Hollywood producer and US Special Envoy to the UK Mark Burnett, former Meta President of Global Affairs Nick Clegg, and FX Chairman John Landgraf are among the first wave of high-profile speakers for the Royal Television Society (RTS)’s Cambridge Convention 2025.
Entitled Where Do We Grow From Here?, BBC Director-General Tim Davie will chair the biennial event, which will see creative, executive and political leaders gather at King’s College, Cambridge on September 17 and 18.
The two-day convention will be dedicated to identifying the opportunities and pathways to growth for the television industry, while addressing some of the common challenges facing the creative sector.
Burnett, Clegg and Landgraf will be joined by other speakers including Jonathan Allan, interim CEO of Channel 4; Ed Balls and George Osborne, former government ministers and Co-Hosts of the Political Currency podcast; Baroness Shriti Vadera, Chair of the Creative Industries Council; Anthony Wood, Founder and CEO of Roku; and Jeff Zucker, CEO, Redbird IMI and former President of CNN Worldwide.
The RTS will also welcome back Dame Carolyn McCall, CEO, ITV; Sarah Rose, President, Channel 5 and UK Regional Lead; and Dana Strong, CEO, Sky Group.
Theresa Wise, CEO of the Royal Television Society, said: “The 2025 Cambridge Convention comes at a pivotal moment for our sector, and this year’s theme is one the whole industry is wrestling with. That is why it’s so important to convene the industry, listen to the insights of our extraordinary speakers and debate the issues. We are thrilled to be working with the BBC and look forward to partnering on what will be a stimulating programme.”
Tim Davie, Director-General, BBC said: “I’m honoured that for the first time in a decade the BBC will again chair the RTS Cambridge Convention.
“We are at a critical moment for the UK creative economy, with shifts in audience behaviour, changes to business models, and big questions about funding and the impact of technology. Our theme - Where Do We Grow From Here? – looks to the future and how we can drive sustainable growth for our world-class sector.”
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