. The company oversees all aspects of the clients’ careers including development, recording, filming, retail and global touring. PEG is also a major stakeholder in OUTtvUSA, a premium streaming service.

Stevenson was the Director of Acquisitions and Co-Productions covering the MTV Entertainment Group, BET, BET+, Nickelodeon, Pluto and Paramount+. He also was the Director of Original Programming (Development and Production) at the LGBTQ focused Logo network. He was a part of Viacom for over 10 years and has executive produced projects such as FINDING PRINCE CHARMING (Logo), FOOD TO GET YOU LAID (Logo) and STRAIGHT OUT REPORT (Logo). He has also worked on projects such as the multi-Emmy award winning RUPAUL’S DRAG RACE, THE A-LIST: NEW YORK, NOAH’S ARC and many others.

Elaine Hackett
Founder, CEO and CCO
Crackit Productions

Elaine Hackett started her career as a print journalist, moving into radio and then television joining the BBC. After a successful run with the BBC, Elaine joined Bazal TV and was instrumental in its growth into Super Indie Endemol where she ran Brighter Pictures with Big Brother as one of her many brands. Sitting on both the UK Management and Creative Boards, Elaine was central to developing new global formats and driving the business.

In 2008, Elaine was the first female board member to leave Endemol to launch her own independent production company, Crackit Productions. Elaine’s vision for Crackit was to create and celebrate intelligent, tabloid programming. Crackit’s first series, The Dark Side of Fame with Piers Morgan for BBC1 won a Bafta.

With Elaine at Crackit’s helm, Crackit have produced thousands of hours of TV across all major broadcasters. Elaine Executive Produces all Crackit’s series with such returnables as Casualty 24/7 in its 6th season, Police Night Shift in its 4th and Trucking Hell in its 8th season. As well as creating and producing compelling formats, Crackit are leaders in producing Crime documentaries and series with Crackit’s formats continuing to sell globally.

As a fully regional company with offices in Brighton and Manchester, Crackit continues to grow and be successful and 2024 sees Elaine and Crackit celebrate its 16th year as an industry leading production company.

Nicole Hamilton
EVP, English Unscripted Content
Attraction

As EVP of Unscripted Content at Attraction, Nicole is tasked with expanding English-language development and production. Under her tenure, new commissions include Underground Railroad: The Secret History (Warner Brothers Discovery/Bell Media), Crime Scene Confidential (ID/Discovery+), East Harbour Heroes (Bell Media), Claw Hunters (Weather Channel), How Did They Fix That? (Paramount+/Smithsonian), Secrets on the Border (CBC/The Nature of Things) and Forensic Factor (Bell Media).
Prior to joining Attraction, Nicole was both a Showrunner and Broadcast Executive, where she oversaw the production and development of over 75 original series including documentaries Panic and The Vampire Murders (HBO), scripted series Degrassi: the Next Generation and Instant Star (Viacom and Bell Media) and unscripted series Million Dollar Critic, Over the Rainbow, Recipes to Riches, Inside the Box with Ty Pennington, Cook’d, From the Ground Up with Debbie Travis, Dolce Vita, Restaurant Makeover. She also launched Anna Olson’s successful YouTube Channel, Oh Yum. She holds a Master of Arts from UCLA’s School of Film and Television.

Danielle Hammer
Agent, WME, Non-Scripted TV
WME

Danielle Hammer is an agent at WME in the agency’s Non-scripted department. In her role, she represents a diverse roster of production companies, IP publishers, showrunners/executive producers and A-Level talent and their respective companies that include Seven Bucks, Butternut Films, Maximum Effort, Story Force, Wheelhouse, This Machine, Maven, Rachelle Mendez, Hyphenate, Part 2 Pictures, Scott Free, Kingdom Reign Entertainment, Harvard Business Review, Lauren Simms, Luke Neslage, Keller/Noll, Rock'n Robin and Alfred Street. She also co-runs the group’s staffing department, is on the WME development committee for the trainee program and serves as a mentor through Endeavor's WE CAN program.

A graduate of Cornell, Hammer joined WME in the mailroom in 2012 and has been with the company ever since. Hammer currently resides in New York City with her dog Hendricks. Outside of the office, Danielle is a blowout enthusiast, avid squash and golf player and active member of the JDRF, the world’s largest non-profit funder of type 1 diabetes research.

Brandon Harrison
Development Executive
Words + Pictures

Brandon Harrison has experience in non-fiction content as a producer, filmmaker, and programmer. He is a graduate of Morehouse College and the UCLA School of Theater, Film and Television. Brandon has curated non-fiction features, shorts, and series at Brooklyn Film Festival, Tribeca, and DOC NYC. He is currently a Development Executive at Words+Pictures, a premium non-fiction production studio based in New York.

Naomi Harvey
VP, Development
ClockWork Films

Naomi Harvey is a veteran Development Executive and Producer with over 16 years of experience working on award-winning series and cinematic feature films for the UK and USA. She has collaborated with major companies such as the BBC, Warner Bros, Netflix, National Geographic, Discovery Channel, and Working Title Films.

Her career has primarily focused on the non-scripted sector, with a development portfolio that spans reality to specialist factual content. Naomi's passion lies in documentary filmmaking, with successful commissions including The Missing Millionaire (ITV/Fremantle), Rescue Dog to Super Dog (Animal Planet), Spitfire Women (BBC2), 9/11: The Last Secrets (Netflix), and Peter The Human Cyborg (Channel 4) Americas Child Brides (BBC3) Players Ball (Lionsgate Studios) Simon Says (Fremantle Media).

In addition to developing IP into long-form narrative documentaries, Naomi has had success in Developing podcasts such as the recent The Confessions of Anthony Raimondi" (Universal) about an ex-mafia hitman who claims he helped murder a Pope and False Profits (iHeartMedia) about the dark side of Hillsong MegaChurch and Crying Wolf (iHeartMedia) on the wrongful conviction of Lee Harris in Chicago. She is currently working on a slate of exciting new stories for scripted development, including the true and unbelievable story based on David Kushner's book Players Ball about the battle for Sex.com for Lionsgate.

Naomi has the unique combination of being a TV executive as a fully qualified psychotherapist and mental health trainer. She brought these worlds together with her company, Team Human, which provides bespoke mental health training for the screen sector serving large production companies such as Warner Bros TV/Endemol Shine/ Banijay/Twenty Twenty/All3media and more. She has also been a Screenskills Mentor and sat on the Film & TV Charity Mental Health Training advisory board.

Noel Hedges
EVP, Acquisitions
Lionsgate Canada

Noel Hedges is responsible for managing and growing Lionsgate Canada’s slate of programming for international distribution. He works closely with the company’s development, production and international distribution teams, as well as working closely with third party independent producers internationally, to bring in and acquire television product for distribution to all media outlets across scripted and non-scripted.  Based in London, he sources and secures programming at the earliest stages to complement the studio’s growing portfolio of world-class content. Before joining Lionsgate, Hedges served as Executive Vice President, Content at DRG Ltd, where he developed and oversaw the company’s acquisitions strategy, bolstering their scripted catalogue and finding new opportunities to grow the business in a highly competitive market. Prior to that, Hedges held key senior roles at Cineflix Rights, Shine International, ITV Studios Global Entertainment Ltd.

Marc Heffernan
Executive Producer & Showrunner
Neon Collective Ltd

Marc Heffernan is an award-winning executive producer and showrunner from Brighton, England, who works internationally.

Marc specialises in crafting high-risk adventure ob-doc series for streamers and broadcasters. Recent credits include the perilous US series ‘Ice Cold Catch’ for Discovery, set in the heart of commercial fishing in the brutal Arctic Circle, and the widely praised social experiment ‘Doing Drugs For Fun’ for UK’s Channel 5, where recreational cocaine users face the reality of their role in the global drugs trade, by seeing how their favourite party drug is made in Colombia, and learning how their weekend consumption affects lives across the globe.

Starting his successful 25-year career in television at BBC Television Centre in London, Marc has worked across many genres of factual TV including features, specialist factual and police procedural -- believing that the most gripping television can come from blending the best ideas from different genres.

An advocate for change in the UK television industry, Marc endorses fairer rights for freelancers, and for production companies to take the responsibilities they have for the mental health of their crews and contributors seriously. Along-side television production, Marc has been a long-serving volunteer with a national suicide prevention charity, helping people in times of real distress.

Marc is currently developing several exciting unscripted series for British broadcasters.

Nick Hopkin
Head of Development
Nick Nack TV

Nick Hopkin has had a varied career in Television and Media Production since starting as a technical trainee for the BBC in London back in 1987. Over the last four decades he’s created a wide range of ground-breaking television content in the UK, USA and Australia as format creator, showrunner, studio director and pitch writer. Nick is a multi-BAFTA and Emmy award winner who's created multiple returnable series for the likes of BBC, ITV, Channel 5, ABC Australia, SBS, Paramount and others. Nick continues to devise formats for the Australian and US markets in his current role as Head of Development for Western Australian production company Nick Nack TV. In his previous guise as Director of Investment for Screen Queensland, Nick helped fund documentaries, feature films and television series for all the major broadcasters and distributors in Australia and led the Live Events team at the ABC, working across such prestigious national events as NYE Sydney, Australian of the Year Awards, triple j’s One Night Stand, Australia Day Live and The Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo. Nick works across a wide variety of genres including reality, entertainment, documentary, factual-entertainment, comedy, children's, animation, music and live television, including well known titles like Top of the Pops, Entertainment Tonight, MasterChef, The Great Australian Bake Off, Big Brother and Holey Moley. 

