Variety to Host Virtual Entertainment & Technology Summit on Oct. 14 and 15
Variety‘s annual Entertainment & Technology Summit presented by City National Bank is going virtual this year. The event will take place over two days, on Oct. 14 and Oct. 15, beginning at 9:30 a.m. PT each day.
Matt Strauss, Chairman, Peacock and NBCUniversal Direct-to-Consumer and Larry Wilmore, Comedian, Writer, Producer and Host will be the keynote speakers.
Strauss will be discussing business strategies and goals for NBCUniversal’s new streaming platform. Wilmore will talk about how he assesses creative opportunities in this expanding entertainment landscape.
A “State of Entertainment Development and Production” panel will discuss the profound impacts of COVID-19 disruptions and the way forward for content producers, featuring Rob Mills, SVP of Alternative Series, Late-Night, Specials, ABC Entertainment; Susanne Daniels, Global Head of Content, YouTube; Peter Gal, Chief Creative Officer, DreamWorks Animation Television; Tina Perry, President, OWN; and Nina Diaz, President of Content and Chief Creative Officer, ViacomCBS Entertainment and Youth Group.
The “Future of the Connected Sports Fan” panel will explore how sports venues, teams, networks and platforms are innovating the fan experience with Heidi Browning, Chief Marketing Officer, NHL; Chris Marinak, Chief Operations and Strategy Officer, MLB; and Sara Zuckert, Head of Next Gen Telecast, NBA moderated by Pete Giorgio, Principal and US Sports Practice Leader, Deloitte Consulting LLP.
FilmTrack CEO Jason Kassin will speak in a keynote conversation about the company’s collaboration with City National Bank, the solutions for the film/TV community, and creating strategies to succeed in a challenging and competitive landscape.
The “Creative Renaissance in Quarantine” roundtable will feature leading creators Deepak Chopra, Author and Wellness Entrepreneur; Jemele Hill, Podcaster and Journalist; Reggie Waters, Musician, Comedian and Band Leader, “The Late, Late Show With James Corden”; and Kirsten Johnson, Documentary Filmmaker, telling their stories of making entertainment during challenging circumstances.
Day two of the event will kick off with a conversation with Instagram’s Head of Product Vishal Shah and Head of Entertainment Partnerships Claudine Cazian.
A “Monetizing the Digital Acceleration” panel will discuss how media platforms and advertising leaders can continue to capitalize on the industry’s fast expansion, featuring Brian Wieser, Global President, Business Intelligence, GroupM; Jason Flick, CEO & Founder, You.i TV; Peter Naylor, VP Sales, Americas, Snap; Darla Price, EVP, McCann; and Christine Cook, SVP and Chief Revenue Officer, CNN Digital.
The expansion of the event to a digital conference, open to the public for free for the first time, facilitates a broader range of topics pertinent to the industry’s current opportunities and challenges.
The “Breakthrough Streamers Elite Roundtable” features FilmTrack’s Kassin; Dev Griffin, GM, BET Plus; Mina Lefevre, Head of Development and Programming, FacebookWatch; Sean Kisker, EVP and Chief Strategy Officer, WarnerMedia Entertainment Direct-to-Consumer; and Meredith Gertler, EVP, Content Strategy and Planning, HBO and HBO Max.
A “Brands Building Communities” panel will feature Grace Dolan, VP, Home Entertainment Integrated Marketing, Samsung Electronics America; Jenny Wall, Chief Marketing Officer, Nickelodeon; Christina Kounelias, President, Worldwide Marketing, Participant Media; and Dara Treseder, SVP and Global Head of Marketing and Communications, Peloton.
“Presenting Variety’s Entertainment & Technology Summit is a terrific honor for City National Bank,” said Linda Duncombe, executive vice president and chief marketing, product and digital officer of City National Bank. “City National has a long history serving the entertainment industry and we are here for them before, during and after the pandemic. As a digitally enabled relationship bank, we understand that clients and consumers expect the same caliber of experience from all of their providers as they get from the tech giants — they want that equivalent of a ‘one click purchase’ for banking. So, it’s important that we come together to innovate, learn from and inspire each other.”
To secure your spot at the Entertainment & Technology Summit presented by City National Bank, register here: variety.com/enttech
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