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Media Play News

November 24, 2025

Welcome to the fourth annual edition of The 40 Most Important People in Streaming, in which we profile the key executives driving streaming and its alphabet soup of acronyms — SVOD, AVOD, TVOD and FAST.

Our fourth annual list has quite a few new names, including Cindy Holland, who brought original content to Netflix and now leads streaming at the new Paramount, a Skydance Corporation; Netflix CFO Spencer Neumann, who oversees billions in annual content spending while keeping investors confident in Netflix’s long-term profitability; Salek Brodsky, under whose leadership Samsung TV Plus has become one of the largest FAST services globally; and Stephen Hodge, who heads OTTera, a global leader in OTT solutions powering hundreds of AVOD, SVOD, TVOD and FAST services worldwide.

As always, our finalists were selected by a blue-ribbon committee of Media Play News editors and prominent industry leaders, who relied on both nominations submitted by our readers and their own extensive knowledge and experience to come up with what we feel is our best list yet. And, as always, our definition of “important” is subjective — balancing revenue and subscriber counts against such other factors as content licensing and distribution, innovation and creativity, and enabling technologies and
services.

Please join us in congratulating the 40 most important people in streaming, class of 2025!

THOMAS K. ARNOLD: Streaming Grows Up

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Ted Sarandos & Greg Peters

Co-CEOs, Netflix

Despite sharing the CEO position, Sarandos and Peters continue to focus on their own niche components driving Netflix’s global dominance. Sarandos continues to champion original programming, AI for “better, faster” storytelling — not as a replacement for major talent — and Netflix’s role in “saving Hollywood” through streaming. Peters eyes product, operations and global expansion, emphasizing disciplined growth and innovation in ads and gaming, while exhibiting skepticism toward large-scale mergers and acquisitions, such as buying Warner Bros. Discovery. In the company’s October fiscal report, Sarandos echoed Peters on M&A selectivity, stating he has “no interest in owning legacy media networks,” but is open to acquiring IP such as HBO and Warner Bros. Pictures. While continuing to turn a cold shoulder to the theatrical window for original feature films, Sarandos approved distributing KPop Demon Hunters across select box office weekends, in addition to releasing the final episode of “Stranger Things” in movie theaters. In addition to touting Netflix’s production largess in the U.S. and the U.K., Sarandos and Peters hailed the streamer’s $2 billion fiscal impact in India (creating 20,000 jobs) and $1 billion presence in Mexico for 2025-28 productions, boosting the streamer’s ongoing think-local, stream-global synergy. Sarandos has been with Netflix since 2000, working alongside co-founder Reed Hastings to grow the original DVD-by-mail rental business and then transition the subscription model to streaming. Peters joined in 2008, a year after Netflix launched its streaming service, and as international development officer led the company’s expansion outside the United States. He was promoted to chief product officer in 2017 and became chief operating officer in 2020, the same year Sarandos was named co-CEO. Hastings stepped down in January 2023 and Peters became Sarandos’ new partner.

Amy Reinhard

President, Ads, Netflix

Reinhard oversees global advertising sales, product development, operations and measurement teams — a critical function as Netflix increasingly relies on its ad-supported subscription tier to drive revenue growth. Earlier this year Netflix reported having 94 million ad-supported subscribers, representing more than 31% of the streamer’s global subscriber base. In April Netflix launched its first in-house ad-tech stack in the U.S. and Canada. In July it named Microsoft as the exclusive technology and sales partner for the ad-supported tier. And at this year’s Upfront presentation to advertisers, Reinhard said ad-supported viewers “pay as much attention to mid-roll ads as they do to the shows and the movies themselves.” Netflix claims that subscribers average more than 41 hours a month on the platform. Prior to ad sales, Reinhard’s executive roles at Netflix included VP of content acquisition (starting in 2016), where she handled global licensing for movies and TV shows, and VP of studio operations and consumer products (from 2020), managing physical production, facilities, casting and IP development.

Spencer Neumann

CFO, Netflix

As Netflix’s chief financial architect since 2019, Neumann has quietly become one of the most influential figures in global streaming. A veteran of Disney and Activision Blizzard, Neumann brings Wall Street discipline to Hollywood creativity — overseeing billions in annual content spending while keeping investors confident in Netflix’s long-term profitability. Under his watch, Netflix has managed to balance skyrocketing production budgets, international expansion, and the rollout of new revenue streams such as the ad-supported tier and paid password sharing. However, the stakes are higher than ever. In Q3 2025 Netflix missed its net income and margin guidance due to a Brazilian tax issue, despite revenue aligning with forecasts. Even so, the miss triggered a sharp drop in share value and raised questions about the sustainability of Netflix’s growth model. Neumann’s role has become pivotal not just in spending wisely, but in restoring credibility, guiding valuation expectations, and steering Netflix toward maturity while preserving its creative edge.

