IC2012 NYC Participants

Krishan Bhatia serves as executive vice president, digital strategy and operations for the entertainment & digital networks and integrated media (E&DN/IM) division. In this role, he has overall responsibility for business operations, strategy, business development, and partnerships across the E&DN/IM digital and mobile properties – a leading entertainment and lifestyle portfolio with a reach of more than 50MM monthly unique visitors and 23MM mobile application downloads. Bhatia also oversees the advertising strategy and operations group for the portfolio of NBCUniversal digital media properties that includes E! Online, MyStyle, G4, Fandango, DailyCandy, and iVillage, as well as the advertising partnership with Comcast’s Xfinity products and Comcast Spotlight. Until 2011, Bhatia was senior vice president, advertising strategy and operations for Comcast Digital Entertainment, with operating responsibility for Comcast’s online advertising business. He led the creation and integration of a digital portfolio that grew into a top five player in entertainment and doubled advertising revenues in two years.Bhatia joined Comcast Corporation in 2005 and was a founding executive team member of Comcast Interactive Media, the division of Comcast focused on growing the company’s digital and cross-platform businesses. As senior vice president, strategy and development, he was instrumental in creating and growing the digital media business for Comcast, including leading the acquisitions of Fandango and DailyCandy, striking long-term advertising partnerships with Yahoo! and Google and supporting the launch of XfinityTV, Comcast’s cross-platform on demand video service. Prior to Comcast, Bhatia was a principal with Booz Allen Hamilton’s Global Media & Entertainment Practice in New York, where he spent nine years advising top management of leading media and entertainment companies, such as NBCUniversal, Viacom, Bertelsmann, Amazon.com, Activision, Sprint, and Best Buy on strategy, digital media, and performance improvement. Bhatia earned a Bachelor of Science degree in International Economics from Georgetown University’s School of Foreign Service, and was awarded an honors certificate by the Karl F. Landegger Program in International Business Diplomacy. He is a member of the board of the Online Publishers Association as well as the Generator advisory board at The Paley Center for Media.  In 2009, Bhatia was named as one of the "25 most influential South Asians in the US entertainment and media industry" by Korn/Ferry International.

Adam Bird

Director, Munich
McKinsey & Company

Adam Bird is a director in McKinsey & Co.'s Munich office and the coleader of the Global Media and Entertainment practice. He also leads the EMEA digital marketing practice. Bird advises the top management of the leading media, entertainment, leisure, and consumer goods companies on their most critical business issues. His 22 years of client work has spanned all major media, entertainment and information segments, including: broadcasting, consumer publishing, gaming, internet, professional publishing, filmed entertainment, cable and satellite distribution, music, video games, and sports. He often speaks on media topics at conferences and has been cited in leading publications, including The Economist, The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, International Herald Tribune, The Financial Times, TIME, and BusinessWeek. He is a Young Global Leader with the World Economic Forum, a member of the International Council of the Paley Center for Media and vice chairman of the board of the Munich International School. Prior to McKinsey, Bird was a senior partner with Booz Allen Hamilton (now Booz + Co.), and the managing director of their Global Consumer and Entertainment practice, as well as a member of their board of directors.

Christopher Brearton

Partner
O'Melveny & Myers LLP

Christopher Brearton is the managing partner of O’Melveny’s Century City office and a member of the entertainment, sports and media practice. He primarily advises motion picture studios, independent producers, financial institutions and investment funds, television networks, and sports organizations. He has counseled clients in transactions ranging from the creation of strategic alliances, complex commercial licensing arrangements, project financing, and industry-specific mergers and acquisitions. Prior to joining O’Melveny, Brearton spent several years as a Certified Public Accountant (CPA) with KPMG in Los Angeles. Brearton has been recognized as a leading lawyer in both the entertainment and sports fields. He was named to the SportsBusiness Journal’s annual “Forty Under 40” list of the most promising young executives in the sports business. He was also featured in Variety’s annual “Dealmakers Impact Report” on influential individuals in the entertainment business. Brearton was recently profiled as one of the top 40 entertainment lawyers as part of the Los Angeles Business Journal's "Who's Who in L.A. Law" special report. He was also named a leading lawyer by Chambers in Media and Entertainment Transactional Law and named a Legal500 recommended lawyer in the categories of Media, Technology, Telecoms, and Film, Music & Television.

Kenneth A. Bronfin

President
Hearst Interactive Media

Kenneth A. Bronfin is one of the key forces behind Hearst Corporation's transformation from traditional media company to interactive media leader. Bronfin, president of Hearst Interactive Media, leads a team which initiates new businesses, makes strategic investments in Internet content and infrastructure companies, and works with Hearst's other media divisions to adapt the company's editorial and programming resources to new formats. He has overall responsibility for the day-to-day management of the group with emphasis on business development, strategic relationships, mergers and acquisitions, private equity investments, and technology. He sits on the boards of four of Hearst Interactive Media's portfolio companies. According to Bronfin, Hearst's interactive philosophy is unique among traditional media companies in that Hearst is building a large portfolio of businesses that leverage the rich media resources of Hearst and each other. Bronfin's education and career experience in technology made him a natural choice to lead Hearst Corporation into the world of electronic media. He joined Hearst Corporation in June 1996. Prior to joining Hearst, he was with the National Broadcasting Company (NBC), as a founder of the interactive media group as well as general manager of NBC's digital television group and vice president of NBC Cable and Business Development. Bronfin was also head of business development for NBC Technology and was director of NBC's Broadcast Engineering Group, which was responsible for the research and development associated with NBC's technical infrastructure. He joined NBC as part of its management associate program. Bronfin holds a bachelor's degree in electrical engineering from the University of Virginia and an MBA in management from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania. He also holds patents in the field of television technology.