Nicky Huggett
VP of Factual Development
Nutopia

Nicky is Head of Development at HiddenLight, an independent production company founded in 2020 by Hillary Clinton, her daughter Chelsea and Sam Branson, specialising in documentaries and scripted programming for an international audience. HiddenLight’s programmes include Gutsy, an AppleTV+ series presented by Hillary and Chelsea Clinton, featuring the world’s most inspirational women, from Amy Schumer to Jane Goodall. They have also made the award-winning feature docs In Her Hands (Netflix) The Cranes Call (premiered at Tribeca 2024) and Lyra (Channel 4).

HiddenLight was previously known as Sundog Pictures, where Nicky ran development for over four years. They were known for their talent-led programming, including a special for YouTube with Priyanka Chopra Jonas. Previously she ran development at Windfall Films, working on award-winning shows like Inside Nature’s Giants (Nat Geo) and Strip The City (Discovery).

Figs Jackman
Head of Global Development
Spring Films

Patricia Jasin
Head of International Distribution
Warner Bros. Discovery

As Country Manager of Colombia, Patricia Jasin oversees all the company’s operations in the Colombian market including: distribution, advertising, production, programming, marketing, finance, research, human resources, and communication. Additionally, she is Senior Vice President of International TV Distribution (ITVD) for Latin America, managing the strategy for syndication and sales of international content for the region.

Patricia has 25 years of experience in international media. Prior to joining the company, she served as Vice President of Azteca International and Director of Azteca Studio, where she was responsible for the development and execution of the company’s audiovisual content distribution strategy across all the television platforms worldwide, was in charge of the pay TV business strategy and was also in charge of the operational service provided from Mexico to the “Azteca América” channel. Prior to joining Azteca, Jasin worked five years in “FLY Content”, an independent TV content production and distribution company, of which she was a founding partner and CEO. She also held executive positions in Frecuencia Latina International and Xystus.

Jasin is a lawyer from the University of Buenos Aires and is based in Miami.

Melanie Capacia Johnson
President
NEO Studios

Emmy Award-winning producer, Melanie Capacia Johnson is the President of NEO Studios U.S., where she leads all IP development and production services for the company. NEO Studios, part of Aser Venture’s ELEVEN Group, is a full-service global production studio dedicated to premium, original sports-centric content. Leveraging the power and reach of ELEVEN Group and its access to high-profile athletes and sports talent, leagues and licensing rights, Capacia Johnson and the NEO Studios team, create premium entertainment content, IP and original formats (spanning scripted, unscripted, live action, animation, etc.) for streamers, networks, and social/digital platforms worldwide. While at NEO Studios, Capacia Johnson has executive produced and shepherded such series as discovery+’s Legacy: In The Shadow of Greatness, featuring Dwyane Wade, Evander Holyfield and Randall Cunningham, Snapchat’s Planet Rewild, hosted by rapper 2Chainz, Amazon’s Take us Home: Leeds United, Rakuten’s award-winning The Giants, Steph Curry’s NAACP-nominated Benedict Men and in 2021, Capacia Johnson earned an Emmy Award for the PBS series Prideland. NEO also has numerous series in development and production with sports superstars like Lewis Hamilton, Stephen Curry (Unanimous Media), Elaine Thompson-Herah, Carmelo Anthony and Kalvin Phillips, for buyers including Netflix, Amazon, discovery+, BET+, AMC and more. Melanie began her career as an independent film producer before migrating to live and unscripted programming at Viacom where she worked across MTV Movie Awards, Video Music Awards, Hip Hop Honors, Rock Honors, VH-1 Divas, Nickelodeon Kids' Choice Awards and more. Following Viacom, she co-founded marketing and production company, Tiny Horse, where she worked alongside major format owners (including Simon Cowell's Syco Entertainment, Talpa, ITV, BBC America and many more) to help them secure rights and produce programming that would ensure audiences outside of the television ecosystem (where the majority of Millennials and Gen Z spend their entertainment time) could engage with these predominantly TV-based IPs. Tiny Horse has since been incorporated into NEO Studios.

Craig Junner
SVP, Programming & Content Strategy
Blue Ant Media

Craig Junner, SVP, Programming & Content Strategy, oversees all aspects of the content and programming strategy for Blue Ant Media’s FAST, AVOD, SVOD and linear channels globally, including acquisitions, original programming and scheduling.

He has been at the helm of launching Blue Ant Media’s portfolio of FAST channels, including HauntTV, Homeful, CrimeTime, TotalCrime, HistoryTime, Love Pets, NatureTime and Drag Race Universe. Craig is integral to the company’s robust strategy to continue expanding its FAST business across UK, EMEA, APAC and Latin America as the international free-streaming ecosystem matures.

Craig joined Blue Ant Media at its inception in 2011 as Senior Manager of Programming. He has played a vital role in the launch and re-launch of several specialty TV channels within the company’s expanding channels business, including Love Nature, Smithsonian Channel (Canada), BBC Earth (Canada), BBC First (Canada). With a career spanning 20+ years, Craig previously served in senior roles leading and managing programming teams for some of Canada’s key broadcasters, including Global Television, CanWest, CTV and Shaw Media, while also contributing to all channel launches and integrations attached to M&A activities.

Audrey Kamga
Sales Manager
ARTE Distribution

Audrey KAMGA is an award-winning, multilingual executive with in-depth knowledge, and experience in most key TV markets including the Americas and EMEA.

Successfully working with ARTE France - one of the largest publicly-funded European broadcasters, she possesses a very diverse distribution background working with documentary specials,  limited doc series, unscripted formats, and factual entertainment with experience in sales, acquisitions, marketing, and business affairs.

Well versed in TV History and Pop Culture, she truly believes in the importance of multiculturalism, diversity, and inclusion, and a gender-balanced approach both on and off-screen.

Mika Kanaya
Head of International Content Development
NHK Japan Broadcasting Corporation

Kanaya has been committed to the public media for over twenty five years, serving in many different capacities from production manager to researcher, TV director, and writer. She constantly searches for talent, innovative program ideas, and co-production opportunities. She has been the driving force behind deals brokered with numerous international partners of NHK.

Kanaya's burgeoning interest in technology, art, and design led to a year in Boston in 2016 as a researcher-in-residence at MIT Media Lab, where she worked closely with the Center for Civic Media. In 2021 she became the first woman to lead the 8K production office, which advises and trains Japanese and foreign staff undertaking 8K productions ranging from sports broadcasts to dramas. As well as conducting presentations at MIP and Ars Electronica, she has promoted the NHK brand at SXSW and other major conferences.

Currently based in Tokyo, she works as the head of international content development group.

Denis Karam
CEO
ProudCloud Productions

Throughout 20 years of working in the unscripted world of TV and over 250 hours of documentaries made, Denis has recently founded a London/Zagreb based company - ProudCloud Productions. He is also a member of the Training Committee at the ‘Federation of Commercial Audio-Visual Libraries’ in London and was honoured with the FOCAL International Award for the Best Archive Producer of the Year. Denis has been a guest speaker, a jury member and a panelist for the likes of London’s Westminster University, the FOCAL Awards, the London Broadcast TECH events, NEM Zagreb, Media Play Sofia, and the Realscreen Awards.

With a wealth of experience and knowledge, Denis and his team at ProudCloud are embarking on an exciting journey with the aim to produce and co-produce different types of unscripted formats - from the factual and ob. docs. Programmes to the sport, kids, crime, reality and quiz shows. Denis’s recent works include; Vivica E. Fox; Secrets of the Interrogation Room, Killing Michael Jackson, Defoe, John Lennon; Let Me Take You Down, The Football Godfathers, Walking The Great Wall With Ash Dykes, Raise Your Game With Gareth Southgate.

Steve Katz
CEO/Executive Producer
Maximum Sunshine Productions

Steve Katz’s career has literally spanned the globe. In his days as a foreign correspondent, Steve covered wars, terrorism, international diplomacy, even a royal wedding. After a stint as a network news bureau chief, Steve moved to Fox TV’s iconic, genre-defining true crime series, America’s Most Wanted, where he spent more than a decade, first as Supervising Producer, then Co-Executive Producer and Show Runner. Now, with Maximum Sunshine Productions, his own development and production shop, Steve continues to create compelling non-fiction television. He developed and was Executive Producer for the Investigation Discovery series Truth Is Stranger Than Florida, and has worked with Blackfin, ITV, Texas Crew Productions, Renegade 83, Blumhouse, Intellectual Property Corp., Engel Entertainment and other top production companies as EP/Showrunner for series including ID’s I Am Homicide and Primal Instinct, Oxygen’s Buried In The Backyard, Killer Motive, Final Moments, Injustice with Nancy Grace, and Floribama Murders, and the limited episode investigative series The Girl Scout Murders for Fox Nation, along with several other projects.