Bela Bajaria

Chief Content Officer, Netflix

Bajaria had a standout year in 2025, marked by major strategic expansions into live sports and events, and overseeing a slate of high-profile content that reinforced Netflix’s dominance in streaming. Managing a massive content budget exceeding $17 billion across 50 languages, Bajaria has overseen popular series such as “Wednesday,” “Baby Reindeer” and “Squid Game,” as well as such films as Adam Sandler’s Happy Gilmore 2 and KPop Demon Hunters, which at 325 million views is the streamer’s most-watched movie ever. She also leads Netflix’s push into live events, from high-profile fights such as the Mike Tyson vs. Jake Paul heavyweight bout in Las Vegas, to NFL Sunday afternoon and Christmas Day games, and the $5 billion “WWE Raw” live-stream deal (launched in January). Bajaria was appointed to her present post in January 2023, seven years after she joined Netflix to lead the streamer’s move into unscripted programming. Prior to joining Netflix, Bajaria spent five years at Universal Television, most recently as President.

Keith Le Goy

Chairman, Sony Pictures Television

Le Goy’s promotion this past January to Chairman of Sony Pictures Television (SPT) expanded his responsibilities to lead all of SPT’s production operations, including the studio’s legendary game shows business and Game Show Network (GSN), in addition to continuing his previous oversight of all television and home entertainment distribution for Sony Pictures’ film and television content, and the studio’s cable networks across Latin America and Europe. Under Le Goy’s leadership, SPT’s teams landed historic next-day streaming deals for “Jeopardy!” and “Wheel of Fortune” with Hulu and Peacock in the U.S. and Bell Media’s Crave in Canada. This marks the first time that current-season episodes of the iconic game shows were made available on a streaming platform. Prior to his present position, Le Goy served as Chairman of Worldwide Distribution and Networks for Sony Pictures Entertainment, leading the studio’s combined television and home entertainment distribution and marketing businesses, while also overseeing SPT’s cable networks.

Joe Earley

President, Direct-to-Consumer, The Walt Disney Co.

Earley leads efforts to expand and elevate The Walt Disney Co.’s streaming services Disney+ and Hulu. Since he was appointed to his present position in April 2023, Earley has propelled Disney’s direct-to-consumer business to unprecedented heights, reaching streaming profitability every quarter for the past year. This success is attributed to strategic initiatives led by Earley and his team, including groundbreaking integrations that have created a seamless one-app experience, such as the incorporation of Hulu and ESPN content on Disney+ in the United States. Earley joined Disney in January 2019 to oversee Disney+ marketing and operations in the lead-up to its launch that year, and added responsibility for content curation in 2021 as the service expanded globally. In January 2022 he was named President of Hulu. Before joining Disney, Earley spent three years as President of the Jackal Group. Earlier, he enjoyed a two-decade run at 20th Century Fox, most recently serving as COO for the Fox Television Group.

Alisa Bowen

President, Disney+

Bowen oversees subscriber and revenue growth and content scheduling for The Walt Disney Co.’s flagship streamer as well as business operations across the company’s direct-to-consumer division, including Hulu. Under her leadership, Disney+ has continued to expand its value proposition with ESPN-produced originals “SC+” and “Vibe Check” and ABC News’ daily series “What You Need to Know” — all specifically crafted for the Disney+ subscriber. This programming has helped create a more unified streaming experience, driving deeper engagement and reducing churn. Before taking charge of Disney+ in September 2022, Bowen served as EVP of Global Business Operations for Disney Streaming, overseeing global content and business operations, including cross-functional leadership of the global Disney+ rollout in 154 markets worldwide. Bowen joined Disney in 2017 as CTO of international operations. Prior to that, Bowen held product, digital technology and general management leadership positions at major media organizations, including Thomson Reuters, Dow Jones and News Corp.

Lauren Tempest

GM, Hulu, and
EVP, Direct-to-Consumer Content Partnerships, The Walt Disney Co.

Tempest is responsible for the Hulu business as well as global licensing oversight for Disney Entertainment’s direct-to-consumer services, strategically securing marquee titles that drive significant viewership globally. Recent examples include “Gilmore Girls” (U.S., Canada, and Australia/New Zealand), the Discovery/Scripps portfolio (U.S.), and “The Big Bang Theory” and “Young Sheldon” (EMEA). Tempest last year oversaw the successful integration of Hulu on Disney+, a milestone that required renegotiating rights for major titles and navigating complex challenges. Her work expanded content access and value for bundle subscribers across the United States. Prior to assuming her present position in 2023, Tempest was Hulu’s SVP of Content Partnerships, Acquisitions and Scheduling, overseeing Hulu’s library of content and helping establish a new strategic scheduling framework. She also worked with the company’s third-party partners to acquire top SVOD titles. Tempest joined Hulu in 2015 after six years in program acquisitions with NBCUniversal’s USA Network.

Cindy Holland

Chair, Direct-to-Consumer, Paramount, a Skydance Corporation

Best known for orchestrating Netflix’s move into original content, Holland now leads streaming at the new Paramount, a Skydance Corporation. She is responsible for overseeing the strategy, operations and performance of the company’s two streaming platforms, Paramount+ and Pluto TV. Holland previously advised Skydance on the streaming business. Prior to that, she was CEO of global independent studio Sister, which she joined in July 2023. Holland is best known for her 18-year run at Netflix, which includes nine years as VP of Original Content. In that role, she established the network’s original programming strategy and oversaw the teams behind such pioneering series as “House of Cards,” “Orange Is the New Black,” “BoJack Horseman,” “Narcos,” “Stranger Things,” “The Crown” and “Ozark.” Holland began her career on the producing side, working at Spring Creek Productions with Paula Weinstein, and at Mutual Film Co.