Brandon Burgess

Chairman and Chief Executive Officer
ION Media Networks, Inc.

Brandon Burgess has guided ION Media Networks’ growth since 2006. Under his leadership, ION has emerged as a successful independent US television company. He spearheaded the branding and programming turnaround of its flagship network, ION Television, making it a top 15 US entertainment TV destination in record time. Burgess has also championed ION’s launch of special interest networks, including qubo, an education-oriented channel for children, and ION Life, a channel dedicated to active lifestyles. He initiated the Open Mobile Video Coalition among leading UHV TV spectrum owners, to focus on wireless and next-generation television innovation. Previously, Burgess was the head of business development and strategy for NBCUniversal, where he was credited with evolving the NBC broadcast network into a diversified global multimedia company, culminating in NBC‘s acquisition of Universal Entertainment. In prior positions, Burgess worked in corporate strategy for PepsiCo and in investment banking at Goldman Sachs. Raised and educated in Germany and the United States, Burgess is bilingual and a graduate of the European Business School and the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania. He and his wife Saira enjoy spending time with their two young children, Elsa and Benjamin.

Joseph Calabrese

Partner
O'Melveny & Myers LLP

Joseph Calabrese is a partner in O'Melveny & Myers' Century City office, chair of the firm's Southern California Transaction Practice, and chair of its Entertainment, Sports and Media Practice - which Chambers has awarded its prestigious "Award of Excellence" in Media and Entertainment for an unprecedented three out of the last four years. A trusted business counselor, advisor, and strategist, Calabrese represents leaders in the entertainment, sports, and media industries, including Legendary Pictures, the Hollywood Foreign Press Association, and the International Olympic Committee, in all aspects of their business. Calabrese regularly provides advice to American companies doing business overseas, and to global media companies seeking to establish or expand their presence in the United States. Calabrese is regularly recognized by leading publications, including The Hollywood Reporter, Chambers, Legal 500, the Los Angeles Business Journal, Variety, and Best Lawyers, as "simply one of the best" and most "influential" and "creative" entertainment lawyers in the industry.  The Century City Bar Association selected him as the 2009 Entertainment Lawyer of the Year.  Calabrese is actively involved in a number of professional, civic, and philanthropic organizations, including serving as the immediate past chair and as a current member of the executive committee of the Constitutional Rights Foundation. He is a member of the Cornell Law School Advisory Council and is an arbitrator for the Independent Film & Television Alliance.

Betty Cohen

Principal
Betty Cohen Media Consulting

Betty Cohen, a senior media industry executive, consults for both traditional and digital media companies. She is best known for leading the Cartoon Network as its president from its US start-up in October, 1992 to becoming a global phenomenon. Most recently, she served as president and CEO of Lifetime Entertainment Services, the leader in women’s television. Prior to Cartoon Network, Cohen was GM of Turner Network Television. Cohen currently serves on the board of StartL, an incubator/bootcamp for startups in digital learning technology backed by Gates, Hewlett, and MacArthur Foundations, and also on the advisory board for “The Next Big Thing” initiative at the Paley Center for Media. She serves on the advisory boards of 212 Media (owner of Speakaboos and SnakBlox), Sezmi (next generation set top box for TV/web home delivery) and  Roadtrip Nation. Among her many industry honors, in 2006, Cohen was inducted into the Broadcasting & Cable Hall of Fame, and that same year she received the prestigious “Muse Award” from NY Women in Film and TV. In 2000, Cohen was named one of "The 50 Most Powerful Women in Business" by Fortune magazine. Cohen earned a BA in communications from Stanford University, where she graduated Phi Beta Kappa. She loves living in NYC, traveling the world with her husband, and learning about the future from her two step-sons and daughters-in-law.

Nuri Colakoglu

Chief Executive Officer
Dogan Media International

Nuri M. Colakoglu, born in Izmir in 1943, graduated from Robert College and recieved his BA in diplomacy and international relations from the school of political sciences, Ankara. He has worked as a journalist, broadcaster, and media executive since 1969. He has held positions in Turkey and abroad, including TRT Foreign News Department, German News Agency DPA, Sweden STV, German WDR Radio, Aydinlik Newspaper, BBC Turkish Section, Milliyet Newspaper London bureau chief and news editor, and TRT general manager and chief advisor. Since 1991, he has been involved in launching or restructuring a number of private TV channels.  Right now, he is in the process of launching his 10th channel – HTV: Health Channel. Colakoglu returned to Dogan Media Group in 2002 as CEO and president of CNN Turk. Here, he served as the general manager of CNN Turk, ANS International Production Company, CEO of Turkish Daily News, and helped launch Kanal D Romania. He is currently the president of Dogan Media International and advisor to the CEO of Dogan Media Group. He is also a board member of Kanal D Romania. He owns two private companies: InterMedia International Communication Corporation, and New Media Company (NMC) Television and Advertisement Corporation.  He is an executive board member of Istanbul Arts & Culture Foundation and Contemporary Istanbul, TV Broadcasters Association of Turkey, after serving as the president for 10 years. He has three children and two grandchildren.

