Keynotes, pan­els & case studies

Speakers: Katrien De Hauwere, Communication & Film Commission at Screen Flanders (Belgium), Hugo Deghilage, Manager & Producer at Panique! (Belgium) & Viviane Vanfleteren, CEO & Producer at Vivi Film (Belgium)
Moderator: Christophe Erbes

We show case two standout, animated features: “The Polar Bear Prince” with Viviane Vanfleteren from Vivi Film and “Savages” with Hugo Deghilage from Panique! and learn how they successfully accessed local finance to bring them to the screen. We get an introduction and advice from Katrien Maes of Screen Flanders about how the 3 regional, 2 cultural funds, along with the Tax Shelter operate.

Speaker: Ylka Tapia, Con­tent Acqui­si­tions & Part­ner­ship Manager at El Reino Infantil (Spain)
Moderator: Emmanuèle Petry-Sirvin

As the platform “comes of age”, digital first is a much-used term today; but what does it involve? We hear from the Content Acquisitions and Partnership Manager and Executive Producer, Ylka Tapia, at one of the world’s most successful children’s YouTube Channels: El Reino Infantil. She shares valuable insights and top business tips.

Speakers: Vanessa Brookman, General Manager of Kids, Global Streaming and International Networks at Warner Bros. Discovery (United Kingdom), Julien Borde, President at Mediawan Kids & Family (France)
Moderator: Nico Franks

After a bruising few years for the market, never before has it been more important to put the European animation business under the spotlight. Respected C21 journalist Nico Franks provides an incisive and authoritative overview of the unprecedented changes the industry has witnessed. He talks to two leading executives from both sides of the industry, Warner Bros. Discovery’s General Manager of Kids, Global Streaming & International Networks, Vanessa Brookman, and Mediawan’s President of Kids & Family, Julien Borde, about their experiences and why there are positive outcomes and opportunities developing.

Speakers: Charlie Fink, Consultant/​Author at Forbes Media (USA), Cathal Gaffney, Brown Bag Films' Managing Director and 9 Story Media's COO (Ireland), & Lauri Saunders, ABRACA's representative (Belgium)
Moderator: John Lomas-Bullivant

The US Influential columnist and A.I. specialist, Charlie Fink, takes us stateside, with his inimitable overview of the industry, and counsels us not to wait to be run over or be consumed by fear. Embrace the changes. And seize the business opportunities.

That’s just what Brown Bag’s MD and COO of 9 Story Media, Cathal Gaffney, is doing, with an innovative, company wide A.I. strategy. While transparency is what Lauri Saunders from the Belgian Union, ABRACA, is seeking. Through an anonymous A.I. "tip line" hosted by ABRACA's A.I. taskforce, artists in Belgium’s animation industry are offered a safe place to report on any unfair and damaging practices.

Speaker: Alex Cameron, Direc­tor EMEA at Parrot Analytics (United Kingdom)
Moderator: Emmanuèle Petry-Sirvin

With revealing research and informative insights from Alex Cameron, EMEA’s Analytics Director, of premier research company, Parrot Analytics. Producers are turning to Parrot, for advice in assessing the value of their catalogue, and increasingly, in formulating business strategies for brand new IPs in a challenging marketplace.

Speakers: Timo Argillander, Manager Partner at IPR.VC Management (Finland), Hasham Khan, Managing Director and Founder at APB Advisory (United Kingdom) and Pierre de Fouquet (France)
Moderator: Christian Davin

At a time when an unprecedented number of companies are seeking investment, whether for gap, growth, or the sale of their companies, we talk to those smart minds at the cutting edge of finance and investment and ask, what is Private Equity and who are Venture Capitalists? How can you source their financing? What are the do’s and don’ts. And the top tips as to how best you can get investment ready?

