The Future of Content

Variety returns with its popular Entertainment Summit at CES exploring how new technologies and innovations are steering the future of film, TV, digital media, music, podcasts, gaming and more.

The event is open to all CES registrants at no additional charge.

9 AM - 4:30 PM PT l CSPACE @ THE ARIA, LAS VEGAS

Agenda

9:00 AM - 9:40 AM PT

The Future of Content

Bruce Campbell - COO, Warner Bros. Discovery
Jon Liebman - CEO, Brillstein Entertainment Partners
Cynthia Littleton (Moderator) - Co-Editor-in-Chief, Variety
Julian Franco - President Strategy and Operations, Fox Entertainment

An exploration into how the entertainment industry is reimagining itself across platforms, delivering different content formats and creative strategies to attract loyal audiences.

9:40 AM - 9:55 AM PT

Conversation with Breckin Meyer, Actor/Producer and Jonathan Yunger, CEO, Arcana

Breckin Meyer - Actor/Producer
Jonathan Yunger - Co-Founder & CEO, Arcana Labs
Andrew Wallenstein (Moderator) - Chief Media Analyst & President, Luminate Intelligence

A look at opportunities for creative talent to find new opportunities with AI for storytelling. 

9:55 AM - 10:35 AM PT

The New Business of Entertainment

Tim Natividad - President, U.S. Advertising Sales and Marketing, TelevisaUnivision
Jeff Collins - President, Advertising Sales, Marketing and Brand Partnerships, Fox
Rita Ferro - President, Global Advertising, Disney
Mark Marshall - Chairman, Global Advertising and Partnerships, NBCUniversal
Amy Reinhard - President, Advertising, Netflix
Mike O'Donnell - Chief Revenue and Strategic Growth Officer, Vizio
Danny Ledger (Moderator) - Telecom, Media & Entertainment Leader for Consulting Services, Deloitte

So many of us watch TV – but how, where and when is the question.  However, TV leaders are sharpening their tools to reach, attract and understand such fractured audiences. How is the industry improving the TV platform to be the medium of choice for its business partners?

10:35 AM - 11:00 AM PT

First Look: Go Behind the Scenes of the forthcoming/new AMC and AMC+ series "The Audacity"

Simon Helberg - Actor, “The Audacity”
Billy Magnussen - Actor, "The Audacity”
Jonathan Glatzer - Showrunner, “The Audacity"
Dan McDermott - President, Entertainment and AMC Studios, AMC Networks
Cynthia Littleton (Moderator) - Co-Editor-in-Chief, Variety

A sneak peek at upcoming AMC and AMC+ series The Audacity, a provocative, timely and darkly comedic look at Silicon Valley. The show is created by Better Call Saul and Succession writer Jonathan Glatzer and stars Billy Magnussen and a stellar cast that includes Sarah Goldberg, Zach Galifianakis, Simon Helburg and Rob Corddry. 

11:30 AM - 11:50 AM PT

Headliner Conversation with Anthony Wood, Founder, Chairman and CEO, Roku

Anthony Wood - Founder, Chairman and CEO, Roku
Cynthia Littleton (Moderator) - Co-Editor-in-Chief, Variety

11:50 AM - 12:30 PM PT

Experience This! What’s Next in Events Across Platforms

Kim Boyd - President, Licensing & Entertainment, Hasbro
Javi Borges - Global and US Media and Entertainment Sector Leader, EY
Carly Zipp - Global Director of Brand Marketing, Amazon Ads
Jenefer Brown - President, Global Products and Experiences, Lionsgate
Kevin Chernett - EVP & Head of Global Media Partnerships, Live Nation
Sandra Douglass Morgan - President, Las Vegas Raiders
Todd Spangler (Moderator) - Business Editor, Variety

As companies work to build out universes for their IP, brands and characters, experiential entertainment is crucial to extend reach. What types of in-person and digital events are especially gaining traction?

12:30 PM - 1:20 PM PT

Lunch Break

1:20 PM - 2:00 PM PT

AI in Overdrive

Rahul Gautam - Global TMT Consulting Leader and Americas Media and Entertainment Consulting Leader, EY
Sam Hall - Chief Product Officer, Epidemic Sound
André Kudelski - Chairman and CEO, NAGRA
Jill Steinhauser - Group SVP, Platform Monetization & Partnerships, Warner Bros. Discovery
Kristen O’Hara - VP, Agency, Platforms & Client Solutions, Google
Cynthia Littleton (Moderator) - Co-Editor-in-Chief, Variety
Susan Doniz - Chief Information and Data Officer, Disney

If last year centered around experimentation, now AI is a must-have integration for many in the entertainment and media industry to succeed. AI leaders converge to share their use cases for AI in driving their business forward. 
 

2:15 PM - 2:50 PM PT

Brandmakers Elite Roundtable

Allison Stransky - CMO, Samsung Electronics America
Grace Kao - CMO, Snap
Monica Austin - CMO, Blizzard Entertainment
Darren Schillace - CMO, Fox Entertainment
Khurrum Malik - CMO, Walmart Connect
Andrew Wallenstein (Moderator) - Chief Media Analyst & President, Luminate Intelligence

A look at marketing chiefs who are transformational leaders for their companies. How are marketers making their brands truly matter to today’s audiences? When ads are so easily clicked away these days, what marketing is really commanding our attention? 
 