George Cooke

Partner
Menatt

George Cooke’s practice focuses on motion picture and television distribution and new media. Previously Cooke was with the law firm of O’Melveny & Myers LLP and Home Box Office (HBO). During his tenure at HBO, he served as senior vice president and chief counsel and was responsible for the legal aspects of HBO’s theatrical film production, acquisition, and distribution, including its involvement in public and private film financings, coproduction transactions, and domestic and foreign licensing arrangements. Since returning to private practice, Cooke has represented a wide range of television and new media programmers and distribution platforms in the United States and internationally, as well as representing producers and talent.  He has done extensive work in media-based financing and acquisitions. Cooke joined HBO after five years with Boston’s Ropes & Gray, where he practiced corporate law, concentrating on public financings. He earlier spent four years as an officer in the US Navy, serving on destroyers and as an advisor in Vietnam. He holds degrees from Dartmouth College and Cambridge University as well as a JD from Harvard Law School. 

Barton Crockett

Director
Lazard Capital Markets

Barton Crockett is a director and senior analyst covering entertainment. He joined Lazard Capital Markets in Feb. 2009 after working for ten years at J.P. Morgan and predecessor companies where he covered small/mid cap media, publishing, broadcasting, advertising/marketing services, and Internet companies. Twice he has placed first in the Wall Street Journal’s “Best on the Street” tally of analyst stock picks (in 2011 for media and in 2007 for advertising and publishing). He has appeared frequently on CNBC and Bloomberg and has been quoted in publications including Barron’s, Fortune, The New York Times, and The Wall Street Journal. Crockett started in equity research after a ten year career as a journalist. He was part of the journalist team that launched MSNBC.com in 1996. He was also West Coast bureau chief for the American Banker newspaper. Crockett received a BA in English from Northwestern University in 1987.

Alfonso de Angoitia

Executive Vice President and Chairman
Grupo Televisa, S.A.B

Alfonso de Angoitia, a Mexican national, received his law degree from the Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México.  He is currently executive vice president and chairman of the finance committee of Grupo Televisa, S.A.B.  In addition, he has been a member of the board of directors and of the executive committee of the company since 1997, and served as chief financial officer from 1999 to 2003. Prior to joining Grupo Televisa, S.A.B., he was a founding partner of the law firm of Mijares, Angoitia, Cortés y Fuentes, S.C., one of Mexico's leading law firms.  He is also a member of the board of directors for many companies including Grupo Modelo, Empresas Cablevision, Sky, Cablemas, and Bestel.  He is a member of Fundación Mexicana para la Salud, Fundación UNAM, and Fundación Kardias.  He is also member of the board of directors of the Americas Society.

Russell Dubner 

President, New York
Edelman

Russell Dubner joined Edelman’s New York office as an account executive in 1992 and today is president of that same office, which is now home to more than 600 experts in consumer marketing, health communications, corporate and public affairs, financial relations, digital engagement, and research. Dubner has provided positioning counsel to companies such as Canon, Church & Dwight, Dannon, Energizer, GE, Heinz, HSBC, L’Oreal, Motorola, MetLife, Samsung, Starbucks, and Unilever, as well as a number of fast-growth technology firms.  Dubner also coauthored Edelman’s Master Narrative approach, which builds consistency and continuity in how a brand tells its story. His substantial tenure at Edelman belies an entrepreneurial side:  Dubner helped found RipDigital, a digital music service that converts music CDs into music files.  He remained on its board until the company was sold in 2005. Dubner holds an MBA from Columbia Business School's Executive Program and is a graduate of Franklin & Marshall College. He currently sits on the boards of the Coro NY Leadership Center, New York City think-tank Center for an Urban Future, and the National Parks of New York Harbor Conservancy. He is also a member of the Young Presidents’ Organization’s Gotham Chapter and an advisor to Alliance for Youth Movements.

Mark Easton

Partner
O'Melveny & Myers LLP

Mark Easton is a partner in O’Melveny’s Los Angeles office and a member of the Mergers and Acquisitions Practice. He advises public and private corporations, private equity funds, boards of directors, and financial advisors in mergers and acquisitions, capital markets, and other transactions, as well as corporate governance and securities law matters. Easton has been involved in over 100 M&A transactions, ranging from multi-billion dollar mergers of public companies to sales of closely-held family businesses. He has experience in a broad range of industries including entertainment and sports, telecommunications, REITs and real estate, health care and life sciences, aerospace and defense, construction and engineering, energy, and the Internet. He has been named one of the "Top 100 Leading Lawyers in California" by the Los Angeles and San Francisco Daily Journals and one of the "Leading M&A Lawyers in California" by Chambers USA.

Ben Elowitz

Cofounder and Chief Executive Officer 
Wetpaint

Ben Elowitz is cofounder and CEO of Wetpaint, a technology platform company that is reinventing the media model on the social web. The company works with major media companies to implement the Wetpaint Social Distribution System, which optimizes content, timing, and packaging of content to drive massive reach, engagement, and monetizeable actions. The Wetpaint platform attracts more than 12 million unique visitors monthly. Elowitz is also a thought leader on the subject of next-generation digital media publishing. He is the author of Digital Quarters, a blog about the future of digital media and the steps the publishing industry must take to become profitable. He also writes Media Success, a bold and forthright newsletter for digital media thought leaders. His work has been featured in FORTUNE, TechCrunch, All Things D, The Huffington Post, Forbes, TIME, CNNMoney, paidContent, and CNBC.com, among others. In addition, he has presented at Web 2.0 Expo, Seattle Interactive, WOMMA, Montgomery Technology Conference, SxSW Interactive, Adweek NexTech, and Fortune Brainstorm TECH. Elowitz offers fresh, thoughtful, and often provocative insights on the digital publishing industry from an executive and consumer perspective, covering a range of sectors and industries including business, media, technology, marketing, and advertising. He provides well-researched analysis of emerging and long-term trends as well as timely commentary on breaking news. Prior to Wetpaint, Elowitz cofounded Blue Nile, the largest online retailer of luxury goods.

