The Financial Times has announced the roster of senior executives who will appear at its upcoming Business of Entertainment Summit, scheduled to take place in Los Angeles this September. Among the speakers are top representatives from the video‑game sector—David Tinson, President and Chief Operating Officer of Electronic Arts (EA), and Tian Xiao, Head of North American Partnerships at Tencent Games—who will sit alongside a distinguished lineup of leaders from traditional media powerhouses such as Netflix, Sony Pictures, NBCUniversal and the parent company of UFC and WWE, TKO Group. GamesIndustry.biz is serving as a promotional partner for the event, working in conjunction with its parent organization, IGNE Entertainment, to bring the gathering to a wider audience. The summit is billed as a deep‑dive into the "forces reshaping entertainment," and it will convene decision‑makers from every corner of the industry to examine how the landscape is evolving.
Topics on the agenda include the mechanics of media dealmaking in an increasingly fragmented market, the construction and management of franchise ecosystems that span games, film, television and live experiences, and the growing cultural influence of entertainment products on a global scale. Participants will also explore how live‑event formats are being reimagined, the role artificial intelligence may play in crafting more immersive fan interactions, and the future pathways for monetising content across multiple platforms. During the summit, David Tinson will take part in a panel dedicated to cross‑medium entertainment. The discussion will bring together executives from Universal Entertainment as well as representatives from narrative‑driven production house Madison Wells, focusing on how intellectual property can flow seamlessly between video games, movies, series and other formats.
Tian Xiao will contribute to a separate session that looks at the worldwide surge of Asian cultural exports, highlighting how games and other media from the region are gaining traction in markets that were once dominated by Western content. Keynote addresses will feature several high‑profile figures.
Bela Bajaria, Chief Content Officer at Netflix, will share insights on the streaming giant’s strategy for original programming and its approach to global distribution. Mark Shapiro, President and Chief Operating Officer of TKO Group, will discuss the convergence of sports, combat entertainment and digital media.
Ravi Ahuja, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Sony Pictures, will outline the studio’s vision for integrating film, television and interactive experiences, while David Lee, Chief Financial Officer of Webtoon, will speak about the monetisation of digital comics and the potential for cross‑platform storytelling. In addition to the keynote speakers, the summit will host a broad array of panelists and contributors.
Executives from Amazon Prime Video, the Los Angeles Dodgers, Disney and Regal Global Entertainment are slated to participate, offering perspectives that span streaming services, sports franchises, theme‑park operators and cinema chains. Representatives from major talent agencies—including Creative Artists Agency (CAA), United Talent Agency (UTA) and Verve Talent & Literary Agency—will also be on hand to discuss talent representation in an era where creators often wear multiple hats across media formats. The event promises extensive networking opportunities as well. Attendees will include senior leaders from companies such as EA, Pokémon, Apple, Netflix, Sony Pictures and Paramount, creating a fertile environment for cross‑industry collaboration.
The presence of talent‑agency officials further underscores the summit’s focus on the business side of content creation, from deal negotiation to talent acquisition. Tickets for the Business of Entertainment Summit are now on sale, with options for both virtual participation and in‑person attendance at the West Hollywood venue. GamesIndustry.biz readers are eligible for a 20 % discount on the registration fee.
To claim the reduced rate, readers can either apply the promotional code GIB20 during checkout or follow the dedicated discount link provided by the site. This incentive aims to encourage a larger portion of the gaming community to engage with the broader entertainment conversation, fostering a more integrated understanding of how games intersect with film, television, sports and live events. Overall, the summit represents a rare convergence of leaders from the interactive and linear entertainment sectors, offering a platform to explore shared challenges and emerging opportunities. By bringing together executives from video‑game publishers, streaming platforms, major studios, sports organisations and talent agencies, the Financial Times hopes to spark dialogue that will shape the next wave of entertainment innovation.
Whether you are a studio executive, a game developer, a content creator, or a media‑industry analyst, the Business of Entertainment Summit provides a unique chance to hear directly from the architects of today’s most influential cultural products and to gain insight into the strategies that will define the future of global entertainment.