Variety Entertainment & Technology

8:50 AM - 9:00 AM PT

Opening Remarks

Dea Lawrence - Chief Operating and Marketing Officer, Variety
Verna Grace Chao - EVP, Treasury Management Solutions, City National Bank

9:00 AM - 9:20 AM PT

Conversation with Adam Aron, CEO, AMC Theatres

Adam Aron - CEO and President, AMC Theatres
Matt Donnelly (Moderator) - Senior Entertainment & Media Writer, Variety

9:20 AM - 10:00 AM PT

Entertainment Content Visionaries

Malik Ducard - Chief Content Officer, Pinterest
Abhijay Prakash - President, Blumhouse
Lisa Katz - President, Scripted, NBCUniversal Entertainment
Ben Davis - EVP, Original Programming, AMC Networks and AMC Studios
Sarah Aubrey - Head of Original Programming, Max
Michael Schneider (Moderator) - TV Editor, Variety

A view from the top looking at new strategies to deliver entertainment that connects with modern audiences. As Hollywood takes a quality over quantity approach to entertainment production, what is the new formula to break through and create fans for today’s content? With strikes in the rearview mirror, how is our industry buckling back into production across entertainment categories and platforms?

10:00 AM - 10:30 AM PT

Advancing Financial Operations in an Uncertain Media Marketplace

Erin Oremland - General Manager, AgilLink and SVP, Head of Ecosystem Delivery, City National Bank
Andrew Wallenstein (Moderator) - President and Chief Media Analyst, Variety Intelligence Platform
Shahin Mohammadkhani - Vice President of Engineering, United Talent Agency
David Garelick - CEO and President, Global Business Management, Inc.

In a volatile economy, companies in the entertainment and media industries are focusing to make processes and infrastructure lean and efficient. Hear strategies to identify solutions and collaborative tools that businesses can use to streamline processes and improve operations in entertainment and media.

10:30 AM - 11:10 AM PT

Generative AI – Succeeding With the Genie Out of the Bottle.

Eli Collins - VP, Google DeepMind
Victoria Bousis - Director & Creative Technologist
Katja Reitemeyer - Director, Data Science and AI, Media and Entertaiment, Nvidia
Michael Wise - CTO, Universal Filmed Entertainment Group
Abi Ashok - VP, Travel Incubator, Expedia Group
Carolyn Giardina (Moderator) - Senior Entertainment Technology and Crafts Editor, Variety and Variety Intelligence Platform

As the shock of generative AI’s introduction to the entertainment industry wears off, AI thought leaders will explore how our community will now work to succeed with this transformative technology. Who are the AI technology leaders who might guide us to new business and creative heights in film, TV, music and gaming? How are executives approaching the right way to integrate AI, considering some hesitation and uncertainty about the tech’s impact? AI chiefs converge to share how they are maximizing opportunities in AI across our industry

11:10 AM - 11:25 AM PT

Networking Break

11:25 AM - 12:05 PM PT

Power Couple: Entrepreneurship + Entertainment

Asa Kalama - VP & Executive Creative Director, Walt Disney Imagineering
Asad Qizilbash - SVP of Product & Head of PlayStation Production, PlayStation Productions
Justina Omokhua - SVP, Parkwood Entertainment
Adam Bergman - Group Vice President, Advertising & Data Sales, Vizio
Donald Mustard - Partner, AGBO
Judy Tu - SVP and Senior Relationship Manager, City National Bank, Entertainment Division
Todd Spangler (Moderator) - Business Editor, Variety

The media, consumer and entertainment industry is in overdrive to grow audiences and land on that next big idea. Who are the tastemakers, trailblazers, and innovators who taking chances, spearheading out-of-the-box projects and initiatives that will measurably expand our engagement with consumers? What new directions are companies taking to engage with audiences in new and exciting ways? Enterprising leaders across the entertainment and media industry discuss how they are charting new paths for their businesses.

12:05 PM - 12:20 PM PT

Expedia Group Brands: Empowering Digital Creators and Commerce

Lauri Metrose - Senior Vice President, Global Communications, Expedia Group
Caroline Baudino - Creator, Shop with Caroline
Todd Spangler (Moderator) - Business Editor, Variety

Influencer marketing isn't exactly a new thing, but lately, it’s become the main character for brands trying to reach niche audiences. The game keeps changing as people’s tastes and habits shift. But if you've got the right tech, game plan, and team, you can keep cashing in on those new and significant revenue streams with Expedia Travel Shops. Lauri Metrose, Expedia Group’s SVP of global communications, reveals a travel industry-first initiative alongside influencer Caroline Baudino (aka Shop with Caroline).

12:20 PM - 1:00 PM PT

Marketer Renaissance – Masters of Storytelling Across Platforms

Mike Benson - President & CMO, CBS
Danielle Bekas - EVP International Marketing, Warner Bros. Pictures
Danielle De Palma - EVP Global Marketing, Paramount Pictures
Kristine Segrist - VP Consumer Marketing, Canva
Elana Sulzer - Head of Entertainment, Snap
Angelique Jackson (Moderator) - Senior Entertainment Writer, Variety

Marketers must be more creative than ever to connect with audiences whose attention is wildly divided across media platforms and entertainment options. Increasingly to stand out, campaigns are becoming as compelling as top creator/influencer videos, as riveting as scenes from popular films and TV series, and as big of an experience as theme park rides. How are marketers making their mark as premier storytellers – outdoor, online, via TV, print, merchandise and other mediums? Leading marketers and their partners talk about how they are executing campaigns that make an impact through storytelling.

