2025 Recap

2025 Speakers

More than a safe, off-the-record space where the most innovative share their experiences, D+E facilitated strategic dialogue about entertainment’s data-driven future. Speakers included label, publisher, production, representation, technology and studio executives who embrace technology to advance the information age while remaining true to the art that inspires us all.

Aaron Frank

Chief Marketing & Insights Officer

Adam Goodman

Founder & CEO, Invisible Narratives

Alex Heath

Deputy Editor, The Verge

Alex Tarrand

COO & Co-Founder, STYNGR

Andrew Wallenstein

President and Chief Media Analyst, Variety Intelligence Platform

Ari Untracht

Managing Director, Eldridge

Ben Adelson

President & COO, Mercury Records

Brad Sharp

Co-Founder & Senior Managing Partner, Virtu Global Advisors

Brandon Rieck

Head of Marketing, Full Stop Management

Brandon Silverstein

CEO, Avex Music Group

Dani Russin

GM, Good World Management

Dawn Chmielewski

Correspondent, Reuters

Dea Lawrence

Chief Operating & Marketing Officer, Variety

Emily Levy

Director, Music, Talent & Influencer, Epic Games

Erica Rupp

Head of Content & Editorial, Snap Inc.

Hannah Karp

Editorial Director, Billboard

Hernan Lopez

Founder, Owl & Co

Jeanne Cotton

SVP, Audience & Content, Research & Insights, Warner Bros. Television

Jem Aswad

Executive Editor, Music, Variety

Jim Roppo

Chairman & CEO, REPUBLIC Collective

Joe Kessler

Partner, Global Head of UTA IQ, United Talent Agency

John M. Mass

President, Content Partners LLC

Josh M. Berman

Osprey Productions

Julie Piepenkotter

SVP, Content Research & Analytics, FX

Katja Reitemeyer

Director, Data Science & AI, Media & Entertainment, NVIDIA

Larry Jackson

CEO & Co-Founder, gamma

Lior Tibon

CEO & Co-Founder, Duetti

Liz Friedman

Showrunner, Executive Producer, Writer

Mag Rodriguez

CEO & Founder, EVEN

Mahta Eghbali

VP, Strategic Alliances & Global Partnerships, Mattel

Marie Clausen

Managing Director, North America, Ninja Tune

Mark Hoebich

Executive Vice President & Head of Film & TV, Luminate

Melissa Darman

Partner, Verve

Michelene Rabbitt

Head of Sports & Music, Snowflake

Mickey Maher

Chief Revenue Officer, Vermillio

Mikael Wood

Music Writer, Los Angeles Times

Pepper Chiavacci

SVP, Product Management, Warner Bros. Discovery

Samuel Harowitz

SVP, Content Acquisition & Partnerships, Tubi

Sara Fischer

Senior Media Correspondent, Axios

Sarah Landy

SVP, Americas FUGA (a Downtown Company)

Stephen White

Chief Product Officer, EMPIRE

Tania Missad

EVP Research, Strategy & Analysis, Sony Pictures Television

Tim Ingham

Founder & Publisher, Music Business Worldwide

Tom Corson

Co – Chairman & COO, Warner Records

Vera Chien

Executive Director, Global Corporate Strategy & Insights, Warner Bros. Discovery

2025 Event Schedule

Programming for The Data + Entertainment Summit was comprised of a three-session morning program, designed to engage both music and film & TV attendees and two distinct break-out programs, comprised of four-session each, which ran simultaneously in the afternoon – one for Music, the other for Film & TV.

Each session topic was designed to expand our understanding of how entertainment will leverage the trillions of data points and intelligent technology at its disposal to achieve a more informed and prosperous future.

Sessions ran from 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM with registration and breakfast opening at 9:00 AM. Please select a track below to view the schedule for 2025.

9:00am

10:00am

Registration & Breakfast

Registration Hall, Sunset Foyer & Patio
Join us starting at 9am for registration and breakfast to fuel you for the day.
10:00am

10:05am

Welcome

Sunset Ballroom
10:05am

10:50am

The Real Impact of Artificial Intelligence on Entertainment

Sunset Ballroom
Alex Heath
Alex Heath
Processed with Lensa with Magic Correction
Katja Reitemeyer
Michelene Rabbitt
Michelene Rabbitt
Mickey Maher
Mickey Maher
Crossover Session with Music and Film & TV

