Ian Birch is an editor and writer who started his career at Time Out before into writing about music, first at Melody Maker and then at Smash Hits. Since then, he has edited many publications in London and New York, including helping to launch several groundbreaking magazines such asGrazia, Red, Heat and Closer. In the USA he edited Us magazine and relaunched the iconic weekly, TV Guide, in 2004, turning it from an analogue to a digital operation with an audience of 26 million.He has worked as editorial director for Hearst magazines on both sides of the Atlantic, overseeing classic brands such as Harpers Bazaar, Esquire, Elle and Good Housekeeping.Ian won the Mark Boxer Award for lifetime achievement at the British Society of Magazine Editors Awards.His first book, UNCOVERED: Revolutionary Magazine Covers (Cassell) came out late 2018.
Andy Cowles is an accomplished creative director, design leader and content authority. Leadership roles include Editorial Development Director of Time Inc. UK, Creative Director of Mademoiselle for Condé Nast and Creative Director of Rolling Stone in NYC. Founder and director of Cowles Media, Andy speaks regularly at international industry events and is a Guardian Masterclass trainer. Andy has won multiple editorial and design awards, including the UK’s most prestigious, the BSME Mark Boxer award.
Stephen is Managing Director of Consumer Products and Licensing at BBC Studios. He is responsible for Top Gear magazine as well as the strategic partnership with Immediate Media for the stable of BBC branded magazines. He has been at BBC Studios, and before that BBC Worldwide, for a number of years in a range of roles, including a short - but enjoyable - stint as Circulation Director for BBC Magazines. A passion for music, literature, cinema and sport has ensured a still healthy collection of magazine subscriptions.
Michael is Managing Director of SevenC3, a content marketing agency based in Farringdon. SevenC3 is part of the C3 group, the largest content marketing agency network in Europe.
Michael has over 19 years’ experience working within the publishing, content marketing and advertising sectors. During this period Michael has worked in a variety of roles across print procurement, digital project management, creative production and operations.
This rounded experience means that Michael truly understands what it takes to hit client objectives, should the output be a CRM programme, a newsstand magazine or a fully functioning multichannel content campaign.
Colette Doyle is an award-winning magazine editor who has worked on publications in both London and the Gulf in a career spanning almost three decades. Her background as a linguist has led her to be involved with titles that have an international focus. Starting out in the 1990s covering the pharmaceutical sector, Colette moved into business travel around 20 years ago when she was employed at the UK’s largest privately owned publishing house, Haymarket. She was based in Dubai for six years, during which time she helmed Business Traveller Middle East, the regional edition of the renowned London franchise, as well as being responsible for relaunching Dubai Voyager, the customer publication for leading airport retailer Dubai Duty Free. Immediately prior to joining Real Response Media, Colette worked at Metropolis International where she headed up the travel retail channel’s longest-established title and was later appointed as managing editor across both Frontier and sister title Duty-Free News International.
Head of Production at PinkNews, the world's largest LGBT+ publisher. Oversee the publication of video content on PinkNews social media platforms, including YouTube, Facebook, Snapchat, Instagram and Twitter. This content reaches up to 50 million unique users per month.
Sally Hampton is a Consumer Magazines Publisher with DC Thomson Media. She oversees a diverse portfolio of UK and Scottish interest magazine brands. Her role involves identifying opportunities to grow existing DC Thomson Media titles through innovation and expansion – and launching new products across a variety of platforms. Most recently, she was a key member of the team that delivered Platinum magazine, one of the biggest launches in consumer magazines in recent times. Sally is currently chair of PPA Scotland.
Nicky Holt is Group Commercial Director for Bauer Media, leading a team of 140+ to deliver the sales and operations of commercial activity across portfolio of 40+ multiplatform brands. She specialises in creating customer-centric products and services that make a difference to people’s lives – be they a consumer of media, a commercial partner or an advertiser.
Nicky is also a passionate ambassador of the inclusive culture at Bauer. She led the launch of ‘Thrive at Bauer’ in 2017, an internal wellness and wellbeing programme designed to positively impact Bauer people’s physical and mental health. Alongside this, she sits on the ‘Belonging at Bauer Diversity & Inclusion Forum’ championing disability in the workplace as well as remaining an active member of the IAB’s DI&E Group.