Chrystia Freeland

Editor at Large
Thomson Reuters

Chrystia Freeland is editor at large at Thomson Reuters. Prior, she was US managing editor of the Financial Times. Before that, Freeland was deputy editor, Financial Times, in London, editor of the FT’s weekend edition, editor of FT.com, UK news editor, Moscow bureau chief, and Eastern Europe correspondent. From 1999 to 2001, Freeland served for two years as deputy editor of The Globe and Mail, Canada’s national newspaper. Freeland began her career working as a stringer in Ukraine, writing for the FT, The Washington Post, and The Economist.

Dr. Frank-Dieter Freiling

Director, International Affairs
ZDF German Television

Dr. Frank-Dieter Freiling is the director of international affairs at ZDF German television. He began his career as a freelancer for the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung newspaper, FAZ Magazin, Männer Vogue, and Welt am Sonntag. After returning to school to attain his doctorate in International law, he became assistant to the CEO of Gruner + Jahr AG, Hamburg. In 1995, he was appointed deputy general manager of GALA and member of the management board of the Norddeutsche Verlagsgellschaft. He soon moved up to general manager and publisher of GALA and then left to become the head of international program coordination for ZDF. He was appointed director of international affairs at ZDF in 2000. He is a founder and chairman of the Internationale Jouranlisten-Programme, and coordinator of the Arthur F. Burns Fellowship program. He is a member of IATAS and sits on the boards of Arte Deutschland GmbH, Arte G.E.I.E., the European Broadcasting Union, SABA, the supervisory board of GERMAN TV, and IN-PUT. Freiling was awarded the Federal Order of Merit ribbon in 2008.

Richard L. Gelfond

Chief Executive Officer
IMAX

Richard L. Gelfond is chief executive officer of IMAX Corporation. Since purchasing IMAX in 1994, he has guided IMAX beyond museums and tourist locations to a global commercial enterprise featuring Hollywood blockbuster films. Under Gelfond’s leadership, IMAX – with a market capitalization of approximately $2 billion – has become a publicly traded company listed on the New York Stock Exchange. IMAX now has nearly 600 locations in 50 countries and gross box office revenue of more than $1 billion. Previously, Gelfond worked as an investment banker and an attorney.

Hajime Hashimoto

Board Director
WOWOW, Inc.

Hajime Hashimoto is a board member for corporate strategy at WOWOW Inc., the leading company in satellite broadcasting and the number one premium pay channel in Japan.  Prior to this, he was a board member and general manager for their media strategy division, general manager in the programming division, and director of the programming department.  He joined WOWOW Inc. (then Japan Satellite Broadcasting, Inc.) in April 1990, having previously worked at Kanebo, Co. Ltd. since 1986. He is a graduate in politics and economics from Meiji University.

Gustave M. Hauser

Chairman and CEO
Hauser Communications

Gustave Hauser is chairman and chief executive officer of Hauser Communications, Inc., a private company which has been involved in cable television, international satellite, and other electronic communications. He is the founder and a director of the nonprofit Hauser Foundation, and, among many major philanthropic activities, established The Hauser Center for Nonprofit Organizations at Harvard University. He also serves as vice chair of The Paley Center for Media. A pioneer of the modern cable television industry, Hauser has been responsible for the development of many innovations, including the MTV Music Television network, Nickelodeon, The Movie Channel, pay-per-view, and other advanced interactive services. Hauser’s sale of major cable television systems to Southwestern Bell Corporation (now AT&T) marked the entry of major telephone companies into the cable television industry. He was a founding investor and chairman of Orion Network Systems, a public company which owned and operated international communications satellites. Hauser was, from 1973 to 1983, chairman and chief executive officer of Warner Cable Communications, after which he formed his own company. Among his public service activities, Hauser was twice appointed by the President of the United States, and served for eight years, as director at large of the Overseas Private Investment Corporation. He holds law degrees from Harvard University, New York University, and the University of Paris, France.