2:50 PM - 3:05 PM PT

Conversation with Kelly Day, VP, Prime Video International

Kelly Day - VP, Prime Video International
Andrew Wallenstein (Moderator) - Chief Media Analyst & President, Luminate Intelligence

3:05 PM - 3:25 PM PT

Headliner Conversation with Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Actor, Filmmaker, and Entrepreneur, HitRecord

Joseph Gordon-Levitt - Actor, Filmmaker, and Entrepreneur, HitRecord
Todd Spangler (Moderator) - Business Editor, Variety

3:25 PM - 4:00 PM PT

Fandom in the Zeitgeist

Pat Shah - Global Head of Content Acquisition, Strategy, and Partnerships, Audible
Nadine Zylstra - Global Head of Programming and Originals, Pinterest
Thai Randolph - CEO, LL Cool J’s Rock the Bells
Mitchel Berger - EVP Global Commerce, Crunchyroll
Farzeen Ghorashy - President, Overtime
Todd Spangler (Moderator) - Business Editor, Variety

Creating and sustaining fandom for new content, products and services is end game for any company. With our growing history of seeing what hits, are there new strategies to engineer devoted passion among audiences? A look at how entertainment – spanning TV, film, creator content, gaming, music and more – is being developed for maximum fan impact.  

4:00 PM - 4:40 PM PT

The Big Picture Outlook – What Trends Will Shape 2026?

Chris McGurk - CEO, Cineverse
Maureen Polo - CEO, Hello Sunshine
Yong-yi Zhu - VP and Head of Business Operations, Strategy and Compliance, Tencent Games
Shahrzad Rafati - CEO, RHEI
Mike Romoff - Chief Revenue Officer, Reddit
Cynthia Littleton (Moderator) - Co-Editor-in-Chief, Variety
Nikki Santoro - CEO, IMDb

The entertainment and media’s brightest converge to share their predictions for what trends will shape their future business. What trends will bring new challenges and opportunities? What new ideas are they betting on with new resources and support? Leaders tell all about how they are preparing to thrive in the new year. 

Speakers 

Monica Austin

Monica Austin

CMO

Blizzard Entertainment

Mitchel Berger

Mitchel Berger

EVP Global Commerce

Crunchyroll

Javi Borges

Javi Borges

Global and US Media and Entertainment Sector Leader

EY

Kim Boyd

Kim Boyd

President, Licensing & Entertainment

Hasbro

Jenefer Brown

Jenefer Brown

President, Global Products and Experiences

Lionsgate

Bruce Campbell

Bruce Campbell

COO

Warner Bros. Discovery

Kevin Chernett

Kevin Chernett

EVP & Head of Global Media Partnerships

Live Nation

Jeff Collins

Jeff Collins

President, Advertising Sales, Marketing and Brand Partnerships

Fox

Kelly Day

Kelly Day

VP

Prime Video International

Susan Doniz

Susan Doniz

Chief Information and Data Officer

Disney

Rita Ferro

Rita Ferro

President, Global Advertising

Disney

Julian Franco

Julian Franco

President Strategy and Operations

Fox Entertainment

Rahul Gautam

Rahul Gautam

Global TMT Consulting Leader and Americas Media and Entertainment Consulting Leader

EY

Farzeen Ghorashy

Farzeen Ghorashy

President

Overtime

Jonathan Glatzer

Jonathan Glatzer

Showrunner

“The Audacity"

Sam Hall

Sam Hall

Chief Product Officer

Epidemic Sound

Simon Helberg

Simon Helberg

Actor

“The Audacity”

Grace Kao

Grace Kao

CMO

Snap

André Kudelski

André Kudelski

Chairman and CEO

NAGRA

Danny Ledger (Moderator)

Danny Ledger (Moderator)

Telecom, Media & Entertainment Leader for Consulting Services

Deloitte

Jon Liebman

Jon Liebman

CEO

Brillstein Entertainment Partners

Billy Magnussen

Billy Magnussen

Actor

"The Audacity”

Khurrum Malik

Khurrum Malik

CMO

Walmart Connect

Mark Marshall

Mark Marshall

Chairman, Global Advertising and Partnerships

NBCUniversal

Dan McDermott

Dan McDermott

President, Entertainment and AMC Studios

AMC Networks

Chris McGurk

Chris McGurk

CEO

Cineverse

Breckin Meyer

Breckin Meyer

Actor/Producer

Sandra Douglass Morgan

Sandra Douglass Morgan

President

Las Vegas Raiders

Tim Natividad

Tim Natividad

President, U.S. Advertising Sales and Marketing

TelevisaUnivision

Mike O'Donnell

Mike O'Donnell

Chief Revenue and Strategic Growth Officer

Vizio

Kristen O’Hara

Kristen O’Hara

VP, Agency, Platforms & Client Solutions

Google

Maureen Polo

Maureen Polo

CEO

Hello Sunshine

Shahrzad Rafati

Shahrzad Rafati

CEO

RHEI

Thai Randolph

Thai Randolph

CEO

LL Cool J’s Rock the Bells

Amy Reinhard

Amy Reinhard

President, Advertising

Netflix

Nikki Santoro

Nikki Santoro

CEO

IMDb

Darren Schillace

Darren Schillace

CMO, Fox Entertainment

Pat Shah

Pat Shah

Global Head of Content Acquisition, Strategy, and Partnerships

Audible

Jill Steinhauser

Jill Steinhauser

Group SVP, Platform Monetization & Partnerships

Warner Bros. Discovery

Allison Stransky

Allison Stransky

CMO

Samsung Electronics America

Anthony Wood

Anthony Wood

Founder, Chairman and CEO

Roku

Jonathan Yunger

Jonathan Yunger

Co-Founder & CEO

Arcana Labs

Yong-yi Zhu

Yong-yi Zhu

VP and Head of Business Operations, Strategy and Compliance

Tencent Games

Carly Zipp

Carly Zipp

Global Director of Brand Marketing

Amazon Ads

Nadine Zylstra

Nadine Zylstra

Global Head of Programming and Originals

Pinterest