As a well-established media professional, she has worked across print, digital and events in senior marketing, publishing and commercial roles for some of the world’s biggest media businesses. At Centaur Media, Nicky launched the award-winning e-learning programme – the Marketing Week Mini MBA. She also led the team that shaped The Festival of Marketing into an exciting and modern conference for global marketers.
In her spare time, Nicky uses her experience as a Neuro-linguistic Programming coach to mentor a group of female entrepreneurs, helping them to launch and shape their digital businesses to reach potential. She is Mum to Phoebe, wife to Steve, lover of bees and a yoga obsessive.
Multi-award-winning editor of a very wide range of consumer magazines, including Radio Times, Maxim, Reader's Digest, Company and New Woman. Former Chair of the BSME, and a founder member of IPSO's Complaints Committee from 2014-18 representing the magazine industry. Now a consultant and writer.
John began his career publishing Sunday school magazines before working on a wide range of consumer magazines including Sight & Sound, Viz, Gardens Illustrated, Fortean Times and Wisden Cricket Monthly. He has worked in almost every discipline from production and web build to writing and publishing management. As Executive Director of Think John runs Think's membership and branded content divisions and runs Think’s Glasgow office, his team create digital content, print magazines and events for travel, health, savings, heritage, charity and financial brands.
John is Vice Chair of PPA Scotland.
Karen Jones Chief executive officer, Editor
Karen founded Citywealth after a career at News International, The Times, and Sunday Times in the legal, financial and recruitment sections. She also ran the Legalease flagship title Legal Business/Asia Pacific Legal 500, and launched Legal Business Awards and Legal 500 parties. Karen then took over In Brief magazine, where she grew the organisation from a buyout where it had gone bankrupt to a successful £500,000-a-year publishing and events business. Her work as a Citywealth CEO was recognised by five New York Stevie Awards: Entrepreneur of the year (2017) for her launch of the digital www.leaderslist.co.uk site, Women helping women (2014, 2015), Innovator of the year (2015), and Entrepreneur of the year (2015). She has mentored those in their first and second job in the City through her Tomorrow Club group for over twelve years. She has also been a consistent champion for womens career advancement in financial services. Karen is a Liveryman of the Worshipful Company of Fan Makers and has been granted Freedom of the City of London. She is also an avid crypto investor.
Rosie Nixon lives in London and is Editor-in-Chief of HELLO! magazine, where she has worked for 12 years, she is also an author of two novels and mother of two. Rosie has worked in the magazine industry for over 20 years and previously held senior positions at glossy women's titles including Grazia, Glamour, and Red. Rosie was named Editor of the Year (entertainment and celebrity) by the British Society of Magazine Editors in 2017. Rosie's debut novel, The Stylist and the sequel, Amber Green takes Manhattan are published around the world. The Stylist is in development as a major motion picture. Rosie's third novel Just Between Friends will be published by HQ Stories, an imprint of Harper Collins in November 2020. Rosie is a proud ambassador of the charity SafeHands. When she's not keeping on top of the latest Royal and showbiz news, Rosie is passionate about issues concerning women and children and their right to equality, and is always looking for the next big story!
Daniel Pearce is CEO and owner of TTG Media, the award-winning media business connecting the travel industry in the UK and beyond through magazines, websites and events.
A journalist for 25 years, Daniel joined TTG as Editor in 2010, before moving to brand director in 2012 and mounting a management buy-out in 2013.
Since then TTG Media has gone from strength to strength, launching a string of new initiatives including the TTG Top 50 Travel Agencies, TTG LGBT events, the ttgluxury Travel Awards, the ttgluxury Travel Summit, website ttgmedia.com and the TTG Diversity & Inclusion in Travel conference.
In April 2019 the business rebranded under a new vision to promote a ‘Smarter, Better, Fairer’ travel industry – and new investment in print publishing, with weekly magazine TTG still at the heart of the industry 66 years after its first edition.
In November 2019 TTG Media was named Independent Publishing Company of the Year at the PPA Independent Publisher Awards, where it also won the Relaunch of the Year, and editor Sophie Griffiths was named Editor of the Year.
Jerry cut his teeth in publishing selling ads on the recently launched Q magazine at EMAP METRO. He went on to become commercial director, publisher and then MD of the music portfolio at EMAP.
He co-founded what is now Wasted Talent with his ex EMAP colleague, David Hepworth in 2003.