Rita Hauser

President
The Hauser Foundation

Dr. Rita E. Hauser, president of The Hauser Foundation, is an international lawyer and was a senior partner for more than twenty years at the New York City law firm Stroock & Stroock & Lavan. She was appointed to the President’s Intelligence Advisory Board in December, 2009. She served on the President’s Foreign Intelligence Advisory Board from 2001 to 2004. Hauser chairs The International Peace Institute (affiliated with the United Nations) and is chair of the Advisory Board of the International Crisis Group. She served on the Foundation Board of the Global Humanitarian Forum in Geneva, Switzerland, chaired by Kofi Annan from its inception in 2007 to January 2010. She chaired the American Ditchley Foundation, supporting Great Britain’s leading conference center from 2006 through December 2010, and was elected a governor of the British Ditchley Foundation in July, 2010. She is a director of The International Advisory Council of The Lowy Institute for International Policy (Sydney, Australia). She was a director of The International Institute for Strategic Studies (London) from 1996-2006, The RAND Corporation from 1999-2009, the International Board, and The Center for International Governance Innovation (Canada) from 2005-2009. She served on the Visiting Committee of the John F. Kennedy School at Harvard University, and was a vice chairman of the Dean’s Advisory Board at Harvard Law School. Hauser was national cochair of the last Harvard University Campaign. She holds advanced degrees from the University of Strasbourg in France, Harvard, and NYU Law Schools, and the University of Paris Law Faculty. She is a director of Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts in New York City, and was a director of the New York Philharmonic Society for more than twenty years. She was elected a director of the New America Foundation in December, 2009. In April 1997 she and her husband founded The Hauser Center for Nonprofit Organizations at Harvard University, and she is chair of its Advisory Board. The Hausers were the principal benefactors of the Hauser Global Law School Program at New York University Law School which supports the Global Scholars Program and Visiting Global Faculty. Hauser also serves on the board of trustees of New York University Law School. She was awarded The Judge Edward Weinfeld Award in 2008, as well as The Albert Gallatin Medal in 2006, which are the highest honors for public service of New York University; and the Vanderbilt Medal in 2004, the highest honor of New York University School of Law. She was honored in October 2008 with the Award of the Women’s Leadership Summit of Harvard Law School and in 1999 received The Harvard Medal for distinguished service to Harvard University.

Robert Haymer

Partner
O'Melveny & Myers LLP

Robert Haymer is a partner in O’Melveny’s Century City office and a member of the Entertainment, Sports and Media Practice. He has a broad range of experience in mergers and acquisitions, securities law mattersm, and partnerships, joint ventures, and strategic alliances, both for large public companies and middle market and entrepreneurial clients in entertainment as well as other industries.

Andrew Heyward

Managing Partner, MarketspaceNext LLC
Senior Advisor, The Paley Center for Media

Andrew Heyward is a nationally known news executive and expert on the changing media landscape. He helps media companies transform their businesses to drive growth and revenue in an age of rapid and disruptive evolution. As a principal in the boutique strategy firm MarketspaceNext LLC, as a senior advisor to Monitor Group, and in his own advisory practice, Heyward works with blue-chip television, newspaper, magazine, and marketing clients to develop new programs, innovative online ventures, and profitable digital strategies. He is also an advisor to early-stage and startup firms. Heyward was president of CBS News, from January 1996-November 2005. Before his tenure as president, Heyward was executive producer of The CBS Evening News (October 1994-January 1996). Heyward was also responsible for developing and launching 48 HOURS, the weekly primetime CBS news series that premiered in January 1988. He has won twelve national Emmy Awards.  

Courtney Holt

Chief Operating Officer
Maker Studios

Courtney Holt is chief operating officer of Maker Studios, a next-generation, talent-first media company. Holt brings extensive entertainment and music industry knowledge and relationships to Maker, as well as a deep experience engaging new audiences and creating innovative marketing opportunities. Prior to Maker, Courtney served as an advisor to News Corp. Digital and as president of Myspace Music, a joint venture between Myspace, The EMI Group, SONY BMG MUSIC ENTERTAINMENT, Universal Music Group, Warner Music Group, and Sony ATV. Before joining Myspace Music, he was executive vice president of digital music for the MTV Networks Music and Logo Group where he oversaw all digital initiatives for the company’s MTV, VH1, and CMT music brands, as well as Logo Group. Prior to that Holt was head of new media and strategic marketing at Interscope Geffen A&M. Earlier in his career, he was director of video production for Atlantic Records and began his career in the early 1990s as a freelance producer and director of music videos and commercials. He holds a BS in film from Boston University. 

Shafqat Islam

Cofounder and Chief Executive Officer
NewsCred

Shafqat Islam is the cofounder and CEO of NewsCred, a technology platform that connects publishers and brands with the world’s best journalism. As CEO, Islam manages the strategic growth of the company and is responsible for expanding NewCred's platform-services business. With extensive experience in the financial services industry, previously as a vice president at Merrill Lynch, Islam also oversees global sales and manages the strategic growth of NewsCred. He has spoken at events including the 2011 Business Insider Conference, Digital Hollywood 2012, the Digital Content Monetization Summit, AAN Media Conference, and Wharton Entrepreneurship panels. He graduated with a dual degree in computer engineering and economics from the University of Pennsylvania. 