Efrain Miron

EVP, Head of Content Strategy and Licensing, Direct-to-Consumer, Paramount, a Skydance Corporation

Brought on board in August, Miron oversees strategy, dealmaking and valuation for both original and licensed content across the studios’ streaming business — Paramount+ and Pluto TV. Miron’s importance in the streaming world stems from his foundational role at Netflix where, from 2012 to 2021, he helped implement many of the business practices, frameworks and deal structures now standard across the industry. His experience negotiating breakthrough series such as “The Crown” and “Wednesday” underscores his ability to secure premium content that drives subscriber growth and retention. In his Paramount role, Miron’s deep background in business affairs, production partnerships and global distribution gives him the skill set to shape not only what content appears, but how it is sold, positioned and monetized. For a competitive platform such as Paramount+, his leadership in content strategy positions the service to challenge other major streamers and expand its footprint worldwide.

Mike Hopkins

Head of Prime Video and Amazon MGM Studios, Amazon

Hopkins oversees all aspects of Amazon’s video entertainment business. He leads the strategic vision, product development and technology behind Amazon’s Prime Video streaming service, while also overseeing Amazon MGM Studios’ film and television divisions, as well as Prime Video’s live sports and licensed content offerings. Under Hopkins’ leadership, Prime Video has seen an unprecedented level of growth in both viewership and content offerings, including the launch of live coverage of the NFL, Premier League Soccer, UEFA Champions League Soccer, the Olympic Games, an exclusive 11-year media rights deal with the NBA beginning with the 2025-26 season, and other live sports — all in addition to a roster of award-winning films and series from Amazon Studios. Prior to joining Amazon in February 2020, Hopkins was chairman of Sony Pictures Television. Before that, Hopkins from 2013 to 2017 was CEO of Hulu. Prior to joining Hulu, Hopkins was President of Distribution for Fox Networks.

Jay Marine

Head of Prime Video U.S. and Global Sports and Advertising, Amazon

Marine is responsible for P&L, revenue growth and profitability for Prime Video’s U.S. business. He also manages the Prime Video advertising business and oversees all aspects of Prime Sports globally, including the rights portfolio and the entire customer experience across production, product, technology and marketing. In the past year alone, Prime Video’s portfolio of exclusive sports properties has taken a huge step forward, and Marine has launched an array of game-changing initiatives. His team has played an instrumental role in the expansion and optimization of Prime Video’s offerings, which now include the NFL, NBA, Augusta National Golf Club, NASCAR, WNBA, UCL, NWSL and the NHL. During his 23-year career at Amazon, Marine has led teams across all aspects of general management, product, marketing, design, pricing, software development and business development. Marine spent eight years as a founding member of the Amazon Kindle business, before going on to serve as Jeff Bezos’ technical advisor for two years.

Kelly Day

Head of Prime Video International, Amazon

Day drives content and marketing strategies, greenlight decisions, and business performance for Prime Video outside of the United States and for MGM+ globally. Reporting directly to Mike Hopkins, Head of Prime Video and Amazon MGM Studios, Day supervises teams across Europe, Latin America and the Asia Pacific region. In her Prime Video role, she is responsible for driving the growth of the SVOD service as an entertainment destination for its more-than 200 million global customer base. Last April, Day added oversight of Amazon MGM Studios’ International Originals to her purview, leading the teams producing films and series in more than 20 countries around the world, in addition to Prime Video’s international SVOD, TVOD and Channels businesses. Last year, Day also added global distribution of MGM scripted television and global leadership of MGM+ to her remit. Day joined Amazon in January 2022 as VP and Head of International for Prime Video. Before that, she held various roles at ViacomCBS, Discovery, AwesomenessTV and AOL.

Adam Gray

VP and Head of Prime Video Product and Design, Amazon

Gray oversees all aspects of Prime Video’s product, design and UX research teams, including the customer experience for Prime Video users around the globe and distribution on over a billion devices, across living rooms, mobile and Web. Drawing on 15 years at Amazon — including five years expanding Prime Video to more than 200 countries — Gray focuses on innovations that address streaming’s fragmentation problem. Under his leadership, Prime Video introduced industry-leading accessibility features in 2024 and 2025, including streaming’s largest audio description library, AI-powered Dialogue Boost, and personalized X-Ray Recaps that solve the “where did I leave off?” dilemma. His team launched Prime Video’s reimagined Apple TV app and pioneered AI-assisted dubbing to expand global content accessibility. Gray’s vision of a unified entertainment destination — where customers discover content across subscriptions with one password, one payment method and a consistent interface — continues to reshape how consumers navigate today’s complex streaming landscape.