Dan Kendall
Creative Director
Windfall Films

Dan Kendall is a multi-award winning Exec. Producer, recent highlights include The Wall – Climb for Gold (Netflix/Amazon), Blood Money – The Curse of the Brinks Mat Robbery (C5), The Future with Hannah Fry (Bloomberg), Lost Treasures of Egypt (Nat Geo), Chris and Michaela: Under the Christmas Sky (BBC Two), and Black Hole Hunters (Smithsonian Channel).

With more than 20 years production experience across the industry , delivering awards and ratings success to global broadcasters his track record includes - History Channel’s Emmy-nominated Mankind: The Story of All of Us, to Channel 4’s Surgery Live (Winner: Broadcast Digital Award), and BBC Two’s history of the Web, The Virtual Revolution (Winner: International Digital Emmy, BAFTA New Media Award).

Tania Koenig-Gauchier
Producer/CEO
Wapanatahk Media Inc.

Tania is a Métis (Cree) television producer with more than 20 years of experience in broadcasting and independent production. She has worked as a Producer for CTV, CBC and APTN, and has a background in business management, as well as marketing and promotions for television. She also spent five years in the position of Manager of Programming for the Western Region, Aboriginal Peoples Television Network.

Tania started a production company called Wapanatahk (‘morning star’ in Plains Cree) Media with her business partner, Shirley Mclean (Tlingit), and they have a service partnership in place with Great Pacific Media, a subsidiary of Thunderbird Entertainment. The vision of the prodco is to be a top-tier media company in Canada that is known for creating original, dynamic, and compelling content that is sold around the world.

Wapanatahk Media recently wrapped production on Wild Rose Vets, a series that follows Indigenous veterinarians for APTN and Cottage Life for Blue Ant Media. The series was nominated for three Canadian Screen Awards for Best Photography, Lifestyle or Reality/Competition, Best Lifestyle Program or Series in 2023 and Best Direction in 2024. Tania is the Producer and Executive Producer of the upcoming fourth season of the series.

Tania is extremely proud of her Indigenous heritage which originates from Northern Alberta (ties to Peavine Métis Settlement). She is also a direct descendant of Louis Karakontie, a Mohawk from Kahnawake, QC who settled in Alberta during the Canadian fur trade. She is the proud mother of two teenagers who are members of the Nisga’a Nation (Village of Laxgalts’ap) in northern British Columbia.

Justin Lacob
Head of Development
XTR

Justin Lacob serves as Vice President of Original Series at Spike TV.  Lacob joined Spike in 2011 and has since overseen the development of several successful network series including the critically acclaimed Bar Rescue. Lacob will also oversee the highly anticipated Hungry Investors, with bar and nightlife expert Jon Taffer and celebrity chefs John Besh and Tiffany Derry. In addition to his reality projects, Lacob is a key member of the development team responsible for the network’s forthcoming scripted miniseries.

Prior to joining Spike TV, Lacob served as Senior Director of Development at Intuitive Entertainment.  There, he supervised development on several reality series, including LA Shrinks and Love Broker for Bravo, and a variety of projects for CW, Food Network, Animal Planet, Oxygen and Travel Channel.  Prior to his stint at Intuitive, Lacob served as Director of Development at FremantleMedia for two years where he developed Rock the Cradle, The Phone and What Chili Wants, among others.  In addition, Lacob has extensive experience serving as a Producer, with credits including America’s Next Top Model, The Sharon Osbourne Show, Supergroup and Next.

Born and raised in Jericho, New York, Lacob graduated from Wesleyan University in Connecticut with a Bachelor’s Degree in American Studies.  Lacob currently lives in Los Angeles, California.

Rob Lane
Founder & Executive Producer
Fast Lane Productions

Fast Lane Productions is full-service independent production company specializing in music and live event broadcast shows, branded entertainment and unscripted television. Developing and producing premium content for the US, the UK and beyond across all genres, Fast Lane’s emphasis is on original content and formats, strong talent relationships and creative partnerships with broadcast networks, streamers, brands and distributors. Based in London, New York & Los Angeles, Fast Lane is a collaborative home for creative people, on-screen talent, directors, crew and technical suppliers. Always entertaining, future forward, telling the stories that need to be told and delivering the highest productions values on screen. Collectively we have worked with and produced shows for BBC, ITV Channel 4, Sky, ABC, MTV, The Food Network, Discovery, YouTube, Facebook, Apple.

Joanne Law
International Unscripted Development and Sales
Warner Bros. International TV Production New Zealand

Joanne is an independent consultant to the television industry in New Zealand, most recently charged with overseeing the adaptation, development and sale of programming based on formats and concepts developed in New Zealand, within the Warner Bros. Group and from international third-party producers.

Joanne has played an integral role in the acquisition, development and sale of My Dream Green Home, The Great Kiwi Bake Off, The Masked Singer, Glow Up, Couples Therapy, First Dates, New Zealand’s Most Endangered Species, Passengers, The Bachelorette, and development and sale of original New Zealand IP Celebrity Treasure Island, BossBabes, 60 Seconds, Heaven & Hell - The Centrepoint Story, High Country Farm, The Black Ferns - Wāhine To a, Lost & Found and My Family Mystery.

Most recently she was responsible for the creative development and sale of investigative documentary series Escaping Utopia for global distribution with Fifth Season, and is leading a slate of exciting and progressive new true crime, premium factual and reality formats for the global market.

Alexander Lawson
Development Producer
National Geographic Channel

Lucy Le Gruiec
Head of Sales & Acquisitions
Kwanza

Jessica Lee
Head of Development
Beach House Pictures

Jessica is currently Head of Development at Beach House Pictures, one of Asia’s largest independent production companies. She oversees the strategy, origination, packaging and pitching of all non-scripted shows, including managing the relationships with buyers and talents from the US to Asia. Jessica has been involved in selling many of BHP’s most high-profile documentary and unscripted programming such as the Emmy- nominated lifestyle series Mind Your Manners (Netflix), The Raincoat Killer (Netflix), feature length human interest doc Best Dog India (Netflix), science series Evolve (Curiosity, Amazon Prime), and natural history series Otter Dynasty (Max, Discovery+, Love Nature). Jessica also produced Netflix’s first Korean true crime series The Raincoat Killer Netflix’s which ranked top 5 on Netflix Korea, and was a supervising producer on Ice Cold: Murder, Coffee and Jessica Wongso, the first documentary to rank number 1 on Netflix Indonesia and top 10 non- English films globally. She directed Secret Lives of Trees, a premium factual series for Channel NewsAsia, a Women in History series for the National Library Board of Singapore, and was awarded the FreedomFilmFest Justin Louis award for directing The Shades of Love, a documentary on sex workers in Singapore.

Josh Levenbrown
Alternative TV Agent
UTA United Talent Agency

Since joining APA in 2008, Josh Levenbrown has played an integral role in growing the firm’s AITV department into to a bona fide powerhouse in non-fiction television.  Today, the department provides clients and buyers alike with a premiere level of packaging and staffing services that is second to none, while representing the creative and business interests of award-winning production companies, producers, directors, writers, presenters, experts, branded personalities, formats, books, advertiser brands, content libraries and other intellectual properties across all genres and media platforms around the world.  Levenbrown’s diverse roster of clients includes Mike Mathis Productions (Animal Planet’s “Gator Boys” and TLC’s “I Didn’t Know I Was Pregnant”), Red Marble Media (H2’s “Your Bleeped Up Brain” and Investigation Discovery’s “My Dirty Little Secret”), Orion Entertainment (Travel Channel’s “Guiding Alaska” and DIY’s “Building Alaska”) and MorningStar Entertainment (Spike’s “Deadliest Warrior” and A&E’s “Manhunters”).

Myriam Lopez-Otazu
GVP Content EMEA
Warner Bros. Discovery Spain

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, Myriam has held different content positions and has had the opportunity of working closely with global and local teams across channel launches and portfolio optimisations as well as the development and roll out of Discovery+. She oversees the international multi-market commissioning strategy, partnering with local and US teams in developing and producing key titles like Children of the Cult and True Love.

Prior to joining Discovery, Myriam was VP of Content Sales at Zodiak Rights for 5 years where she oversaw all sales activities, including formats, to Southern Europe and Latin America. She has also worked in RDF Rights and Steadfast TV, managing content sales and advertising funded content projects, as well as the commercial department of the public broadcaster in Madrid.

Todd Lubin
President, Unscripted
Boat Rocker Studios

Katie MacIntosh
Owner
MAC Worldwide Inc.

With years of success in the unscripted television world, Katie has become one of
the most recognizable and reputable names in the business. Her development
skills are grounded in true doc-series formats, and she has been singled out for
her ability to find compelling characters that have provided direct to series
orders, high network ratings, and multiple series franchises.

She has cast some of the most highly rated reality programs ever produced,
including Bravo’s ‘The Real Housewives of Orange County’, ‘Big Brother’ for CBS,
‘Life Below Zero’ for National Geographic and ‘Outlast’ for Netflix. Her other
shows cover the vast majority of network and streaming platforms and have been
recognized and awarded by the Television Academy, Teen Choice Awards, and
C21/Frapa at MIPCOM.