Andy Kaplan

President, Worldwide Networks
Sony Pictures Television

Andy Kaplan is president, worldwide networks, for Sony Pictures Television (SPT). Based at SPT’s headquarters in Culver City, California, Kaplan heads all of the company’s global cable and satellite television networks and investments plus broadband, video-on-demand, and subscription video-on-demand services, as well as the mobile versions of SPT’s branded networks. Kaplan’s global purview includes oversight of branded networks AXN, AXN Mystery, ANIMAX, SPIN, ONE, Sony Entertainment Television (SET), MAX, SAB, PIX, MIX, SIX, and AATH in India. SPT’s branded networks have 124 channel feeds in over 159 countries reaching more than 800 million households throughout Asia, Europe, the Middle East, Latin America, and Africa. Additionally, he manages SPT’s relationships with joint ventures, TV1, TV1 SF, and Premium Movie Partnership (Showtime/Encore) in Australia. Kaplan also oversees Crackle, the studio’s international multi-platform video entertainment network and Sony Movie Channel, SPT’s first U.S. multi-platform television network. Additionally in the U.S., he oversees Cine Sony Television, a Spanish language network and SPT’s investments in 3net, the first 24/7 fully programmed 3D television network, a partnership with Discovery and IMAX, cable channel GSN, a partnership with DIRECT TV, and FEARnet, a partnership with NBC Universal and Lionsgate Entertainment. Kaplan is chairman of MSM India, a member of the board of directors of the Zimmer Children’s Museum, chairman of the board of governors for the USC Annenberg School’s Center for the Digital Future, member of the board of directors for International Academy of Television, Arts & Sciences, and a member of the board of advisors for the Foreign Policy Roundtable. From 2000 to 2002, Kaplan was chairman and chief executive officer of digital media company Hollywood Stock Exchange. Prior to that, Kaplan was Sony Pictures Entertainment’s executive vice president of the worldwide television group. Kaplan joined the company in 1987 as vice president, having previously served in various executive positions at Hal Roach Studios and Embassy Pictures. Kaplan has also served as an entertainment and media consultant whose clients included Sony Corporation of America, Lions Gate Entertainment, Liberty Media, Fremantle Television, and Galan Entertainment, among others.  

Chaitanya 'Chet' Kanojia

Founder and Chief Executive Officer
Aereo, Inc.

Chet Kanojia is the founder and CEO of Aereo, Inc., a groundbreaking online TV platform. Backed by a group of premiere investors and powered by a stellar engineering team, Aereo has developed proprietary cloud-based antenna and DVR technology that allows consumers to watch live or recorded HD broadcast television on virtually any type of Internet-connected device, including smart TVs, smartphones, tablets, and computers. Previously, Kanojia was the founder and CEO of Navic Networks. Like Aereo, Navic Networks addressed the challenges of today’s highly fragmented media landscape. Under his direction, Navic Networks grew to be the undisputed industry leader in advanced television advertising. Navic Networks was subsequently acquired by Microsoft in 2008. Kanojia, who holds more than 14 patents in fields ranging from robotics to data communications systems, is an innovative leader known for pushing beyond the conventional, and developing breakthrough solutions. He was recognized as a young executive making a lasting impact on his company and the cable and telecommunications industries in Multichannel News’ “40 under 40.” He holds a master's degree in computer systems engineering from Northeastern University and a Bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering from the National Institute of Technology in Bhopal, India.

Harri-Pekka Kaukonen

President and Chief Executive Officer
The Sanoma Group

Harri-Pekka Kaukonen has served as chairman of the executive management group of Sanoma since January of 2011. Prior to this role, he served as the executive vice president, managing director of Fazer Bakeries and Confectionery Business Area, managing director of Fazer Russia from 2003-2007, and head of division of Fazer Russia and head of group strategy from 2007-2009, serving as CFO from 2003-2007. Kaukonen also worked as a partner of McKinsey & Co. from 1992-2003. He serves as deputy chairman of the Evli Bank Plc.

Kay Koplovitz

Chairman and CEO
Koplovitz & Co. LLC.

Kay Koplovitz is the founder of USA Network, a company launched in 1977, and later expanded to introduce the Sci-Fi Channel and USA Networks International. Koplovitz served as chairperson and CEO until the company was sold for $4.5 billion in 1998. Presently, Koplovitz is the chairman of the board of Liz Claiborne Inc., a company that designs and markets an extensive range of women’s and men’s fashion and accessories worldwide. She is a board member of CA Technology, the world’s leading independent IT management software company, as well as ION Media. She has also served on the boards of Oracle, Nabisco, Instinet, and General Re. In 1998, President Clinton appointed Koplovitz to chair the National Women in Business Council. While serving in that capacity, she cocreated Springboard Enterprises which was launched in 2000 to raise venture capital for women entrepreneurs. Since its inception, Springboard Enterprises has raised over $5 billion in new capital. She is also the cofounder of Boldcap Ventures, a venture capital firm invested in early and mid-stage technology, media, and health sciences companies. She is the author of  Bold Women, Big Ideas (May ’02), which she wrote to inform and inspire women entrepreneurs to create wealth through equity. Koplovitz is a frequent speaker and contributor on media, capital formation, corporate governance, and leadership.

Peter Kreisky

Senior Advisor
Abril Group

Peter Kreisky is senior advisor at Abril Group. Kreisky specializes in strategy at the intersection of technology with traditional media. He has led transition in the publishing industry, assisting traditional, print-centric publishers transition to a digitally-savvy brand and community centered model. Most recently, he served as senior advisor to Time Inc., the largest magazine company in the world, with overall responsibility for its strategy. Earlier, he served as chief strategy officer for CBS Inc.’s publishing group. Kreisky is a graduate of Cambridge University and holds an MBA from Stanford Graduate School of Business.  He served on the board of The New England Journal of Medicine, the world’s leading medical journal; is a thirty year member of the Paley Center’s Media Council; an associate member of MPA – The Association of Magazine Media; and an academic advisor to Yale University’s international publishing program.

Gopal Krishnan V.