From vetting scripts to writing them and from creating sound-alike tracks to gaming the algorithms to make sure they get played, AI has already permeated the fabric and processes of our industry. This panel will discuss the repercussions and the future state of entertainment in a post-AI world.
10:50am

11:05am

Coffee & Networking

Sunset Foyer
11:05am

11:50am

The Current E-Investment Climate

Sunset Ballroom
Ari Untracht
Ari Untracht
Processed with VSCO with kp8 preset
Brad Sharp
John M. Mass
John M. Mass
Lior Tibon
Lior Tibon
Crossover Session with Music and Film & TV

This panel will discuss the state of IP and catalog valuations as well as their entertainment investment outlook for the coming year.
11:50am

12:35pm

Brand Partnerships Beyond the Gut – Exploring the data-driven selection, valuation & measurable impact on brands of entertainment talent, content and properties

Sunset Ballroom
Dea Lawrence
Dea Lawrence
Aaron Frank
Aaron Frank
Brandon Rieck
Brandon Rieck
Mahta Eghbali
Mahta Eghbali
Crossover Session with Music and Film & TV

As media costs continue to rise and the speed of global trends accelerates, the risk of failure from a misguided creative “hunch” that drives artist/brand partnerships is simply too great. These decisions require data and sophisticated analysis to verify, value and validate the entertainment content, properties and personalities qualified to speak for leading brands. This multi-perspective panel will discuss these complex relationships and the data-driven process that forges them.
12:35pm

1:35pm

Lunch

Sunset Foyer
Join us starting at 12:35pm for lunch.
1:35pm

1:45pm

Welcome Back

Sunset Ballroom
1:45pm

2:30pm

Fans of Steel: How “Superfans” Can Save the Music Industry

Sunset Ballroom A
Jem Aswad
Jem Aswad
Dani Russin
Dani Russin
Jim Roppo
Jim Roppo
Mag Rodriguez
Mag Rodriguez
There are fans of an artist, and then there are “superfans” –– those that will attend multiple concerts, like every post, and buy every vinyl color. In this session, our panel will discuss how the music industry can utilize the passion and power of “superfans” to generate new monetary opportunities.
2:30pm

3:15pm

Global Transmissions and Emerging Markets

Sunset Ballroom A
Hannah Karp
Hannah Karp
Brandon Silverstein
Brandon Silverstein
Sarah Landy
Sarah Landy
created by photogrid
Stephen White
K-pop, Reggaeton and Afrobeats all share similar success stories of global trends that broke out from regional scenes. Not only is new music coming from more unexpected places, new markets, like MENA, are offering incredible growth opportunities for global players. Our panel of international experts will discuss both sides of this global equation and consider the next disruptions.
3:15pm

3:30pm

Break

Sunset Foyer
3:30pm

4:15pm

Cheat Codes: How Music Artists Can Utilize Gaming

Sunset Ballroom A
Mikael Wood
Mikael Wood
Alex Tarrand
Alex Tarrand
Emily Levy
Emily Levy
Marie Clausen
Marie Clausen
The days of “Guitar Hero” are long gone, but music and gaming are more intertwined than ever. This session will cover the myriad of ways that artists can utilize gaming to reach more fans, find new creative avenues, and develop reliable revenue streams.
4:15pm

5:00pm

Flipping the Record: How Labels Are Adapting to a New Music Industry

Sunset Ballroom A
Tim Ingham
Tim Ingham
Ben Adelson
Ben Adelson
Larry Jackson
Larry Jackson
Tom Corson
Tom Corson
The music industry is a famously volatile and ever-changing business, and it’s the job of record labels to keep up. This session’s panel of industry leaders will break down how labels are evolving and adapting to the latest generation of disruptions, from globalization to gaming.
5:00pm

5:05pm

Closing Comments

Sunset Ballroom
5:05pm

7:05pm

Cocktail Hour & Networking

Juniper Garden
Join us in the Juniper Garden for cocktails and networking.
9:00am

10:00am

Registration & Breakfast

Registration Hall, Sunset Foyer & Patio
Join us starting at 9am for registration and breakfast to fuel you for the day.
10:00am

10:05am

Welcome

Sunset Ballroom

The Real Impact of Artificial Intelligence on Entertainment

Sunset Ballroom
Alex Heath
Alex Heath
Processed with Lensa with Magic Correction
Katja Reitemeyer
Michelene Rabbitt
Michelene Rabbitt
Mickey Maher
Mickey Maher
Crossover Session with Music and Film & TV