Speaker: Jo Daris, CCO & Producer at Toon2Tango (Germany)
Moderator: John Lomas-Bullivant

In a Cartoon Business keynote, Jo Daris takes us on his industry journey to recent company investment, setting out what he’s learned along the way. He pulls no punches as to the challenges and pitfalls; but looks optimistically at how to achieve business growth and longevity.

Speakers: Anja Van Mensel, CEO at Studio 100 Benelux (Belgium), & Martin Krieger, CEO at Studio 100 International (Germany)
Moderator: Emmanuèle Petry-Sirvin

CEO’s Anja Van Mensel, in Belgium and Martin Krieger in Germany, take us through the company’s remarkable story and provide their observations of the business challenges but also the opportunities in today’s marketplace. They share what they’re looking for and how best to interact with them.

Speakers: Telidja Klaï, Content Manager at VRT-Ketnet (Belgium), Alexander Kmet, Development Specialist at Slovak Television and Radio (STVR) (Slovakia), Pierre Siracusa, Animation & Young Audience at France Télévisions (FTV) (France) & Patricia Vasapollo, Head of Family and Fiction at Hessischer Rundfunk (HR) (Germany)
Moderator: Christian Davin

How can they compete for fragmented audiences and adapt to the present financial challenges? How important are digital and cross-media initiatives? Why flexibility and collaboration are increasingly important. And what words of comfort or advice can they give to producers in their hour of need?

Speaker: Lydia Mossahebi, Head of Dig­i­tal Media, Plat­forms and Planning at BBC (United Kingdom)
Moderator: Emmanuèle Petry-Sirvin

The latest initiative has been with Roblox and Lydia Mossahebi, Head of Digital Media, Platforms and Planning gives us an informative and entertaining, “inside guide” - sharing what’s working and what are the challenges, with some valuable takeaways for any producers and studios looking to interact and do business with the influential online gaming platform.

Speakers: Alix Wiseman, SVP of Sales and Acquisitions at 9 Story Media Group (Ireland), Edward Galton, CEO, CCO and Managing Director at Cake Entertainment (United Kingdom) & Julia Weber, Managing Director at Epsilon Film (Germany)
Moderator: Christophe Erbes

We hear from three major executives who have made business headlines this year, despite the odds, with 9 Story Media Group joining the Scholastic family, Epsilon Film achieving investment and Cake Entertainment buying another company’s catalogue. Sharing their insights and business acumen are Alix Wiseman from 9 Story Media Group, Edward Galton from Cake Entertainment and Julia Weber from Epsilon Film.

Speaker: Martin Juza, Co Founder, Producer, and CEO at Krutart (Czech Republic)
Moderator: John Lomas-Bullivant

Once a creative, now Martin Juza has transitioned into a full-time CEO, growing the company with a diversified approach, initially creating immersive experiences, and financing his development and IP ambitions with the proceeds. Investment is next on his impressive list.

Speakers: Katrin Ann Orbeta, Creative Director, Author & Co-founder at Mash&Co (France), Lucas Perin, Audiovisual Advisor at Centre national du cinéma et de l'image animée (CNC) (France), Helene Ratti, Accelerator Manager at Bpifrance (France) & Eliza Jäppinen, Head of IP Development and Developer Relations at Dot Play (USA)
Moderator: Christophe Erbes

Providing insights into how the innovative French Accelerator Programme operates, a ground-breaking partnership between the CNC and Bpifrance, the French Public Investment Bank; hear the first-hand experiences of founder and producer of Mash & Co, Katrin Orbeta, who has majorly grown her skills and company thanks to numerous accelerator programmes across Europe and internationally. And we learn about a new accelerator fund, Dot Play, working in transmedia, by Eliza Jappinen, Dot Play’s head of IP development, and their application of Polkadot blockchain technology, as a business financing structure.

Moderator: John Lomas-Bullivant

An entertaining and informative “End of the Show” Round Table, with surprising questions and revealing answers from a cross section of Cartoon Business’ eminent speakers. With audience participation and Q&A.