Cofounder
Ninestars Innovation Technology

Gopal Krishnan is a visionary and parallel entrepreneur with over three decades of industry experience in digital content and retail. He cofounded Ninestars Information Technologies Ltd., a leader in technology-lead content digitization, in 1999. Today, Ninestars is a preferred partner for media firms, publishers, libraries, and media monitoring agencies across the world. In 2006, Kirshnan started Ad2pro Media Solutions Pvt. Ltd. with a vision to build the creative hub of the flat world. Ad2pro has since worked with the likes of Macy's, delivered doubled growth year on year, and successfully raised funding to scale its worldwide operations. Both Ad2pro and Ninestars were ranked among Deloitte's "Fast 50 companies in India" and "Fast 500 companies in Asia Pacific" in 2010. Not someone to rest on his laurels, Krishnan founded Jump Global Digital Solutions Pvt. Ltd. in 2012 with a dream to build a brand that would influence people's lifestreams, be it work, play, or social. He has bootstrapped the company and brought together a global team from diverse fields such as advertising, technology, user experience, and digital media. Krishnan is a certified DSI from MIT Sloan and ACE – driving strategic innovation.

Scott Kurnit

Founder, Chairman, and Chief Executive Officer  
Keep Holdings

Scott Kurnit founded Keep Holdings with a mission to improve the Internet by enabling consumers to engage in more productive interactions with the brands, products, and services in their lives. He also serves on the boards of Appssavvy, Brightcove, Dotomi, Goodmail, Mashlogic, OpenSky, SendMe Mobile, and The Paley Center for Media, and is an advisor to About, Appssavvy, Black Arrow, Mashery, and SmartBrief. Kurnit founded and served as chairman and CEO of About, Inc. as it grew to a public market value of $1.7 billion and was the fifth largest of all Web properties. Kurnit has founded four companies, all of which continue operating today. He’s a holder of four patents, led the team that embedded the first Web browser into an online service, started the first Pay Per View cable network, and co-led the team that implemented the first use of national caller ID. He was also the youngest program director in the PBS system, and served as program director for Qube, the world’s first fully interactive cable system. He has worked at the highest levels of Warner, Viacom, News Corp., PBS, IBM, and MCI companies.

Josh Kushner

Managing Partner
Thrive Capital

Joshua Kushner is the managing partner of New York based private equity firm, Thrive Capital, which focuses on media and internet investments. For his work with Thrive, Forbes named Kushner to their “30 under 30” list. In addition, he is a vice chairman at Art.sy. He also currently serves as a principal of Kushner Companies. Its holdings include the Observer Media Group, of which Kushner is a board member. In college, he cofounded Vostu which has grown to be the largest social gaming company in Latin America with over 40 million registered users. Kushner started his career in the private equity group at Goldman Sachs, in the merchant banking division. He received a BA in government from Harvard College, and an MBA from Harvard Business School.

Susan Lyne

Chairman
Gilt Groupe

Susan Lyne is chairman of Gilt Groupe, the innovative e-commerce company that pioneered "flash sales" in the US. Since its launch in 2007, the company has attracted millions of members with a growing array of lifestyle sites including Gilt.com (fashion, home, and kids); Gilt City (local services and experiences); Jetsetter (vacation travel); Gilt Taste (artisanal food and wines); and Park and Bond (men's apparel and accessories). The company also operates the largest flash sale business in Japan, a joint venture with Softbank. Before joining Gilt, Lyne served from 2004-2008 as president and CEO of Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia (MSLO) where she led the company's recovery and return to profitability. During her tenure at MSLO she was named "Publishing Executive of the Year," by Advertising Age and received a Matrix Award from New York Women In Communications. From 1996 to 2004, Lyne held various positions at the Walt Disney Company and ABC, including EVP development and new business and EVP movies and miniseries. In 2002 she was named president of ABC Entertainment where she was responsible for the network's primetime schedule and oversaw the development of shows such as Desperate Housewives, Lost, and Grey's Anatomy. Lyne spent 15 years in the magazine industry before joining Disney. She was managing editor of New Times and The Village Voice and, in 1987, created and launched Premiere Magazine, where she served as editor in chief and publication director. In addition to Gilt Groupe, Lyne is on the board of AOL, Inc. She is a trustee of Rockefeller University and The New School, and a former trustee of The Posse Foundation and The Public Theater.

Rishi Malhotra

Cofounder, President, and COO
Saavn 

Rishi Malhotra is cofounder, president, and COO of Saavn (www.saavn.com), India’s fastest growing digital music service. Malhotra leads the product, design, and data teams to deliver consumer facing products with particular focus on high user engagement and growth features. Saavn's music apps serve millions of users in over 190 countries. He has spent the last 12 years developing digital products, managing large teams, and developing cross-platform strategic entertainment initiatives. Previously, Malhotra was vice president, HBO On Demand and Multi-Platform for Home Box Office, Inc. where he pioneered HBO's SVOD products, digital distribution, and original VOD content for many HBO franchises including Big Love, The Wire, and HBO Sports. During his career, he’s worked closely with companies like Facebook, Google, IFC, AETN, Hulu, and Apple. His work has been featured in The Wall Street Journal, The Hollywood Reporter, and Forbes. He's been a speaker at CES, Digital Hollywood, and served as chairman of The Future of TV Conference in 2009. Malhotra graduated from Washington University and is currently based in New York City.

John Martin

Chief Financial and Administrative Officer
Time Warner, Inc. 