Jean-Briac “JB” Perrette

President, CEO Global Streaming and Games, Warner Bros. Discovery

Perrette’s contract as the de facto head of the HBO Max streaming service was extended in July, even though parent company Warner Bros. Discovery’s future is murky: WBD is scheduled to split into two entities, Warner Bros. and Discovery Global, by the middle of next year, unless a sale or merger derails that process. In the meantime, Perrette and HBO Max are expected to keep chugging along with the streamer’s ongoing worldwide rollout, which saw the service in October launch in 15 new markets, including Bangladesh, Cambodia, Macau, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Ukraine. The rollout is part of WBD’s goal to have 150 million subscribers worldwide by 2026. The platform ended June 30 with 125.7 million subs. Prior to taking the reins of HBO Max when it was combined with Discovery+ in May 2023, Perrette was President and CEO of Discovery Streaming and International. Before joining Discovery in 2011 as Chief Digital Officer, he spent 11 years with NBCUniversal.

Casey Bloys

Chairman and CEO, HBO and HBO Max Content, Warner Bros. Discovery

Bloys oversees the full slate of originals for both HBO Max and HBO, including documentaries, specials and series. Hot new shows scheduled to launch soon on the WBD-owned streamer include “I Love LA,” Rachel Sennott’s new comedy series, and the French period drama series “The Seduction.” On the movie front, HBO Max continues to benefit from sister company Warner Bros. Pictures as well as a healthy relationship with A24, with recent releases including Celine Song’s romantic dramedy Materialists and Ari Aster’s COVID-era thriller Eddington. Also new to the service is the HBO original documentary One to One: John & Yoko, directed by Academy Award winner Kevin Macdonald. Bloys joined HBO in 2004 as Director of Development for HBO Independent Productions, and steadily rose up the ranks, rising to President of HBO Programming in 2016 and assuming original content responsibilities for HBO Max in 2020. He was promoted into his present position in 2022.

Matt Strauss

Chairman, NBCUniversal Media Group

Appointed to his present position in November 2024, Strauss oversees the strategy and revenue-generating functions of NBCUniversal’s media business. He leads business operations, strategy and platforms for NBC, Bravo and Peacock, and oversees key areas, including Platform Distribution and Partnerships, Advertising Sales and Partnerships, NBC Sports, Decision Sciences and International Networks. This year, under Strauss’ leadership, Peacock announced partnerships with Apple, Amazon, Google and Walmart. Also, 2025 brought NBCUniversal’s most successful Upfronts in history. Peacock continues to lead with innovative tech, including interactive features, cinematic sound and impressive reliability. This commitment to enhancing the user experience has led to Fast Company, Emmy and Webby Awards recognitions. Fan engagement has also grown considerably, with hits such as “The Paper” and “The Traitors,” and record performances across live sports and events. Strauss joined NBCUniversal from Comcast in 2019 to lead Peacock and NBCUniversal Digital Enterprises, where he helped spearhead the 2020 launch of the streaming platform.

Jim Denney

Chief Product Officer, Global Streaming and NBCUniversal Media Group, NBCUniversal

Promoted into his present position this past February, Denney leads the product vision and strategy for all direct-to-consumer and NBCUniversal Media Group brands, including Peacock, digital platforms, broadcast and cable OTT apps, NBC Sports, and Hayu and Sky. Denney’s team is supercharging Peacock’s mobile experience, creating mini-games and a vertical video experience for NBCU’s loyal fandoms. One in 10 mobile users engaged with mini-games during the summer run of “Love Island USA,” and “Wheel of Fortune Today” became Peacock’s most-played game on its first day. Denney is also ramping up Peacock’s NBA streaming experience, building on lessons from the 2024 Paris Olympics. Looking ahead, Denney’s team will support hundreds of live events streaming on Peacock over 17 days in February as NBCU hosts the 2026 Milan Cortina Olympics, NBA All-Star Game and Super Bowl LX. Prior to joining NBCU in April 2021, Denney was Head of Product and VP of Product Management at Hulu. Earlier in his career, Denney spent more than 15 years at TiVo.

Frances Berwick

Chairman, Bravo and Peacock Unscripted, NBCUniversal

Pearlena Igbokwe

Chairman, Television Studios, NBC Entertainment and Peacock Scripted, NBCUniversal

Berwick and Igbokwe both assumed their present positions in January, when the company combined its TV studios, NBC Entertainment, Bravo and Peacock under one roof as part of the newly formed Universal Television Entertainment Group. Berwick, previously
NBCUniversal Entertainment chair, now oversees all unscripted content and programming strategy across Bravo and Peacock, whose symbiotic relationship has amplified Bravo’s unscripted content across the portfolio. Fan favorites such as “The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills,” “The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City” and “Summer House” all delivered their most-watched seasons ever, fueled in part by next-day availability on Peacock. Under Berwick’s leadership, Bravo has come to dominate the unscripted space with six of the top 10 cable reality shows, more than any other network. This past summer, “Love Island USA” continued to dominate pop culture, with season seven ranking as the No. 1 unscripted series across all streaming platforms for nine consecutive weeks, with more than 300 million hours streamed. Igbokwe added the NBC broadcast network and Peacock’s scripted output to her portfolio. Igbokwe leads the teams behind “Saturday Night Live” and “The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon,” two of television’s most enduring and influential franchises, plus hits such as “The Voice,” “America’s Got Talent,” “The Americas,” “One Chicago” and “Law & Order.” Her leadership also extends across top streaming and cable titles such as Peacock’s “The Paper,” which was the No. 1 original comedy across all streaming in its first week, the Emmy Award-winning “Hacks” and “The Gilded Age,” Peabody Award-winning “We Are Lady Parts,” global phenomenon “The Day of the Jackal,” and No. 1 Netflix hits “A Man on the Inside” and “The Four Seasons.”

