DEPARTMENT FOR
CULTURE, MEDIA AND SPORT News Release (124/08) issued by COI News
Distribution Service. 20 November 2008
International
creative business leaders come together in Liverpool for first
cabinet ambassador meeting
Internationally renowned creative business leaders will meet in
Liverpool tonight to drive forward an ambitious new programme to
support and develop the UK's multi-billion pound creative economy.
They have signed up as ambassadors for cabinet (the Creativity
and Business International Network) and will help shape and drive
the development of this international creative business
conference. The event will help maximise the contribution of the
creative industries to the wider world economy and was one of the
flagship initiatives announced in the Government's creative
economy strategy, 'Creative Britain: New Talents for the New Economy'.
The 23 cabinet ambassadors are international leaders in their
respective sectors, and will convene tonight for the first time.
The ambassadors' experience and expertise will help inform
cabinet's focus and provide invaluable insight to the design
of the inaugural event which will take place at The Grove in
Hertfordshire from 26 - 28 October 2009. They have been drawn from
a wide range of sectors including advertising, architecture, art
and antiques, crafts, design, fashion, film and video, games,
music, performing arts, publishing, software and television and radio.
In the UK, the creative industries make a major contribution to
the economy, employing over two million people and contributing
£60 billion a year. The last decade has seen the UK's
creative industries grow at twice the rate of the wider economy.
Culture Secretary Andy Burnham said:
"Britain's creative industries are an incredible
success story but current global economic challenges mean we
can't take future growth for granted. In the face of growing
international competition, Government support for key sectors
becomes increasingly important.
"Cabinet will give global leaders an unprecedented forum to
debate the opportunities as well as the pressures that are common
for innovative businesses. I welcome the commitment shown by the
ambassadors to develop an agenda that truly reflects the future
challenges facing the creative industries. The involvement of
these influential and successful individuals, with their extensive
experience of global business will undoubtedly help with our
ambition that this will, in time, become one of the most
significant and relevant events in the international business
calendar, a Davos for the creative industries."
Tonight's event sees cabinet ambassadors meet for the first
time at an event hosted by Secretary of State, Andy Burnham, and
moderated by Newsnight Review presenter, Martha Kearney. The
dinner will be held in Liverpool (European Capital of Culture
2008) and will look to address the key challenges and
opportunities facing the creative industries and the ways in which
cabinet will help tackle them. Themes to be explored include:
* Convergence: The similarities between the different sectors as
well as their shared challenges and opportunities.
* The economy: The impact of the credit crunch on creative
business and how the world is being reshaped around new demand and
supply dynamics.
* Connections: The new models and opportunities for collaboration
between different sectors and the ways government and the
investment community can support them.
* Talent: The issues around managing and identifying talent. How
can talent on an international scale be unlocked as part of
cabinet's wider social mission?
Lucian Grainge of Universal Music, and a cabinet ambassador, said:
"Cabinet is the right opportunity and environment for a
like-minded group of people to ask ourselves questions critical to
our future - about talent, about innovation in distribution and
delivery, about creative businesses which are increasingly global,
and about value systems which respect and protect intellectual property."
Cabinet is being managed as a not-for-profit initiative. DCMS is
the initiator and founding funder.
Notes to editors
1. The ambassadors are:
Nicholas Coleridge, MD Conde Nast UK / VP International: As well
as running one of the world's most important magazine
publishers, Nicholas chaired the British Fashion Council
1999-2004, overseeing London Fashion Week and Chairing the Fashion
Rocks event. A six-times best-selling author.
Lucian Grainge, Chairman and CEO, Universal Group International:
One of the most influential people in the global music industry,
Lucian is responsible for the Universal business outside the US
and artists including Amy Winehouse, Mika and Duffy. He's
led Universal to take 36% of the UK market.
Andy Duncan, CEO Channel 4: C4 has successfully embraced the
digital age, creating powerful new brands, including E4, More4,
4Music and Film4. It has expanded into radio and interactive
services as well as being a key partner in Freeview.