A sought-after development partner, she has teamed up with several renown
producers to deliver original concepts and dynamic casts. Her collaboration
history includes projects with Talos Films, Smuggler Entertainment, A&E and BBC
Worldwide Productions.

Katie is the president of Mac Worldwide, Inc. She is a frequent guest on entertainment podcasts and serves as an expert and judge on several industry
related panels.

Michelle Mama
Co-Founder
GAY AGENDA

Poppy McAlister
Division Head of TVF International
TVF International

Poppy McAlister is Division Head of TVF International, the UK's leading independent factual distributor. Based in London, Poppy runs a team of dedicated sales and acquisitions executives that speak over 12 languages to distribute premium factual and unscripted programming across the globe.

Since joining TVF in 2019, McAlister has held roles as the company's Sales Manager and Head of Sales and Acquisitions. She is responsible for populating TVF's catalogue of award-winning documentaries and series and providing non-fiction producers with an international platform.

Poppy spearheads TVF's broadcaster and producer partnerships across the UK, North America, Australia and New Zealand, as well as running the day-to-day strategic operations across sales, acquisitions, production, marketing and finance. Poppy focuses on securing distribution rights through setting up first-look, development and output deals, as well as closing deals with global networks and streamers and serving as an executive producer on various TVF Productions.

In 2023 Poppy brokered a global Netflix deal for pioneering disability-first dating series, Down for Love and in 2024, was named one of Realscreen's Factual Under 40s.

Jennifer McClure-Metz
Current Programming Executive
Evolution Media

Jen McClure-Metz serves as Current Programming Executive at Evolution Media/MGM Amazon Studios. In her role, she oversees the development and production of some of the most popular unscripted television series, including Vanderpump Rules, Real Housewives of Beverly Hills, and Real Housewives of Orange County.

During her three years at Evolution Media, Jen maintained and grew the company’s unscripted portfolio and has worked closely with creative teams to ensure the success and longevity of flagship series.

With over twenty years of experience in the unscripted television industry, Jen has earned a stellar reputation for her creative vision and leadership. She has been recognized with two Emmy nominations for her exceptional work on Vanderpump Rules.

Before joining Evolution Media, Jen brought her diverse showrunner experience to various projects. Her impressive credits include The Biggest Loser, Married at First Sight, and Growing Up Chrisley, showcasing her versatility across different unscripted formats like competition, reality, and lifestyle programming. Earlier in her career, Jen contributed to the success of iconic shows such as Survivor, The Amazing Race, and Deal or No Deal.

Jen’s passion for storytelling and her commitment to delivering high-quality content has made her a prominent figure in the industry.

Laura McDonald
Agent, Unscripted TV Packaging
Gersh Agency

Laura McDonald is an Unscripted Agent in the Alternative Television Packaging & Digital department at Gersh. She represents talent, producers, and production companies that create and star in projects that span all of nonfiction programming- game, talk, competition, reality shows and more. Her talent roster includes Shawn Wayans, Dr. Drew Pinsky, Caroline Rhea, Montel Williams, Jeff Dye, Jake T. Austin, Willam Belli, Corinne Olympios, Ashley Parker Angel, Jai Rodriguez, Patrick Warburton, Logic, Brad Williams, Trish Suhr, Jessie Graff, Jessica Hall, Rebekka Johnson and Kimmy Gatewood, She also works with crossover talent such as musicians (All Time Low, 3OH!3, Ashely Parker Angel, Logic) and athletes (Summer Sanders, Jonny Mosley). She represents producers on a variety of broadcast and cable shows including “The Voice”, “Story of God”, “Family Legacy,” and more. The production companies that are in her repertoire have created and sold shows to Netflix, VH1, Discovery, A&E, Comedy Central, Facebook, Fox Sports, CW, TBS Digital and more.

Laura graduated from the University of Notre Dame with a double major in Finance and Sociology. She then received her juris doctorate from the Pepperdine School of Law and is barred in the state of California. During law school she interned at law firms that specialized in all things unscripted, which is what helped her decide to pursue a career in the field.

Andy McEntee
SVP Development & Programming
Bodega Pictures

Andy McEntee is senior vice president of Development & Programming for independent production company, Bodega Pictures, where he is responsible for creating original formats, discovering talent, and executing sizzles and pilots across myriad platforms for Bodega Pictures’ ample development slate. Current series he has shepherded include hits like Kendra Sells Hollywood (MAX), sMothered (TLC) and Girl Meets Farm (Food). With more than a decade of experience in unscripted television as both a producer and development executive for cable and broadcast networks, Andy possesses a unique vantage point that runs from inception of a new show through post-production on a series. Prior to Bodega, Andy served as Vice President of Development for Cineflix Productions (Property Brothers, American Pickers) and as a freelance producer he has worked on genre-defining series such as Extreme Makeover: Home Edition (ABC), The Millionaire Matchmaker (Bravo), and 10 Years Younger (TLC).

Michael McMahon
Founding Partner
Primitive Entertainment

Michael McMahon is a founding partner at Primitive Entertainment. With more
than 30 years experience producing premium non-fiction content, the company works
with major broadcasters and distributors in North America, Europe and Japan.
Our film and television series have won more than 50 international awards and
screened at major film festivals worldwide.

Michael served as the Co-Chair of the Board of Directors of Hot Docs from 2003 to
2018, where he was instrumental in the acquisition and renovation of Toronto’s
historic Bloor Cinema, and on the editorial committee of the World
Congress of Science and Factual Producers (WCSFP) from 2018 to 2022.

Stephen McQuillan
Creative Director
Atomic Television

Stephen is the founder and Creative Director of Atomic Television, started in Bristol UK in 2023 and operating within the multi award-winning Zinc Media group, specialising in prime-time premium factual television for the major UK broadcasters and global SVODs.

He has a background in specialist factual programming and documentary. Having previously worked as a producer and director for the BBC on shows such as Panorama and various films produced by the BBC Documentary Unit, he has subsequently gone on to become the Creative Director and key creative in three different companies including Icon Films where he created and Executive Produced multiple series for the likes of National Geographic, BBC and Discovery, including Primal Survivor, Unknown Amazon and Andrew Marr My Brain and Me.

Atomic are currently producing a 6 part series for National Geographic due for broadcast in 2024.

Erin Mechanic
VP of Development
Truly Original

Erin Mechanic serves as VP of Development for Truly Original, focusing on the development of competition and game formats. Prior to joining Truly Original, Mechanic was a former development exec at Game Show Network, Spike TV and Ardaban/Shine America.

Nick Metcalfe
Executive Producer
Arrow Media

Nick joined Arrow as an Executive Producer in 2012 to launchUltimate Airport Dubai,a global hit series forNational Geographic. Since then, he has brought creative dynamism to more than two hundred hours of a hugely varied slate for British and international broadcasters, winning awards along the way. Credits have ranged fromApocalypse Cow(C4) with George Monbiot, toBodycamandAmerican Monster(ID), viaAmerica in Color(Smithsonian Channel),Burma’s Secret Jungle War with Joe Simpson(BBC2), among many others. Most recently he executive produced the six-part seriesWhen Sharks Attack 360(Nat Geo).

Diane Min
Head of Format Sales + Development
CJ ENM

Diane is currently the head of non-scripted sales at CJ ENM, overlooking non-scripted content sales and format sales & development for CJ ENM's 13 networks

She joined CJ ENM in 2010 and was responsible for international finished tape sales for series and entertainment. Since she has been leading format sales from 2015, She has been successfully commissioned more than 80+ format deals globally and some highlights of her work are Grandpas over Flowers(a.k.a Better Late Than Never) for NBC and 12 countries and I Can See Your Voice for 28 countries like FOX(US), BBC ONE(UK), RTL(Germany), RTL4(Holland) etc. Diane received a Korean Prime Minister Citation Award in 2022, which is the nation’s most prestigious content awards. 

Prior to CJ ENM, Diane worked at Warner Media’s Cartoon Network for kids programming for 4 years.

Rukhsana Mosam
Managing Director
Ten66 Television

I've been working in the British TV industry for 30 years now - principally in factual. I have worked on everything from single documentaries to pop doc series, formatted Factual and Fact Ent as well as Entertainment series, working my way up from a Researcher to Executive Producer over the years. Prior to founding my own indie, Ten66 Television, I have worked for all the major British terrestrial broadcasters, the BBC, ITV, C4 and C5 and various of their spin off channels both in house and as a freelancer. Founding Ten66 Television was about having more creative freedom - the company is named after the area we are based in - which is Hastings in the UK. We specialise in developing big Fact Ent and Ents formats as well as leaning into Youth trends.

Catherine Muema
Product and Operations Manager
Africa Uncensored

Catherine Muema brings a wealth of expertise and a discerning eye to the table. With a diverse background in TV/film production and a proven track record of delivering exceptional content, Catherine is well equipped to evaluate and recognize outstanding achievements in the industry.

With over ten years of experience leading cross-functional teams in the media landscape. Catherine has honed her skills in project management, product management, and creative storytelling. Her ability to manage complex projects from conception to delivery sets her apart as a producer who can transform ideas into captivating on-screen experiences.