In his role, John Martin oversees all of Time Warner's finance, accounting, mergers, and acquisitions, internal audit, investor relations, treasury, and tax areas. In addition, he works closely with other members of Time Warner's senior management team and its operating divisions on a variety of organizational, development, and diversity issues. His responsibilities also include oversight of corporate human resources, corporate social responsibility, employee development and growth, compensation and benefits, worldwide recruitment, philanthropy, and security and transportation. Martin is also responsible for leading company-wide efforts to launch shared services in the areas of information technology, real estate and facilities, and HR systems. Before assuming his current role in January 2008, Martin had been executive vice president and chief financial officer of Time Warner Cable Inc. since August 2005. Prior to joining Time Warner Cable, Martin spent nearly 12 years at Time Warner, most recently serving as senior vice president, investor relations, from 2002 to 2005. Martin was director in the equity research group of ABN AMRO Securities LLC from 2000 to 2002, immediately before re-joining Time Warner Inc. as head of its investor relations group. He held the position of vice president of investor relations at Time Warner Inc. from 1999 to 2000. Earlier, Martin served as director in the office of the president at Time Warner. Martin also served as director of finance special projects, where he was involved in diverse projects including strategic planning, company restructuring, and refinancings, budgeting, and mergers and acquisitions. He joined Time Warner Inc. in 1993, as a manager of SEC financial reporting. Under Martin's leadership, Time Warner Inc.'s investor relations program was recognized for excellence by Institutional Investor magazine. Before joining Time Warner Inc., Martin was a certified public accountant, working as a senior accountant in the business assurance group at Ernst and Young LLP in New York. Martin is a director on the board of trustees for Columbia University's business school. He is also a member of The Conference Board's Council of Financial Executives, Financial Executives International (FEI), and The Paley Center for Media. Martin received an MBA degree in finance and organizational behavior from the Columbia University Business School in 1994 and a BS in economics from the Wharton School of Business at the University of Pennsylvania in 1989.

Will Mayo

Founder and Chief Executive Officer
SpokenLayer by AUDIOis, Inc. 

Will Mayo loves creating, manipulating, and listening to audio. At Lehigh, he studied electrical engineering and focused on design and ergonomics. While there, he sang and toured with the University Choir, Men’s Glee Club, and other groups. Mayo’s computer engineering Masters thesis created a new method for entering music notation on iPhone, multi-touch, and web devices. Mayo started his company, AUDIOis, during the last year of grad school. AUDIOis first developed SoundPipe, a platform to simply record and share audio content in the cloud. Then in May 2012 AUDIOis launched SpokenLayer at TechCrunch Disrupt NYC. Instantly transforming written web content into audio, SpokenLayer lets anyone read the web with their ears. Now people can listen to articles of their choice whenever and wherever they want, on any device. SpokenLayer is proving to be a valuable asset to publishers, offering content to users in new forms and to new audiences as well. People can now listen to the web while driving, exercising, doing chores, or if they are sight impaired. Moving forward, Mayo continues to explore new technologies to enhance peoples’ interaction with sound.

Nihal Mehta

Chief Executive Officer, Local Response
Founding Partner, India Internet Group

With over 13 years of experience in innovating marketing technologies - founding five startups to date - Nihal Mehta, is a noted expert in the emerging adoption of mobile technologies for media properties and consumer brands. In 2012 Mehta was named a top 100 "Coolest People in NY Tech," by Business Insider, a "NYC tech influencer" by VentureBeat, one of the "25 People Every New Founder Should Meet in New York Tech," and a top "25 Up-And-Coming Startup CEO in New York" by Business Insider, and a 2012 AlwaysOn "Power Player NYC." Mehta was also named a top 10 NYC "Game Changer" in the 2010 New York Enterprise Report, one of twenty RCR Wireless News "Mobile Movers and Shakers" in 2008, a BusinessWeek "M-Commerce Baron" in 2006, and named one of AdAge's "Top 20 Marketers in Their 20s" in 2005. Mehta is currently CEO and cofounder of LocalResponse, Inc. which helps marketers respond to real-time consumer intent. Prior to LocalResponse, (which pivoted from buzzd, a leading real-time city guide), Mehta founded ipsh!, one of the first full-service mobile marketing agencies in 2001, which he sold to Omnicom in 2005. Mehta is also a founding general partner at the world's first venture fund focused on mobile startups, ENIAC ventures; a founding partner of the India Internet Group, which incubates and invests in Indian startups; and is an active angel investor including investments and advisories in Admob (sold to Google), Greystripe (sold to Valueclick), and Movoxx (sold to Adenyo). Mehta graduated from the University of Pennsylvania with a BA in philosophy and a BSE in computer science.

Stephanie N. Mehta

Executive Editor
FORTUNE

Stephanie N. Mehta is executive editor at FORTUNE, where she directs technology, international, and Washington coverage and contributes to the overall editorial direction of the magazine. Mehta is a key contributor to the magazine’s live events and serves as cochair of FORTUNE’s MPW Summit and Brainstorm Tech. Previously, Mehta was an assistant managing editor and global editor of the magazine. Prior to this position, she covered the telecommunications and media industries for the magazine. Mehta joined FORTUNE from the Wall Street Journal, where she was an assistant news editor, reporting and editing technology stories. She wrote extensively about telecommunications at the Journal, focusing on wireless and local phone companies. Mehta joined the Journal in 1994 as a staff reporter for the paper’s Enterprise group and was promoted to deputy bureau chief of that group in 1996. Prior to joining the Journal, she worked as a business reporter for the Virginian-Pilot in Norfolk, VA. She received a BS in English and an MS in journalism from Northwestern University.