Erick Opeka

President and Chief Strategy Officer, Cineverse

Opeka has served as Cineverse’s Chief Strategy Officer and President since December 2020, overseeing the day-to-day operations of the company’s streaming and distribution operations, and driving Cineverse’s corporate strategy and M&A initiatives. Under his leadership, Cineverse has reached over 80 million monthly viewers and more than 1.5 million paying subscribers through proprietary brands and strategic partnerships, resulting in triple-digit growth and positioning the company as the largest independent streaming library and channel portfolio. From his role within the Office of the Chairman, Opeka continues to lead the company’s dual content and tech strategy that has led to a pioneering blueprint for how to reach passionate fandoms across platforms — from independent theatrical releases to home entertainment, FAST channels, podcasts and more. Most recently he was the key driver in launching a new joint venture between Cineverse and Lloyd Braun’s Banyan Media Ventures — MicroCo — that is building a new platform and studio for the exploding microdrama/microseries format.

Tony Huidor

President of Technology and Chief Product Officer, Cineverse

Huidor drives Cineverse’s overall product roadmap and leads all key technology partnerships. Since joining Cineverse in 2015, Huidor has managed the launch and daily operations of the company’s portfolio of all subscription and ad-supported digital-first channels. He conceived and designed Cineverse’s proprietary Matchpoint Dispatch platform, which has allowed the company to effectively streamline its entire digital content distribution business. He also oversees overall product development of Matchpoint Blueprint, which powers all apps for Cineverse’s portfolio of streaming services, and Matchpoint Insights, which automates processing of all performance/revenue data and analytics. Huidor also developed
cineSearch, which won the DEG’s EnTech Emerging Technology Award, as
a next-generation solution for solving the entertainment industry’s problem of fragmented content discovery. The cutting-edge AI-based conversational search engine provides users with highly targeted and personalized content recommendations. Before joining Cineverse, Huidor was VP of Technical Product Development at the Universal Music Group.

Adam Lewinson

Chief Content Officer, Tubi

Lewinson leads content strategy and acquisitions for the most-watched free streaming service in the United States, with the world’s largest collection of Hollywood movies and TV shows, thousands of creator-led stories, and hundreds of original movies and shows. During his tenure, Tubi has become a streaming and cultural phenomenon with 100 million monthly active users and a library of more than 300,000 movies and TV shows and over 300 Tubi Originals. Lewinson has been instrumental in expanding the platform’s original programming and distinct offerings such as live-streaming Super Bowl LIX, which averaged 13.6 million viewers for the most-streamed Super Bowl in history. Lewinson joined Tubi in October 2017, more than two years before the service was acquired by Fox Corp. He previously served as SVP of Programming and Marketing at Sony Pictures Television and its Crackle streaming platform. Earlier, Lewinson held senior positions at FX Networks, Lifetime Television, The Walt Disney Co. and Columbia Pictures.

Alison Hoffman

President, Starz Networks

Hoffman this year was instrumental in Starz’s successful separation from Lionsgate and transition to a publicly traded entity. As the CEO’s right hand, she oversees more than half of the daily business operations for the United States and Canada. She solidified Starz’s market position as the most-bundled streamer, forging partnerships with broad-based and niche streamers, and she reduced subscriber churn for three consecutive quarters. In her decade-long tenure, she brought to market Starz’s most successful franchises, expanding in 2025 with “Outlander: Blood of My Blood,” which delivered the third-most subscriber adds for a premiere in Starz history. Under her leadership, the “Power Universe” also has thrived, continuing in 2025 with an 18-episode order of “Power: Origins.” Through Starz’s #TakeTheLead initiative, she champions inclusivity in programming, focusing on women and underrepresented audiences. Hoffman previously served as President of Domestic Networks. She was one of the key executives responsible for launching the Starz app and managing the network’s direct-to-consumer business.

Salek Brodsky

SVP and Global Head, Samsung TV Plus

Brodsky leads the strategic vision and operations of Samsung’s FAST service. He oversees all aspects of the business, including programming, partnerships, marketing, revenue generation and product management. Under Brodsky’s leadership, Samsung TV Plus has become one of the largest FAST services globally, reaching over 88 million monthly active users across more than 30 countries and 630 million devices. The service now offers a robust lineup of premium, differentiated programming spanning 3,500 channels and tens of thousands of on-demand movies. Recent exclusive partnerships include high-profile collaborations with top creators including Mark Rober and Dhar Mann, Spotify, the Jonas Brothers, Billboard, and Bally Sports Live. Brodsky joined Samsung in 2013 through its acquisition of Boxee, a startup that developed a set-top box that streams media to TVs. He helped launch Samsung TV Plus two years later. Previously he was COO of Daylife, a pioneering service that provided internet publishers with innovative tools for presenting articles, links and images.