Catherine's contribution to the industry is evident through her involvement in
groundbreaking projects. She has produced Kenya's first true crime documentary series, "The Last Door," leaving an indelible mark on the television landscape. Her work on the investigative documentary series, "Kenya Airways: Fall of the Pride," showcases her dedication to storytelling that captivates and informs audiences. She has also worked with renowned organizations such as the BBC Africa Eye, Vogue Magazine and Discovery Channel.

Driven by her passion and unwavering commitment, Catherine infuses each project with a creative spirit and a can-do attitude. She excels at simplifying complex objectives and delivering innovative and impactful solutions.

Andy Mundy-Castle
Managing Director
DOC HEARTS

From the award winning Lenny Henry The Commonwealth Kid (BBC1), the critically acclaimed White Nanny Black Child (BFI / Channel 5),  Jimmy Akingbola Handle WIth Care (Peacock / ITV)  Charlene White Empires Child (ITV), to the critically acclaimed The Fade  (Netflix), and the RTS / BAFTA nominated Battyman (C4), Mundy-Castle’s work has been regarded highly as work that documents diverse experience with depth and style. 

Brian Murphy
Executive Producer
Film 45

Brian Murphy is a distinguished Executive Producer with over twenty years in the entertainment industry, specializing as an unscripted television creator and showrunner. His expertise in producing compelling television shines through in notable projects such as MTV’s Catfish, Netflix's Chelsea Does, with comedian Chelsea Handler and The Pathway, a groundbreaking project about the journey NBA prospects take to get to the league. Murphy's skills span creative leadership, series and story development, production, and post-production, leading large teams through the creative process for top networks and streamers like Amazon, Netflix, HBO, CBS, ABC, FX, Discovery, and the History Channel.

Helen Nightingale
Head, Factual & Factual Entertainment
UKTV

Sarah North
Chief Creative Officer
Mecenas

Sarah North is a partner and Chief Creative Officer of MECENAS, a certified minority-owned publishing and media powerhouse that connects brands with America's vibrant multicultural communities. MECENAS GROUP's portfolio includes COCINA, the gold standard for Latin food co-founded by Aarón Sánchez; STARPICKS, a personalized free content streaming platform; and a suite of publishing units catering to diverse audiences in gaming, esports, and on-demand audio. Engaging over 25 million U.S. Hispanics monthly through exclusive partnerships with premier content distribution platforms, MECENAS stands as one of the largest independent media companies in the multicultural landscape.

Previously, Sarah North was the Head of Shopify Studios, the content house of leading global commerce company Shopify which powers more than 1M businesses. As the Head of Studios, North oversaw development, production, distribution, and strategy across the company’s slate, including feature documentaries and long-form Original series for streaming and linear networks with best-in-class partners, as well as experimental digital series.

Prior to joining Shopify Studios, North was the Head of Television and Long-form content at SoulPancake, the award-winning media and entertainment company founded by actor Rainn Wilson and acquired by Participant Media in October 2016. Her Emmy-nominated work helped SoulPancake reach 1B+ views and a 60M monthly reach.

Before SoulPancake, North was a partner at Mad Cow Productions. NAACP Image Award nominated, she has developed, executive produced, and showrun series for networks including ABC, [adult swim], MTV and Showtime to name a few. She specializes in storytelling that drives engagement and connects content to commerce.

North is a graduate of New York University, and resides in Los Angeles with her husband and children.

Geoffrey Okol
Development Producer
ZigZag Productions

Recipient of the top prize at FORMAGINATION 2023, my winning format is currently in development at ITV Studios. I am an Award-winning development producer who has worked in development teams at a range of companies including BBC Entertainment, ITN Productions, and Argonon Group. I have created and developed commissioned shows across a variety of genres for all the major UK broadcasters and streamers and now looking for do the same in new markets.

Dana Olkkonen
Vice President, Television & Film
Vox Media

Cecilie Olsen
SVP, Global Content, Non-Scripted
ITV

As the SVP of Global Content, Non-Scripted at ITV Studios Global Distribution, Cecilie Olsen heads up the non-scripted acquisitions team. Olsen also actively seeks out new third party co-production partners, as well as oversees the internal labels' non-scripted programming output for international distribution. Olsen is looking for shows that are bold, brave, noisy returnable franchises and highly commercial. Successes include 24 Hours in Police Custody, River Monsters, The Magical Land Of Oz and Hells Kitchen. 

With more than 20 years of experience, Olsen previously held roles at Argonon International, where she was the SVP Sales & Acquisitions leading the international sales and acquisitions division, prior to this she was Director of Formats and Production at NBCUniversal International Studios - securing international format commissions for brands such as Queer Eye, Top Chef, Hollywood Game Night and Real Housewives. Olsen also had stints at TwoFour helping to set up their distribution division TwoFour Rights, Target Entertainment and Fox Sports International.

Billi-Jean Parker
Producer & Writer
Earth Touch

A passionate storyteller and award-winning writer and producer, Billi-Jean has made over 30 “blue chip” natural history films for National Geographic Channel, Smithsonian Networks, ORF, Kanal 7, NHK and CCTV.

She’s shared stories about iconic species like lions, buffaloes, dolphins and crocodiles, as well as underdogs like warthogs, naked mole rats and wildebeest.

Producer and writer credits include: Crocodiles Revealed (2023) - SAFTA for Best Natural History and Environmental Film, Shadow Cats (2022), Leopard & Hyena: Strange Alliance (2021) - Gold Remi award and SAFTA.

She contracts for various production houses and produces her own wildlife shorts for South Africa’s long-running environmental programme, 50|50, and the international environmental science and conservation news platform, Mongabay.

Billi-Jean has judged at many of the premier international wildlife film festivals, including Jackson Hole, Wildscreen, and the Matsalu International Nature Film Festival in Estonia. Billi-Jean has also been a SAFTA (South African Film & Television Awards) judge since 2006.

During her free time, she films underwater, shares her love of the ocean as a marine and snorkel guide, and is proud to sit on the board of NPO, Breathe Conservation. She’s a member of the symphonic choir – with a solid Top C!

Nikki Parrott
MD/Founder
Tiger Lily Productions

Tigerlily productions is a multi-award-winning independent production company with a reputation for tackling powerful subject matter with sensitivity and artistry.  Their output covers scripted and non- scripted documentaries, arts and music, history, and current affairs across a range of media. In 2018, Tigerlily Two in Scotland was formed with the purpose of exploring new talent and stories outside London, and to be a prominent co producer for international projects and teams. It is run out of Glasgow and headed by Nikki.

In their first three years, they have co-produced two feature documentaries POLY STYRENE I AM A CLICHÉ, which won two Bifas including best documentary, IS THERE ANYBODY OUT THERE? which premiered at Sundance, and produced HONG KONG MIX TAPE, which premiered at Glasgow Film Festival and Hot Docs TORONTO where it was listed in the twenty most watched documentaries loved by audience.

They are also producing two several feature documentaries, LOOKING FOR PAULINE BLACK directed by Jane Mingay, and BORDERS directed by Jessi Gutch, which will be a co -production with France.

BRING BACK THE BEAVER coco-produced with Sinner Films and directed by award winning director , Chris Atkins

Other documentaries in production include ENO to be directed by Gary Hustwit and SUPERNATURE by Ed Sayers

On the drama side , …They are  prepping a gay Turkish /Welsh dramatic feature to be directed by the award winning and Oscar nominated  Umit Unal and shot entirely in Glasgow and INFERENCE  based on the Scottish novel and written /directed by HOPE DICKSON LEACH and a drama series for teens based in Rothesay written by MICHAEL LEE RICHARDSON

Lamont Pete
Executive Producer
Asylum Entertainment Group

Lamont Pete is a powerhouse figure in the entertainment industry, renowned for his ability to bring together diverse talents and create unforgettable experiences. With a career spanning over two decades, Pete's journey from a casting director to an Executive Producer reflects his unwavering determination and passion for his craft.

Pete's keen understanding of the industry and strategic decisions have positioned him as a key player in the music business, particularly in the urban music market. His impressive roster of Number 1 recording artists, spanning various genres, solidifies his reputation as the go-to person for after-party scenes and high-profile events.

Pete is a prolific content creator, developing both scripted and non-scripted television and film projects.

L.A.-headquartered Asylum Entertainment Group/Endeavor recently signed a first-look deal with Lamont Pete and his company Water2drink Productions as he continues to leave an indelible mark on the entertainment landscape.

Matt Pickel
SVP, Development & Current
Critical Content

Dave Piendak
Senior Producer, Unscripted
Fulwell 73

Dave Piendak is an Emmy-nominated Producer at Fulwell 73, a leading transatlantic entertainment company, where he oversees the development and production of unscripted content. He served as Supervising Producer on the Emmy Award-winning late-night talk show "The Late Late Show with James Corden" for its entire 8-year run. Dave's portfolio includes "Jonas Brothers Family Roast," "Adele One Night Only," and "Friends: The Reunion."

Most recently Dave was the Co-Executive Producer of the LA28 Olympic Handover. He is also producing the upcoming Ellen DeGeneres comedy special for Netflix.