Chris Clarke, founder and CEO Nitro: Runs a leading international
advertising agency, with its roots in China and a major profile in
the US and UK.
Jatin Das, Artist: Celebrated Indian artist with an international
profile. He co-founded the JD Centre of Art in India.
Jocelyn Stevenson, Creative Director TT Animation: The Former CCO
of leading UK company HIT (home of Bob the Builder), Jocelyn works
for the creator of the hugely popular Lego Star Wars video game
series. She is also a BAFTA Judge, organiser of TV industry event
Showcommotion and made her name with Jim Henson's production company.
Ian Findlay, Director of M&A and corporate advisory, Ariadne
Capital: Ariadne invests in fast growing new media businesses,
backed by 50 leading entrepreneurs. Ian joined from Emap, where he
was responsible for deals totalling £4.5 billion.
Lorna Tilbian, Executive Director, Numis Corporation Plc:
Top-rated city analyst. She sits on the Board of one of the
City's leading institutions.
Peter Molyneux, Creative Director, Lionhead Studios: Lauded as
one of the world's most brilliant and inventive game
developers, Molyneux is responsible for well known games such as
Dungeon Keeper, Populous, and Black & White. In 2006, he sold
his company to Microsoft.
Phil Redmond, CBE and Deputy Chair of Liverpool Capital of
Culture: Charismatic creator of Grange Hill, Brookside and
Hollyoaks and champion of Liverpool Capital of Culture.
Spencer Hyman, COO LastFM: LastFM transformed the global music
industry, marrying social networking and music to create one of
the leading UK media brands. It was sold to CBS for $280m in 2007.
Tony Orsten, CEO twofour54: Leads a huge investment by Abu Dhabi
to create a media hub for the Middle East. He has attracted
brands including the BBC, Harper Collins, CNN and The FT. A BAFTA
winning director with 30 years in film and TV, he also helped to
launch digital media company Joost.
Paul Bennett, Managing Partner Europe and CCO IDEO: The lead
creative for one of the world's biggest design companies,
employing 500 people in eight offices worldwide. A regular
speaker at TED and Davos, his clients include Nokia, Vodafone and P&G.
Laurence Green, Chairman Fallon: Heads a top global ad agency -
creators of the Cadbury Gorilla among others.
Boko Inyundo, Trustee of the Africa Centre: A senior media lawyer
and former advertising executive with Saatchi & Saatchi, Boko
serves as a Trustee of London's Africa Centre.
Julia Barfield, Director, Marks Barfield: One of the principal
architects behind the London Eye and co-founder of a practice
which has developed projects from Dubai to Innsbruck.
*Nancy Tellem, President CBS Paramount Television: Responsible
for content across the CBS and the CW networks, ranked the 75th
most powerful woman in business by Forbes.
*Tom Dixon, Designer: World renowned designer and co-founder of
eponymous lighting and furniture company.
*Charles Chao, CEO Sina.com: Leads China's most important
digital media company.
*Tim Hincks, CEO Endemol UK: Heads UK business of world's
biggest TV production company and chairs the Edinburgh
International Television Festival.
*David Chipperfield, Architect: Stirling prize winning architect
with offices in London, Berlin and Milan and a representative
office in Shanghai.
*J Allard, Chief Experience Officer and Chief Technology Officer,
Entertainment and Devices Division, Microsoft: Responsible for the
technical architecture and user experiences related to products
and services of the Entertainment and Devices (E&D) division.
*Satjiv S Chahil, Senior Vice President Global Marketing, PSG
Hewlett-Packard Company: A veteran of the high-tech
industry's most innovative companies, he's now
responsible for marketing the Personal Services Group worldwide.
Those marked * are unable to attend the dinner in Liverpool but
will work over the next year to support and develop cabinet.
Cabinet will also consult:
Mark Thompson, Director General, the BBC
John Smith, CEO BBC Worldwide
2. Further information can be found at http://www.cabinetforum.org
3. The creation of an international conference for the creative
industries was one of the commitments in 'Creative Britain:
New Talents for the New Economy' which can be found here: http://www.culture.gov.uk/reference_library/publications/3572.aspx
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