Jerry believes that the magazine industry has created some valuable media brands, with iconic status and global recognition, that can thrive in a global digital world.
Kevin Petley is a senior publishing professional, currently Chief Operating Officer at the Chelsea Magazine Company, along with being owner of publishing consultancy company Kevin Petley Ltd. Kevin a former director of the PPA, is on the board of the publishing auditing organisation ABC, as well as chair of the PPA’s Supply Chain Group. Kevin has spent over 30 years in various senior management roles across a range of industry businesses, including Client Director at Seymour, Circulation Marketing Director at Paragon Publishing, UK Marketing Director at Trader Media Group, and Business Director at HELLO magazine. Kevin is married with 3 children and 4 grandsons and enjoys a quiet life!
Maria Pieri is the Editorial Director of travel and lifestyle content specialist APL Media Limited and the 2020 Chair of the British Society of Magazine Editors (BSME). At APL Media she has overseen the award winning National Geographic Traveller (UK), a brand synonymous with compelling storytelling, outstanding photography, and sustainable, ‘real life’ travel – and in the past two years, the new National Geographic Traveller Food title. Maria has over 20 years’ experience in managing, creating and marketing awesome content (whether B2B, B2C or Consumer) across all mediums to proven commercial success, while also nurturing the development of outstanding talent.
Charles is Group Managing Director of William Reed Business Media, providers of business information covering the food, drink and hospitality sectors and additionally, since May 2009, pharmaceuticals and cosmetic design.
The business, established in 1861, is a fifth-generation family-owned company employing 300 people in its head office near Gatwick and a further 50 in Montpellier. William Reed Business Media produces and organises a wide portfolio of market-leading magazines, exhibitions, events, data, digital and related activities.
Emma started her career in advertising working for a couple of different London agencies as an Account manager and then Account Director, mainly across financial clients.
She joined First News in 2006, less than a year after it launched, initially as Direct Marketing Manager and has been the Publishing Director for the last 8 years.
Emma works closely with the Board of Directors of First News to help formulate the strategy and drive growth and is responsible for the overall bottom line and running of the day to day business.
Emma is passionate about everything First News stands for – not only for giving children a voice but also giving them the facts in a format they can understand and digest which will enable them to become active and engaged world citizens.
Sophie has lead BALANCE into the top percentile of UK circulations and in 2018 was recognised by the PPA for “Innovation in Publishing”. She regularly advises brands on go-to-market strategy and delivers wellness workshops for the likes of L’Oreal, Mediacom and Accenture. She has coached and mentored at every level, from NEET students to Fortune 500 CEOs, and has completed her 5-year training in Psychotherapy at the Centre for Counselling and Psychotherapy Education
Nicolas Sennegon is Executive Vice President, Chief Commercial Officer at The Economist. He is responsible for global P&L across The Economist’s content and media solutions. He is charged with defining the growth strategy and managing an agile and client-centric infrastructure to deliver profitability. Nicolas is also active in developing digitally driven innovation to provide clients with audience engaging products. He is part of the new Publisher team which was strategically formed in 2018 to serve both readers and clients of The Economist.
During his tenure at The Economist Group, Nicolas has held a number of positions in both sales and marketing functions, including Global Managing Director, Chief Revenue Officer, Chief Revenue Officer, EMEA and Global Head of Client Marketing. He joined The Economist Group in 2008 to lead the Southern Europe sales team, tasked with gaining market share and growing revenue.
Prior to joining The Economist Group, Nicolas worked at CNBC Europe as a Senior Account Director, with management of key accounts including Rolex. He also worked on the launch of France24, the state-owned international news and current affairs television network. At France 24 he developed and oversaw an EMEA sales team of 30 sales agents that brought in new international clients including Shell and Breitling.
Nicolas has an academic background in translation and interpretation. He started his career as a diplomat in French embassies in both London and Wellington, New Zealand. He is married with three daughters.
After studying Civil Engineering at Oxford, Nick worked in ad sales and marketing for Maclean-Hunter in Totonto and International Thompson Business Publishing in London. He joined the Hemming Group in 1988 and set up their magazine marketing department. He worked his way up to become General Manager of the directory publishing division, and from there was made Group Managing Director in 1995.
Nick stepped down in 2002, after seven successful years in the position, and moved to Madrid with his family. There, after two years as an independent business consultant for SMEs, he was appointed Marketing Director of Salesforce Europe SL, an international outsourced high-tech sales agency. When the economic crisis hit in 2008, he set up his own company providing coaching in English and international business culture for Spanish business people and professionals as they developed their exporting operations.