1:00 PM - 2:00 PM PT

Networking Lunch

2:00 PM - 2:25 PM PT

Keynote Conversation with Channing Dungey, Chairman and CEO, Warner Bros. Television Group

Channing Dungey - Chairman and CEO, Warner Bros. Television Group
Cynthia Littleton (Moderator) - Co-Editor-in-Chief, Variety

2:25 PM - 2:40 PM PT

Game-Changing Deals: A Conversation with Tim O’Brien, Chief Revenue Officer at Scopely

Tim O'Brien - Chief Revenue Officer & Board Member, Scopely
Andrew Wallenstein (Moderator) - President and Chief Media Analyst, Variety Intelligence Platform

Mega-deals and mergers have transformed both traditional entertainment and the video game industry, especially as companies and IP owners look to modernize their business models to meet the needs of an always-evolving and always-on digital world. Where is the dealmaking market headed? What formulas work when crafting enduring partnerships? How will the intersection of video games and entertainment further converge? Scopely, the #1 mobile game maker in the U.S., with top-grossing games like “MONOPOLY GO!” and “Marvel Strike Force,” has excelled in this realm over its 10+ year history in large part due to Tim O’Brien, one of the key leaders who’s driven the company’s massive success.

2:40 PM - 3:10 PM PT

Building Cultural Bridges in the Global Streaming Entertainment Era

Charlotte Maines - Director, EDS Ads & Monetization, Fire TV
Rachel Delphin - Chief Marketing Officer, Twitch
Nick Pepper - Head of Wholly Owned Content, Amazon MGM Studios
Angelique Jackson (Moderator) - Senior Entertainment Writer, Variety

Seventy percent of consumers want to see more authentic, cross-cultural stories in the media, according to recent research from Amazon Ads; however, increased demand for this content requires a deeper understanding of the values, sensitivities, and expectations of diverse audiences. How can marketers successfully achieve this balance to better connect with a global customer base in today’s streaming entertainment era? In this session, a panel of Amazon leaders representing different entertainment services and divisions will address how the streaming media landscape can serve as a conduit for diversifying audience reach, while also building brand equity and customer trust.

3:10 PM - 3:50 PM PT

Perfecting the Business of Streaming

Alisa Bowen - President, Disney+
Annie Luo - EVP of Global Partnerships and Strategic Development, Peacock
Frank Boulben - Chief Revenue Officer, Verizon
Takashi Nakano - Head of Content and Merchandising, Samsung TV Plus
Cynthia Littleton (Moderator) - Co-Editor-in-Chief, Variety
Adam Waltuch - EVP Global Distribution and Partnerships, TelevisaUnivision

As the frothy days of free-wheeling spending and throwing anything at the wall to see if it sticks are gone for streaming, what comes next? In this new buttoned-up world, where results matter – what business models are succeeding? How might bundling bring new stability to media companies? How might further investment in ad-supported FAST channels bring upside to this streaming era? What new partnerships, programming acquisitions and new tech innovations are poised to advance our streaming industry? Leading streaming execs explore how they are driving their businesses forward.

3:50 PM - 4:10 PM PT

Keynote Conversation with Peter Safran, Co-Chairman and Co-CEO, DC Studios

Pete Safran - Co-Chairman and Co-CEO, DC Studios
Matt Donnelly (Moderator) - Senior Entertainment & Media Writer, Variety

4:10 PM - 4:50 PM PT

Podcast All-Stars

Jesse Tyler Ferguson - Host, “Dinner’s on Me with Jesse Tyler Ferguson”
Jenna Ushkowitz - Host, “And That's What You REALLY Missed”
Iliza Shlesinger - Host, “Ask Iliza Anything”
Whitney Cummings - Host, “Good For You”
Lamorne Morris - Host, “The Mess Around,” “The Lamorning After”
Jenelle Riley (Moderator) - Awards & Features Editor, Variety

Join hosts and creators of popular podcasts as they reveal their secrets to success. What strategies work best to keep listeners coming back episode after episode? How might podcast talent forge uniquely strong bonds with audiences and build fierce followings across social/digital media? Leading voices in podcasting share a peek behind the curtain.

4:50 PM - 5:15 PM PT

Variety Strictly Business Podcast Live Recording: State of Tech & Entertainment

Cynthia Littleton (Moderator) - Co-Editor-in-Chief, Variety
Hernan Lopez - Founder, Owl & Co.
Laura Martin - Senior Entertainment & Internet Analyst, Needham & Company
Andrew Wallenstein (Moderator) - President and Chief Media Analyst, Variety Intelligence Platform

5:00 PM - 6:00 PM PT

Cocktail Networking Reception, presented by City National Bank

Sponsorship	Registration & Group Ticket Rates	Programming
Michelle Fine Smith	Flavio Gomez	Susanne Ault
michelle.fine-smith@variety.com	flgomez@variety.com	susanne.ault@variety.com

The Conversation Starts Here.

Agenda