Katherine Pond

Group VP, Vizio

Pond leads platform business development, partnerships and marketing at Vizio, the TV manufacturer and connected-TV pioneer that is now owned by Walmart. Since joining Vizio in 2012, Pond has led a series of transformative initiatives to connect audiences with the entertainment they love. She has initiated, negotiated and closed deals across content distribution and acquisition, IP, advertising and data verticals with companies including Amazon, Apple, Netflix, Google, Disney, Sony, NBCUniversal and more. Earlier this year, Vizio ventured into bundling with a Starz and AMC+ subscription package priced at $13.99 per month, nearly $7 less than the individual cost. Viewers must have a Vizio account to purchase the bundle. Pond has received honors and awards including Stream TV Top Executive in Content Distribution Finalist, Media Play News’ Fast Forward Award and 50 Women to Watch in the Digital Entertainment Business, and Concordia University Irvine’s 2020 Alumna of the Year for Professional Achievement. Prior to joining Vizio, Pond held various leadership roles at Acer and Smart Modular Technologies.

Will McIntosh

President, Digital Platforms and Ventures, Versant Media

McIntosh oversees the portfolio of direct-to-consumer digital businesses in entertainment and sports at Versant, the recent spin-off from Comcast Corp.’s NBCUniversal. These businesses, which develop transactional and content technologies for millions of consumers each month, include Fandango, the nation’s top movie ticketer; world-renowned movie and TV recommendations destination Rotten Tomatoes; and premium on-demand streaming service Fandango at Home. The sports brands under his purview include golf tee-time booking and course technology platforms GolfNow and TeeOff; golf membership and video content platform GolfPass; and leading youth and recreational sports technology provider SportsEngine. McIntosh was promoted into his present position in June 2022. During his tenure, he has overseen 15 strategic mergers and partnerships as well as the launch of SportsEnginePlay, which in addition to capturing and viewing live and on-demand video of sporting events offers editing tools for highlight reels and player development videos from world-class athletes.

Cameron Douglas

SVP, OTT/Streaming, Fandango

Douglas oversees Fandango’s flagship video-on-demand service, Fandango at Home. Leading up to the spin-off from NBCUniversal into Versant Media, he continues to expand industry partnerships and position the platform for growth. This year, Douglas led the introduction of live pay-per-view (PPV) capabilities with PPV.COM and cable TVOD distribution, enabling Fandango at Home to succeed longtime aggregator iNDEMAND. This strategic move allows the platform to deliver premium entertainment content and live events directly to consumers across multiple platforms. He also expanded Fandango at Home’s partnership with the TCM Classic Film Festival, launching a storefront on Fandango’s FanStore and curating a special collection of classic titles such as Jaws, Superman and Cinderella. Douglas began his career holding various analytics and marketing roles at Disney, Fox, DreamWorks and Paramount. He moved into digital entertainment in 2013 and was promoted into his present position in 2023, overseeing what has become the No. 3 player in the competitive transactional space.

Andrea Downing

President, PBS Distribution

Downing has redefined PBS Distribution’s role in the evolving media landscape, transforming it from a packaged-media business into a dynamic multi-platform distributor of public media content worldwide. She led the company’s entry into digital streaming with the launch of its first niche streaming service on Amazon’s Prime Video Subscription Channels in 2016. PBSd has since launched seven SVOD channels on Amazon — PBS Masterpiece (U.S. and Canada), PBS Documentaries (U.S. and Canada), PBS Kids, PBS Living, and PBS America (U.K.) — as well as numerous FAST channels, including “PBS | Antiques Roadshow,” “PBS | Nature” and, most recently “PBS Travel.” PBSd has also significantly expanded its AVOD footprint. Downing’s forward-looking strategy balances paid and free streaming models, ensuring both broad accessibility for audiences and sustainable revenue for the public media system. Prior to her role with PBSd, Downing was VP of Home Entertainment and Partnerships at PBS Ventures and held operational leadership roles at Discovery Communications in the Consumer Products division.

Anthony Wood

Founder, Chairman and CEO, Roku

Since 2002 Wood has led Roku to become the country’s top TV streaming platform, surpassing broadcast viewership for three months in a row. Under his leadership, Roku has consistently raised the bar with new devices and OS features to benefit the entire streaming TV ecosystem, delivering on its mission of making better TV for everyone. This past August, Wood and team launched a revolutionary offering to address the need for an affordable, ad-free experience featuring the quality movies and shows people return to again and again. For just $2.99 a month, Howdy gives viewers more than 10,000 hours of uninterrupted entertainment including award-winning titles and beloved favorites from Lionsgate, Warner Bros. Discovery and FilmRise as well as select Roku Originals. Prior to founding Roku, Wood invented the digital video recorder (DVR) and founded ReplayTV, which won “Best of Show” at CES in 1999 and was the first DVR to be sold.