In January 2015, he returned to the Hemming Group as Chairman, commuting from Madrid to London on a weekly basis. He is a non-executive director of Publishers’ Licensing Services (PLS) and the Copyright Licensing Agency (CLA).
Philip Thomas is President of Ascential’s Marketing Division, which comprises Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity, Warc and Medialink. He is also Chairman of Cannes Lions, having been CEO of Lions Festivals for ten years between 2006 and 2016.
He began his career as a journalist, working on national and international magazines and newspapers, and editing Empire, the UK’s biggest-selling movie magazine, before moving into publishing and becoming Managing Director of FHM worldwide, launching the iconic men’s magazine in more than 30 countries.
He was appointed Managing Director of Emap’s Australian and South East Asian division, based in Sydney for three years, before returning to the UK and being appointed Chief Executive Officer of Lions Festivals.
Philip is a Non-Executive Trustee of the Media Trust and Malaria No More charities and was cited as one the Agents of Change for Gender Equality by the UK’s Management Today magazine.
An astute and professional commercial director with a focus on international business development, event management and marketing, Sarah has worked in a variety of business development, operational and marketing roles, specialising in digital & print media, events and market intelligence.
Sarah’s experience includes project and event management, developing and nurturing client relationships, strategic planning and implementation, recruiting, managing and mentoring team members, budget management, fostering supplier relationships and contract negotiation.
She has delivered conferences, workshops, seminars, exhibitions, awards ceremonies, presentations, research, surveys and training in Europe and Worldwide. Sarah has presented at a very high level to senior executives within international government agencies and multinational corporations.
Sarah started her career in website development and account management with the specialist healthcare digital media agency Acumen Solutions, before moving to an Associate Director role at em:seven, a communication agency specialising in e-media and events within the healthcare sector. She joined Intuition Communication (now owned by LaingBuisson) in 2011 after running her own consulting firm for 10 years.
Victoria White is Editorial Director of the Hearst Content Agency – a content marketing agency positioned at the heart of Hearst. Her clients include Asda, George, P&G, Princess Cruises and Liz Earle Wellbeing. Before this she has worked on a number of consumer titles and commercial departments at Hearst as Commercial Content Director, Digital Director of Good Housekeeping and for ten years as Editor in Chief of Company magazine.
Jonathon joined Incisive Media in 1998. As CEO, he is responsible for both the strategic direction and operations of the business.
Having worked in business media for twenty-five years, Jonathon has a wealth of experience of managing digital and live brands through myriad of business models and in multiple territories. Jonathon has launched and managed subscription information products, marketing services and advertising led editorial brands and numerous event models from expos to conferences and awards. Jonathon spent five years living in Hong Kong leading substantial growth in Incisive Media’s pan-Asian media and events portfolio.
Under his leadership the company continues to flourish as one of the UK’s most vibrant, fast-growing, admired and award-winning business media companies.
Jonathon is a director of the Professional Publishers Association (PPA) and a former director of the Society of Publishers in Asia (SOPA).
Amanda Wigginton leads the Customer Strategy team at TI Media – a central customer data and insight unit. Amanda works with content, advertising and marketing teams to put the customer central to strategy in order to unlock new opportunities, diversify revenues and drive growth. Amanda has held a number of different roles in her time at TI Media including the development of the NPD research programme, leading the centralisation of the research and insight team to drive a consumer first culture, and developing a number of award winning research initiatives including The Origin Lounge, GenerationYNot! and more recently Heart of Britain. Amanda also sits on a number of industry committees including the PAMCO Advisory Group and Technical Committee and UKOM Technical Committee.
Diane is CEO of media company The Drum, serving marketing and media people with content around the world. She started out as the sole events manager at The Drum and built the events business with her sleeves rolled up. Everything from business planning and strategy to sponsorship sales to telesales to packing the awards entries for judging to picking up the bits of fluff on the stage before the show started were all in her remit. From one Scottish event, she built up a portfolio of awards and a team to deliver them. The Drum now organises events around the world. The biggest part is the awards portfolio but now increasingly The Drum organises bespoke events on behalf of clients and The Drum Arms pop-up pub makes annual appearances in London, New York, Cannes and Austin.