Victor Plank
TV Producer
VPH

Victor Plank Harms is a US-based international showrunner and producer specializing in creating and producing TV formats for the biggest broadcasters and streaming platforms in America, Canada, and Scandinavia. With extensive experience overseeing international productions, Victor has produced a wide variety of series, including following a group of young hunters in Greenland, Italian men living with their mothers, incarcerated women in the Philippines, and several other projects filmed across North and South America, Europe, Southeast Asia, East Africa, and the Arctic.

As a New York-based producer originally from Copenhagen, Denmark, Victor works seamlessly across development, field, and post-production, with a solid understanding of the global media marketplace. His credits include producing "90 Day Fiancé” (TLC), "Alone: Frozen" (History Channel), "Mud, Sweat and Beards" (USA Network), "Impractical Jokers: After Party" (truTV), "Love Off the Grid" (Max), and showrunning "Finding Prince Charming Denmark" and "Singletown Denmark" (both for Discovery+ Denmark), among others.

Since beginning his career in development in Toronto, Canada, Victor has been blessed (and cursed) with the restless mind of a TV format developer. Constantly on the lookout for the next groundbreaking idea, Victor has successfully contributed to development projects for the Nordic Banijay companies in Copenhagen, Fox Entertainment in Los Angeles, and various independent production companies across North America.

As a producer, Victor is an expert in a variety of genres spanning across strategic gameplay, competition, comedy, survival, adventure, experimental dating, love & relationships, LGBTQIA+, travel, home renovation, docuseries, and will get excited about any show with a plot twist.

Victor holds an M.A. in Media Studies from The New School and a B.A. in TV & Media Production Arts from The Danish School of Media and Journalism and Ryerson University.

Shamala Rajendran
Commissioning Editor, Factual
MediaCorp Pte Ltd

Nav Raman
Creative Director
Chatterbox Media

Nav Raman is an experienced executive producer, content creator and co founder/ creative director of BAFTA winning production company Chatterbox. The Indie has delivered hit formats and series including Sally Lindsay's Posh Sleepover for C5 in the UK which also sold to multiple territories, the original format and ratings hit Extraordinary Portraits for primetime BBC1 and international territories which is going into series 4. Three series of the entertainment reality show Meet The Khans with two time world boxing champion Amir Khan and his social media star wife Faryal and two series of reality series Charlotte in Sunderland , both for the UK and international territories. As a former Channel 4 Factual Entertainment Commissioning Editor, her slate included ‘Child Genius’, award winning ‘Brat Camp’, ‘The Unteachables’ and Supernanny. Senior creative positions include Executive Producer of drama doc Seige in Sahara for C4/PBS/CBC

Julia Redwood
Joint Managing Director
Prospero Productions

Julia Redwood co-founded Prospero Productions in Fremantle, Western Australia in 1991. In 2021 she became the company’s sole owner and Managing Director.  With over 30 years in the industry, producing nearly 400 hours of factual television, Julia has become one of Australia’s leading screen practitioners.  With global hits such as Outback Truckers, Outback Opal Hunters and Red Dirt Road Trip to her name, she has also become a well renown figure in the West Australian business community; recently acknowledged by being awarded the 2021 Western Australian of the Year, Business Award.

Julia currently sits on Screen Producers of Australia (SPA) Board as an advisor and is Chair of Screen Voice, an association for Australian owned, independent producers. This coupled with her extensive creative talents and many years of experience in the marketplace makes Julia one of the leading figures in the Australian film industry.

Nick Rigg
Founder
Brass Monkeys Media

Angelina Rivero
Director of Programming
Telemundo

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. In addition to her responsibilities in the Programming team, Rivero also co-leads the Miami chapter of the Women’s Network at NBCUniversal.

Prior to joining NBCUniversal Telemundo Enterprises in 2016, Rivero worked in the Latin American market with Warner Bros. Discovery (previously Discovery, Inc.) as part of the Media Planning team, and interned at various other media companies such as Viacom, WDNA and the Tallahassee Democrat.

Angelina earned her B.S. in Media Communication Studies from FSU with a minor in Hispanic Marketing.

Lisette Schlippe
Global VP: FAST and Content
Insight TV

Travis Schoen
VP, Production & Development
Rose Rock

Travis is the VP, Production & Development at Rose Rock (part of Argonon) with over 20 years’ industry experience.

Based in LA, Travis has an innate passion for storytelling and is a specialist in crafting unscripted formats around breakthrough talent.

As a firm believer in the ethos that curiosity is the primary driver of meaningful unscripted storytelling, Travis’ by-the-boot-straps method of development upholds Rose Rock’s mission to uncover incredible talent and seamlessly pair them with blue-chip formats.

Travis’s career is marked by collaboration with titans from all sectors of the industry, from linear staples like Top Chef on Bravo and Duck Dynasty on A&E, to nonlinear platforms like Nike SKRS, Disney+, or NBC Spots’ Snap Chat feed. When working with the Premier League, Travis executive-produced Snap’s #1 viewed sports program and his journey continued with the inception of his own production company, where he collaborated with the likes of Netflix, MLB, JoJo Siwa, Karl-Anthony Towns, and Charli D’Amelio.

Justin Scroggie
CCO & Partner
The Format People

Justin is the Chief Creative Officer & Partner of the Format People, an international consultancy specialising in the format business. Known throughout the industry as "The Format Doctor", Justin is in considerable demand, working as an expert consultant with broadcasters and production companies around the world to diagnose and solve issues with their formats, from development to pilot to post-production, and to turn them into successful broadcast series. He also creates original formats: Justin is the creator of the hit culinary competition format "Chef In Your Ear" distributed by Warner Brothers International TV Production and currently rolling out around the world including Canada, South Korea, Belgium, Mongolia and more. Justin is Visiting Tutor at the National Film and TV School in the UK, a sought-after speaker, and leads master-classes in format creation and development around the world.

About The Format People

The Format People was founded in 2009 by Justin Scroggie and Michel Rodrigue. Since then the Group has grown rapidly into a worldwide consultancy practice of like-minded industry professionals with a vast range of complementary skills and experience in the television and formats business.

The services we offer include format creation, development and doctoring; purchase, sales and distribution strategy; ground-up network infrastructure, up-skilling, original studio design, network brand identity, and programming; in-house training and workshops; international market and conference development and implementation.

Our client base spans the globe, including USA, Canada, UK, South Korea, China, Malaysia, India, South Africa, Uganda, Mongolia, Norway, Holland, Belgium, Israel, Egypt and many more territories.

Nekia Seymore
Manager of Development, TBS, TNT & truTV
Warner Bros. Discovery

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 to work on a wide range of shows such as, Go-Big Show, the US version of The Cube, Friday Night Vibes, Rat in the Kitchen, Laff Mobb’s Laff Tracks, Impractical Jokers, Expedition X and a host of more. Many of these shows offered her a chance to collaborate with a diverse array of A-list talent, adding an extra layer of sparkle to her journey. Her media career began at Grey Advertising, where she flourished in the music department as a Music Business Manager. Fun fact: she had a backstage pass to the early Rihanna and Covergirl partnership – talk about a front-row seat to pop culture history! While there, she also hosted a weekly podcast for an internet radio station and eventually her passion for radio led to a role at Sirius XM. With this career move, she was able to work across a variety of talk channels like Playboy, Foxxhole, Road Dog Trucking, Martha Stewart Radio, Urban View, Stars, and more. This diverse experience propelled her upward, and she continued to rise in the ranks from board-op to eventually Producer of a daily celebrity-oriented talk show on the Stars channel. The journey continues and driven by an unquenchable thirst for knowledge, and a desire to work in television, Nekia made an impactful decision to pivot towards television and successfully earned her Master's Degree in Media Management from The New School. Nekia isn't just a media pro; she's a dedicated content creator, always striving to bring captivating stories to audiences worldwide. And when she's not busy exploring the entertainment world, you'll find her enjoying her favorite TV shows or lending her unique voice to various projects at https://www.nekiaseymorevoice.com/

Fatima Shafiq
Creative Director
Dare Pictures

Sohail Shah
Managing Director
King of Sunshine Productions

Sohail Shah is the Managing Director of King of Sunshine Productions, a truly independent production company.

Since its creation in 2019, King of Sunshine has scored multiple commissions, including the RTS nominated Agatha & Poirot for ITV, Meet The Richardsons for UKTV, George Michael Last Christmas for Channel 5, and The UK’s National Parks with Caroline Quentin for Channel 4.

With 30 years’ experience in television, Sohail specialises in factual entertainment, factual and popular culture programming. He has multiple credits on all 5 UK terrestrial channels and numerous digital channels worldwide.

Prior to setting up KOSP, Sohail was Commissioning Editor for BBC Entertainment. Whilst there, he commissioned and executive produced shows across all four BBC channels. He was the lead on all BBC3 content and sat on the European Business Unit as the UK representative dealing with all connected Eurovision programming. His roster of programmes included QI, The Graham Norton Show, Sounds Random, The Apprentice You’re Fired, and The Eurovision Song Contest.

Prior to commissioning, Sohail was an experienced Showrunner and a successful Head of Development; heading up development units for BBC Studios, ITV Studios, STV Productions and October Films amongst others.