Charlie Collier

President, Roku Media

Collier helped Roku surpass broadcast for total viewing time in the U.S. and grew The Roku Channel to become the No. 1 FAST channel in the country. Most recently, the company debuted award-winning original programming such as “Solo Traveling With Tracee Ellis Ross,” announced a first-of-its-kind Roku City concert integration with Demi Lovato, scored exclusive media rights deals to sports broadcasts, announced the long-awaited “Laguna Beach” reunion, and forged a series of industry-defining advertising partnerships with the likes of Comcast, Samsung and Amazon. Collier joined Roku in October 2022 with more than 25 years of media leadership experience. Previously, he enjoyed a four-year run as CEO of Fox Entertainment. Prior to joining Fox in 2018, Collier was President and GM of AMC, SundanceTV and AMC Studios, overseeing the creative and business operations of all three divisions and launching award-winning series including “Mad Men,” “Breaking Bad,” “The Walking Dead,” “Better Call Saul” and “The Night Manager.”

Kristin Dolan

CEO, AMC Networks

As CEO, Dolan has accelerated AMC Networks’ transformation from a networks-based cable programming company into a multi-faceted content producer and distributor with an expanding array of platforms, including linear television, streaming and more than 20 CTV/FAST channels. Dolan has expanded key partnerships to include such unlikely alliances as putting prior seasons of more than a dozen AMC shows on Netflix to build interest and awareness in new seasons on owned platforms. Streaming will be AMCN’s single-biggest source of revenue in 2025, and driving that is AMC+ and a collection of targeted services — Shudder for horror, Acorn TV for international dramas and mysteries, HIDIVE for anime, etc. Under Dolan’s leadership, AMCN has also continued to develop vibrant programming franchises around “The Walking Dead,” “Anne Rice Immortal Universe,” “Dark Winds” and more. Dolan was appointed CEO in February 2023; previously, she was CEO of 605, the audience measurement and data analytics firm she founded in 2016.

Dan McDermott

President, Entertainment and AMC Studios, AMC Networks

McDermott oversees the development, production, acquisition, scheduling and release of series and films across AMC Networks’ domestic portfolio, including streaming platforms AMC+, Acorn TV, ALLBLK,
HIDIVE, Shudder and Sundance Now. This includes the continued success of AMC’s popular “The Walking Dead Universe,” with new seasons of “The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon” and “Dead City”; the expansion of the “Anne Rice Immortal Universe” with “Interview With the Vampire,” “Mayfair Witches” and new series “Talamasca: The Secret Order”; as well as “Dark Winds.” McDermott has also overseen a banner year for the company’s Acorn TV service, with its most-successful series launch to date with the premiere of “Irish Blood,” as well as its Shudder service, with found-footage horror series “The Creep Tapes” the most-watched Shudder show of all time on AMC+. Before joining AMCN, McDermott was head of the Lionsgate and BBC Studios scripted-TV partnership. Previously, McDermott was a producer, writer and partner in Di Bonaventura Pictures Television.

Kim Kelleher

Chief Commercial Officer, AMC Networks

Kelleher oversees both advertising sales and distribution. She has led groundbreaking partnerships across linear, streaming, FAST and CTV, expanding AMCN’s reach and driving monetization strategies. Under her leadership, AMCN has completed significant affiliate renewals, including a long-term renewal with Charter Communications that made the ad-supported version of AMC+ available to video subscribers at no additional cost. Kelleher has also overseen the expansion of the company’s FAST and CTV partnerships, growing to 28 channels comprising more than 190 feeds. She was instrumental in AMCN’s branded partnership with Netflix, which generated over 210 million global views and a more than 600% increase in first streams for key series on AMC+. Kelleher also led the unveiling of AMCN Outcomes, which gives partners real-time insights into purchasing decisions driven by consumers’ exposure to marketing. Prior to joining AMC Networks in 2019, Kelleher was the Chief Business Officer of GQ, GQ Style, Golf Digest, Golf World, Pitchfork and the Wired Media Group.

Eddy Cue

SVP, Services, Apple

Cue oversees the vast and ever-expanding universe of Apple’s services, including Apple TV, Apple Music, Apple News, Apple Podcasts, Apple Pay, Apple Card, Maps, Search Ads, iCloud, and the company’s suite of productivity and creativity apps. Working hand-in-hand with Jamie Erlicht and Zack Van Amburg — the former Sony Pictures Television chiefs hired to spearhead Apple TV — Cue continues to shape Apple’s global entertainment and digital-services strategy. Most recently, he oversaw the rebranding from Apple TV+ to just Apple TV, telling the media that’s what everyone was calling it anyway, and played a key role in securing a five-year partnership with Formula One that will bring all F1 races exclusively to Apple TV in the United States beginning next year. While Apple TV remains selective in its output and famously tight-lipped on subscriber counts, Cue’s measured approach has yielded prestige results, from Emmy darling “Ted Lasso” to Oscar Best Picture winner CODA.

Garson Foos

CEO, Radial Entertainment

Foos is at the helm of Radial Entertainment, a leading content distribution studio in the global entertainment industry. Radial boasts a diverse library of 70,000 movies and episodes — making it one of the largest independent catalogs in the industry. Radial combines the strength and capabilities of FilmRise and Shout! Studios to offer an end-to-end solution for production, distribution and streaming. Prior to the recent founding of Radial Entertainment, Foos was CEO of Shout! Studios, one of the industry’s preeminent independent film and television distributors. Through Foos’ leadership in content licensing and distribution, particularly in the realm of digital media and streaming, TVOD, SVOD, AVOD and FAST became well-established businesses for Shout! Studios. Foos led the merger with FilmRise, which distributes content worldwide, invests in original content and works with digital creators to help monetize their libraries in the streaming space. The company holds a leading footprint across FAST and AVOD as well as a library of more than 30,000 movies and episodes.