From vetting scripts to writing them and from creating sound-alike tracks to gaming the algorithms to make sure they get played, AI has already permeated the fabric and processes of our industry. This panel will discuss the repercussions and the future state of entertainment in a post-AI world.
10:05am

10:50am
10:50am

11:05am

Coffee & Networking

Sunset Foyer

The Current E-Investment Climate

Sunset Ballroom
Ari Untracht
Ari Untracht
Processed with VSCO with kp8 preset
Brad Sharp
John M. Mass
John M. Mass
Lior Tibon
Lior Tibon
Crossover Session with Music and Film & TV

This panel will discuss the state of IP and catalog valuations as well as their entertainment investment outlook for the coming year.
11:05am

11:50am

Brand Partnerships Beyond the Gut – Exploring the data-driven selection, valuation & measurable impact on brands of entertainment talent, content and properties

Sunset Ballroom
Dea Lawrence
Dea Lawrence
Aaron Frank
Aaron Frank
Brandon Rieck
Brandon Rieck
Mahta Eghbali
Mahta Eghbali
Crossover Session with Music and Film & TV

As media costs continue to rise and the speed of global trends accelerates, the risk of failure from a misguided creative “hunch” that drives artist/brand partnerships is simply too great. These decisions require data and sophisticated analysis to verify, value and validate the entertainment content, properties and personalities qualified to speak for leading brands. This multi-perspective panel will discuss these complex relationships and the data-driven process that forges them.
11:50am

12:35pm
12:35pm

1:35pm

Lunch

Sunset Foyer
Join us starting at 12:35pm for lunch.
1:35pm

1:45pm

Welcome Back

Sunset Ballroom

The Rise of Global Storytelling

Sunset Ballroom B
Mark Hoebich
Mark Hoebich
Josh M. Berman
Josh M. Berman
Liz Friedman - 2022 Headshot
Liz Friedman
Melissa Darman
Melissa Darman
As streaming platforms continue to dominate viewing habits, the nature of storytelling in film and television is evolving. Gone are the days of a U.S.-centric entertainment industry—today’s most sought-after projects are those with a global footprint, designed to resonate across cultures and borders.
With major media companies shifting production resources toward streamers, the question arises: What makes a story truly global? From genre preferences to diverse casting, how are creators adapting to this worldwide audience shift? And why do some shows, like The Pitt on Max, defy the trend? Join a powerhouse panel of showrunners, producers, agents and industry insiders as they unpack the impact of global storytelling on the creative process, talent pipelines, and the future of entertainment.
1:45pm

2:30pm

Long-Form Content in a Short-Form World

Sunset Ballroom B
Andrew Wallenstein
Andrew Wallenstein
Adam Goodman
Adam Goodman
Erica Rupp
Erica Rupp
Joe Kessler's portrait at United Talent Agency in Beverly Hills, CA on Tuesday, October 24th, 2018.
Joe Kessler
Vera Chien
Vera Chien
How Streamers, Networks and Studios are adapting their creative and distribution strategies in a world where shorter-form content is taking up more and more mindshare on social platforms and beyond.
2:30pm

3:15pm
3:15pm

3:30pm

Break

Sunset Foyer

Navigating Streaming’s Uncharted Waters

Sunset Ballroom B
Sara Fischer
Sara Fischer
Hernan Lopez
Hernan Lopez
Pepper Chiavacci
Pepper Chiavacci
TEST
Samuel Harowitz
In recent years, video streaming has rapidly diversified away from simply being a business about selling subscriptions to on-demand content. Learn from top practitioners about expanding into FAST platforms, live content like major sporting events, advertising tiers, bundling partnerships, gaming extensions and off-platform experiential forays.
3:30pm

4:15pm

Creating Success in the New Entertainment Economy

Sunset Ballroom B
Dawn Chmielewski
Dawn Chmielewski
Jeanne Cotton
Jeanne Cotton
Julie Piepenkotter
Julie Piepenkotter
Tania Missad
Tania Missad
As the entertainment industry continues its rapid evolution, research and analytics are playing an increasingly crucial role in shaping strategy, negotiating deals, and defining success in a fragmented media landscape. This panel brings together top executives in research and insights from leading studios and networks to discuss how the industry is adapting to new challenges and opportunities.
4:15pm

5:00pm
5:00pm

5:05pm

Closing Comments

Sunset Ballroom
5:05pm

7:05pm

Cocktail Hour & Networking

Juniper Garden
Join us in the Juniper Garden for cocktails and networking.