Sohail is also currently a Non-Exec Director for Elstree Film and TV Studios.

Taye Shuayb
Head of Tastemade Studios
Tastemade

Deborah Skeffington
Content Acquisition Manager
VideoElephant

VideoElephant is a unique video content solution for online media, digital screens and streaming platforms globally, powered by the world’s largest curated premium video library. As the world’s largest premium video library and content distribution network we’re all about incredible video content and bringing it to screens everywhere. The VideoElephant library contains more than 4 million videos with over 3000 added daily, from 1000 content sources across more than 35 categories and 20 languages. We built VideoElephant so that we can make it easy for content producers to distribute and monetise their video globally and for businesses worldwide to connect with their audiences through extraordinary video experiences. VideoElephant sources, licenses, curates, programmes and distributes premium video content distributing globally for content producers and delivering to online media, digital screens and streaming platforms worldwide as single VOD assets, playlists, feeds, programming and channels. For our clients we deliver access to millions of videos, with thousands added daily, from hundreds of sources across multiple categories and languages. Rights cleared, brand-safe, continually refreshed premium content with flexible delivery options. All on one contract. For our content partners we deliver game-changing expansion of reach, revenue and brand with access to billions of impressions and millions of viewers across hundreds of clients globally. Expert curation, transparent reporting, unique data-driven insights and extraordinary performance.

Kevin Soares
EVP International Formats
IDTV

Kevin has been working in the Dutch television industry for more than 20 years. Originally started in production at companies such as Endemol, NPO, and RTL Netherlands. For the last 8 years, he has been an Executive Producer, Head of Television, and is currently EVP International Formats at IDTV.

He’s experienced in both reality and studio formats such as Topchef, Undercover Boss, Snackmasters, and Flirty Dancing. In 2020, he was responsible for the re-launch of one of IDTV's oldest and most successful formats, LINGO! He also produced many music-related concerts and shows, with the highlight being the Eurovision Song Contest postcards in 2021.

In 2022, Kevin took on the role of EVP International Formats. His first priority was to oversee the worldwide implementation of hit tv show ‘The Traitors’. In the first 1,5 years the format launched in more than 16 territories. Since then, IDTV has launched another new psychological reality format called ‘The Unknown’. Together with IDTV’s management, Kevin continuously works on strategy focused on bringing new IDTV’s formats to the international market.

Hollann Sobers
Production Executive
Amazon Studios

Hollann Sobers is a multidisciplinary leader and Production Executive overseeing cross-platform entertainment from conception through distribution in television, short film, documentaries, promos, and events.

Hollann rose to the position of Production Executive in her time at Viacom, where she worked on documentaries under VH1’s award-winning Rock Docs franchise and various original series, including the launches of Love & Hip Hop and Black Ink Crew. After VH1, she worked at Al Jazeera America and Sundance TV before joining Complex Networks in 2017 as the Director of Production. Hollann worked across all original programming brands while building an infrastructure to support 30-plus series per year, including some licensed by Netflix, Hulu, and Roku. Before leaving Complex, she executive produced the ComplexCon(versations) series and was Sr. Director of Integrated Development & Programming Operations, which entailed a combination of innovative content development, original programming, and operational excellence.

Most recently, Hollann served as a Production Executive at Amazon Studios overseeing their unscripted programming. In addition to being an active member of the PGA, NYWIFT, and NAMIC, she is in her second term on the Television Academy’s Board of Governors representing the Production Executive Peer Group. Currently, she serves as Vice Chair of the Diversity Committee.

Sonia Sohal
Head of Development, Documentary Unit
BBC Studios

As Head of Development in the BBC Studios Documentary Unit, Sonia manages a diverse documentary slate that includes singles, limited series and constructed factual formats. She also manages a diverse team across regional bases in the UK. Before this, Sonia worked as a Head of Development and Development Executive at UK companies such as Story Films, Raw and Great Scott Media. She has a strong track record of developing documentaries and factual formats and a wealth of experience building diverse, and ambitious ideas for broadcasters and streamers in the UK and beyond. Development credits include Surviving Paradise (Netflix), Joanna Lumley’s India (ITV), Fantastical Factory of Curious Craft (C4). Production credits include Desi Rascals (SKY), Dragons’ Den (BBC), Child Genius (C4).

Akanksha Sood Singh
Founder
The Gaia People

Akanksha Sood Singh is among India’s multi-award winning natural history filmmakers.  Her career spans over 21 years and covers the range and breadth of film production - from the jungles to tent pole feature films, crafting scripts to negotiating complex acquisition / co-productions and now to producing and directing her own films.

Akanksha’s films have seen their first broadcast on almost all major networks in the world. With over 200+ awards and nominations, her work has won 5 National Film Awards by the President of India, a Wildscreen & Jackson Wild nomination and a UN Film Award.

She is one of the Jurors for the International Emmy ® Awards – Documentary category, a member of the Jackson Wild Advisory Council and will soon be featured in the UN Women India’s coffee table book on '75 Stories of Women's Leadership in India'.

Spencer Stander
Executive Producer
Stander Productions

Spencer is a seasoned producer with credits on over 2000 television episodes and producer of 300 episodes, along with producing feature films including Billy Bob Thornton's "The Smell of Success" and "Stay Cool" starring Hilary Duff, Winona Ryder, and Jon Cryer.

Under a four-year Executive Producer deal with ITV Studios America, Spencer produced a variety of successful shows while in his own production company the series "Crowded House" on HGTV/Discovery. He also produced 11 seasons of a travelogue series for AXS Network, Season 1 of "Churchy" on Paramount+/BET+, and a documentary series for AMC.

Beginning in marketing, Spencer earned nearly a dozen Promax awards for producing promotional campaigns for hit series such as "Buffy the Vampire Slayer," "Smallville," and "Supernatural." His expertise extends across collaborations with major studios and networks.

Chelsey Stephens
Owner
Chelsey Creative

Chelsey is a veteran unscripted talent and development Executive based in New York. 

Former Senior Vice President Of Talent & Development at Truly Original, she spearheaded casting and development of several titles in the ‘Housewives’ franchise, working as head of original casting and Executive Producer on The Real Housewives of Potomac and The Real Housewives of Dubai, and as head of casting on The Real Housewives of Atlanta for 8 seasons. She also worked as head of original casting / development on Winter House, Family Karma, and Summer House: Martha’s Vineyard.

Now, she owns her own casting / development company, Chelsey Creative, Inc, and has a first look deal with ITV America developing shows across all genres.

Dixi Stewart
Managing Director
SandStone Global Productions Ltd.

Dixi Stewart has recently joined SandStone Global to drive the development of this flourishing production company. Dixi is an award-winning programme maker with over 30 years’ experience across the broadcasting industry. Before joining SandStone Global she spent 25 years at the BBC, producing and presenting a wide range of content, and more recently as Chief of Staff to the Managing Director where she led on initiatives to develop talent, improve the BBC’s working culture and increase diversity both on and off air. Dixi is a Fellow of the Radio Academy and Director of the UK's annual Radio Festival. SandStone Global is a diverse, internationalist company producing film and audio content for a wide range of outlets. It is proud to make the very best work, by the best people, for the best reasons. https://www.sandstoneglobal.com/

Blake Swerdloff
Owner
Leesam Creative Group

Blake Swerdloff is the Founder of Leesam Creative Group and a 5 time emmy nominated Executive Producer who developed and ran Food Network’s #1 daytime series The Kitchen as well as Trisha’s Southern Kitchen, Beach Bites with Katie Lee, ReWrapped, and What the Fung?! Swerdloff began his career at MTV on The Tom Green Show and then spent 5 years at MTV Networks, working on multiple series for VH1 including 100 Greatest Rock & Roll Moments on TV, I Love the 80s, I Love the 70s and the documentary series. Driven. From there, he worked with an array of networks including The Disney Channel, ABC, E!, Bravo, BET, A&E, MSNBC, Tru TV, and Discovery Channel. He also ran the highly successful HGTV series The High Low Project with host Sabrina Soto.  His company recently produced culinary series, My Best Friend’s Kitchen for QVC+, Backyarding, a landscaping competition series for The Design Network, upcoming entrepreneurship competition series, Seed Money and is in pre-production on feature film, Every Other Weekend.

Lara Sword
Head Of Factual
Night Train Digital

Balazs Szabo
Chief Content Management Officer
RTL Hungary

Tony Tackaberry
CEO + Founder
Station 6 Productions

As Chief Executive Officer for Lion Television Inc, Tony is responsible for running Lion's US operation. Under his stewardship they have produced PBS's highly acclaimed series History Detectives, recently commissioned for its 6th season. It Takes a Thief, The Discovery Channel's crime prevention show where former burglars break into houses to reveal their security weak points; S.W.A.T. USA, Court TV's up-close look at the high-stakes world of special weapons and tactics teams; and Cash Cab, The Discovery Channel's spontaneous game-show that takes place in a New York City taxi. Other productions include 12th Year Senior for MTV; Moms Go On Strike for A&E; Family Trip on The Learning Channel and Discovery Rewind 2006 for Discovery International.