Jim Packer

President, Worldwide Television Distribution, Lionsgate

Packer is responsible for growing and monetizing Lionsgate’s more-than 20,000-title film and television library and licensing its content to buyers throughout the media ecosystem. Under Packer’s leadership, Lionsgate is bolstering its library sales by licensing content to its owned-and-operated Lionsgate+ platforms on Amazon. In addition, the studio has rolled out more than 30 proprietary FAST channels, including 50 Cent Action — which quickly became the No. 1 action channel on Roku and LG Channels — and MovieSphere, the first FAST channel to receive a Nielsen rating. Packer also recently shepherded Lionsgate’s partnership with Roku on its new SVOD service, Howdy, offering a more-accessible alternative to premium streaming platforms while unlocking a new revenue stream for the studio’s content. This year, Packer spearheaded a groundbreaking deal to license “The Chosen” to Amazon Prime, marking a first-of-its-kind approach that combined scripted series, unscripted content and two feature films released theatrically. He has also sold this coveted faith-based property to more than 50 buyers internationally.

William Neighbors

Chief Content Officer, Xperi

Neighbors oversees the group within Xperi that is charged with delivering entertainment content across Xperi’s independent media platform inclusive of homes, connected cars and mobile devices. Since merging with TiVo in June 2020, Xperi has become one of the largest licensing companies in the world. Other Xperi brands and partnerships include DTS, the audio and imaging technologies company; TiVo, whose Media Platform brings a rich content-first experience to millions of consumers around the world; and Imax Enhanced, a certification and licensing program operated by Imax Corp. and DTS that offers an immersive viewing experience by bringing together devices, remastered video and audio content, and elevated streaming. Neighbors and his team have signed multiple partners to Xperi’s independent media platform. Neighbors has worked in the entertainment technology industry for more than 30 years spanning the music, TV and motion picture sectors, including his role as a foundational leader at DTS in 1993.

Stephen Hodge

Co-founder and CEO, OTTera

A visionary in digital media, Hodge for nearly a decade has headed OTTera, a global leader in OTT solutions powering hundreds of AVOD, SVOD, TVOD and FAST services worldwide. Under his leadership, OTTera’s platforms have grown to reach over 250 million monthly viewers, while he has busied himself forging global partnerships with top electronics brands, telecoms and content creators. His expertise in digital distribution, platform development and monetization has built scalable, inclusive ecosystems for audiences worldwide. His leadership drives innovation in content delivery, monetization and accessibility, enabling partners — from major electronics brands to emerging creators — to reach audiences across every platform. Hodge’s focus on inclusivity and global expansion, including OTTera’s acquisition of Afroland TV, underscores his commitment to diverse, culturally rich entertainment. Prior to co-founding OTTera, Hodge spent more than 15 years at Toon Goggles, an on-demand entertainment service for children that he also co-founded. Before that, he held executive positions at Digital Media Interactive and Anywhere Artists.

Scott Olechowski

Co-founder and Chief Product Officer, Plex

As the visionary co-founder of Plex, Olechowski is responsible for product strategy, product management and business development. A pioneer in streaming media, he co-founded Plex — as a hobby — with the intent of making organizing and accessing digital media easy and seamless. In the nearly 17 years since he started building Plex, he has championed its evolution to becoming one of the world’s largest independent streaming media companies, available in more than 195 countries, with one of the largest catalogs of FAST channels (1,000+), a strong AVOD catalog, and now a social and discovery experience that connects entertainment lovers and the content that’s right for them. Over the past 25 years, Olechowski has applied his entrepreneurial know-how and spirit to a number of software- and internet-focused start-ups. His professional experience includes executive positions in product strategy, business development, marketing and international sales for a number of established brands such as Cisco, PostX and IronPort.

Zachary Chapman

Chief Revenue Officer, Plex

Chapman leads revenue efforts across direct and sponsorship advertising, programmatic/audience sales, data licensing and strategic partnerships. In just six months at Plex, he has assembled an ad sales team, leading to onboarding multiple new media partners across the United States, Canada and EMEA, and amplifying direct brand partner presence. He works tirelessly with the Plex product and marketing teams to expand ad suite capabilities. And such cutting-edge ad innovation as pause ads, content overlay interactive units for CTV and innovative sponsorship packages are now being implemented, while leveraging Plex’s products and audience behavior data. Chapman joined Plex from NBCUniversal, where he was SVP of Global Partnerships, overseeing all ad and partnership revenue outside the United States as well as domestic and international large-scale agency partnerships. Before that, he spent eight years at The Walt Disney Co. in leadership roles across programmatic and audience sales, ESPN International across LATAM, EMEA and APAC, and growing the Category Partnership and Ad Sales Research organizations.