Liz Tang
Executive Director, Acquisitions
Fifth Season

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 doc, The Pez Outlaw, from Sidestilt Films; celeb-hairdresser docusoap Blowing L.A., from Fulwell 73; the acclaimed investigative docuseries Victoria’s Secret: Angels & Demons, from Film 45 and Altimeter; Lightbox’s premium limited docuseries Spector and Curse of the Chippendales; and Hulu’s Emmy-winning WeWork: Or the Making and Breaking of a $47 Billion Unicorn. Prior to joining Fifth Season, Tang managed series acquisition for Sky UK, with a special focus on the US Studios, and she has over a decade of experience in acquisitions and co-productions at leading international broadcasters and network groups, including the BBC, ViacomCBS, and Discovery. 

Celia Taylor
Managing Director
Distant Voices

Celia Taylor grew up as a freelancer in the independent sector working in comedies, prime time formats and documentaries. She then joined BBC as a Commissioning Editor in Factual working across BBC1, BBC2 and BBC3 where she delivered ratings, awards and critical successes. She joined Virgin as Director of Programmes managing all aspects of 3 Digital channels and launched the first Virgin TV channel Virgin 1. As Head of Non-scripted at Sky, she delivered breakout  hit shows such as An Idiot Abroad and Pineapple Dance Studios. She also commissioned Natural History films with Sir David Attenborough in 3D, and a slate of Award winning theatrical release documentaries and many other hit returnable formats and entertainment shows. Returning to production, she became MD of Mentorn Media securing a USA network series as well as US pilots and revitalising it’s UK output.  She set up Distant Voices, a diverse and regional independent production company in 2021 and she has secured commissions from main broadcasters and paid development in scripted projects as well. She has 2 kids, a dog, a cat and a fish.

Jonathan Taylor
Director, Original Programming
Olympic Channel

A veteran Emmy & Webby winning producer and development executive of non-fiction content. Based in Madrid, Taylor currently heads the originals department for Olympic Channel (the IOC’s global content studio) which develops and produces long form content for Olympics.com, media rights holders including WBD and NBC, Olympic sponsors and third party platforms such as Netflix. Content produced includes feature length documentaries, short films, athlete profiles, follow docs, branded content and formats. Taylor cut his teeth over many years in LA where his previous experience included running his own reality production company and working alongside outlets such as A&E, E!, VH-1, AXS and MTV where he was the showrunner for all seasons of  the ground breaking series “The Osbournes”.

Cara Tortora
Supervising Producer
See It Now Studios

Cara Tortora is a seasoned documentary producer, with a passion for storytelling and meticulous attention to detail that have been instrumental in bringing stories to life that resonate with viewers on a profound level for over a decade.

Cara currently serves as an integral part of the dynamic team at See it Now Studios, a powerhouse in the world of documentary content creation. Under the leadership of renowned news veterans Susan Zirinsky and Terry Wrong, Cara contributes her expertise to co-producing, greenlighting, and delivering hundreds of hours of captivating documentaries to platforms such as Paramount+, CBS, the Paramount Global television networks, FAST channels, international providers, and third-party platforms.

Whether exploring pressing social issues, delving into untold histories, or celebrating the triumphs of the human spirit, Cara's work embodies a commitment to authenticity and excellence.

Elizabeth Trojian
Chief Creative Officer
Noodle Factory (Yap Films)

Elizabeth Trojian is the Primetime Emmy nominated Chief Creative Officer and an executive producer at yap films, as well as an award-winning producer, writer and director. She has worked on and created many television documentaries and series for North American and international broadcasters including – How it Feels to be Free (Emmy nomination best documentary series) Unabomber: in his own words, The Genetic Revolution, Mosquito, Loretta Lynn: Still a Mountain Girl, My Trans Journey and the Smithsonian Channel record-breaking special and Canadian Screen Award nominee, Building Star Trek – marking the revolutionary show’s 50th anniversary.

Currently, she is producing two documentaries for CBC’s The Nature of Things - The State of the Planet(wt) documentary about climate change and The Machine the Feels a documentary about Artificial Intelligence and emotions; along with Battle of the Alphas (season 2) a natural history series for Love Nature.  Also, for Love Nature and Cottage Life she is producing A Cry in the Mist a natural history documentary about the Loon.

Most recently, Elizabeth was the executive producer and producer on Black Liberators World War II, a feature-length documentary about the Black Canadian soldiers WWII experience for History Canada.  She won the Canadian Screen Award as executive producer and producer on Ice Bridge the Smithsonian Channel, CBC France 5, UKTV and SBS, about a group of archaeologists who set out to prove their theory of a cross-Atlantic migration 20,000 years ago. In 2020, Elizabeth won the CSA Rob Steward Award for Best Science or Nature Documentary for A Day in the Life of Earth.

Carri Twigg
Founding Partner & Head of Development
Culture House

Carri is Co-founder and Head of Development for Culture House media, a women owned, premium film and TV production services and immersive experiences company that specializes in storytelling about the cultural questions that shape society, politics, and identity.

Current series from Culture House include Ladies First: A story of Women in Hip Hop, a Netflix worldwide Top Ten series, and past series include  The Hair Tales for Hulu and OWN and  Growing Up for Disney+. Carri also leads Culture House's consultancy work, collaborating with major studios like Paramount Pictures, and creatives to ensure their projects are culturally productive. 

In 2022, Carri was appointed by President Biden to the President’s Advisory Committee on the Arts and the Kennedy Center board, where she will advise the administration and the Kennedy Center on diversifying national programming and arts funding.  

Carri served in the Obama White House as Special Assistant to the President and Director of Public Engagement for then Vice President Biden.   Carri spent over 10 years working at every level of American politics and government. Carri is an expert in crafting engaging, socially relevant and politically resonant stories, and has been seen on stages from TedX to SXSW.

Lynn Valiquette
Content Acquisition and Distribution Manager
Cascade Public Media

Lynn Valiquette is the Content Acquisitions and Distribution Manager for Cascade PBS in Seattle, Washington. She manages the acquisitions for both the linear and streaming platforms as well as sub-distribution of acquired content to other PBS stations. She is a seasoned professional with over two decades of experience working in media, primarily in the global sales of television content. Her multifaceted career spans roles in Canadian production, business affairs, marketing, and sponsorship/events.

Carlota Vieira
Content Sales Deputy Director
SIC Sociedade Independente de Comunicacao

Jason Watt
Executive Producer
Watt Pictures

In a career spanning 15 years, Jason Watt has created and executive produced multiple hit programs, including Rico to the Rescue (HGTV and Max), Hibbs Shows You How (Magnolia) as well as History’s groundbreaking automotive series, Road Hauks; Discovery’s feature specials, Max Grundy and Battle Tested; and HGTV’s miniseries, Home Afloat. He has sold projects in nearly every genre, from automotive to lifestyle, from food to factual to nearly every major platform and network family: Animal Planet, BBC, Bravo, Discovery, Food Network, MotorTrend, Netflix, National Geographic, Oprah Winfrey Network, TLC, among others. As an independent producer, he created TLC’s Jersey Brides and Bada Bling Brides and served as a producer on the award-winning documentary Sons of Perdition, which toured festivals globally and premiered on the BBC and OWN. He holds an MFA in Creative Writing from the University of Illinois and is a graduate of the Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses program.

Joe Weinstock
Chief Executive Officer
Rose Rock Entertainment

Kyle Whitelaw
President
Sonic Nursery Creative

I have worked in Canadian Television for the past 20 years and have been producing hit programming since 2012. I am the creator, producer and director of Knock Knock Ghost (KKG), the world's first comedy ghost hunting show on broadcast television. KKG was nominated in 2016 and 2019 for a Canadian Screen Award, and in 2021 we were nominated for a C21 Format award. I personally was nominated for a Canadian Screen Award for Best Director, Reality and Competition in 2020. The team at Sonic Nursery Creative is looking to expand their roster and push into the scripted space with their well-received historical drama The Butcher's Men and their family viewing series Spellbound, Punk City, and Who's There?

Dan Wiesman
Head of Formats and Development
Reshet 13

A highly-professional and seasoned television content creator, story teller, editor and executive producer.
With an extensive experience of over two decades in the TV industry as a showrunner of various mega reality and entertainment shows such as "The Voice", "Beauty and the Geek" and "Survivor".

Currently, I'm the Head of Formats and Development at Reshet 13, responsible for identifying new unscripted formats in the international market and localize them.

Reshet 13 is one of Israeli's leading commercial broadcast channels, its programming includes local versions of the top international reality brands such as "Survivor" and "Big Brother" and previously, "X-Factor", "Dancing with the Stars", "The Amazing Race" and "Undercover Boss".

Justina Wojtowicz
EVP, Acquisitions Co-Productions & Sales
Rive Gauche Television

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 with overseeing all global acquisitions as well as corporate strategies & relationships. She also played a significant role at eOne based in the UK, where she was Director, Acquisitions and worked on expanding eOne’s presence, expansion and premium content outside of Canada for international distribution. During her career in distribution she also worked at ITV Studios Global Entertainment, All3Media International and RDF Rights in the UK.

Cody Woodside
Manager of Development & Production
Warner Bros. Discovery