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 most notable additions are representatives from two of the world’s largest video‑game companies—Electronic Arts (EA) and Tencent Games—who will share the stage with high‑profile leaders from traditional media giants such as Netflix, Sony Pictures, NBCUniversal, and the parent company of UFC and WWE, TKO Group. GamesIndustry.biz, together with its parent organization IGNE Entertainment, is serving as a promotional partner for the event, helping to amplify its reach within the interactive‑media community. The summit is billed as a deep‑dive into the "forces reshaping entertainment," bringing together visionaries from every corner of the entertainment ecosystem.
Attendees can expect a broad agenda that covers the evolving landscape of media dealmaking, the construction and management of franchise ecosystems, the growing global cultural influence of entertainment products, the resurgence of live‑event experiences, the emerging role of artificial intelligence in crafting fan‑centric interactions, and the future pathways for monetising content across multiple platforms. One of the headline panels will feature David Tinson, who serves as President and Chief Operating Officer at EA.
Tinson will sit alongside senior figures from Universal Entertainment and the narrative‑driven production house Madison Wells to discuss the concept of cross‑medium entertainment—how stories and intellectual property can flow fluidly between video games, film, television, and emerging formats such as virtual‑reality experiences. Their conversation is expected to explore case studies ranging from blockbuster game‑to‑film adaptations to original transmedia projects that leverage the unique strengths of each medium. Another key discussion will be led by Tian Xiao, Head of North American Partnerships at Tencent Games.
Xiao will address a panel focused on the global ascendancy of Asian cultural exports, examining how Chinese, Korean, and broader Asian creators are influencing worldwide entertainment trends. Topics will include the strategic partnerships Tencent has forged with Western publishers, the localization of Asian titles for Western audiences, and the ways in which Asian storytelling sensibilities are reshaping narrative expectations across the industry. The summit’s keynote lineup is equally impressive.
Bela Bajaria, Chief Content Officer at Netflix, will share insights on the streaming giant’s content strategy, including how data‑driven decision‑making fuels original programming and how Netflix is navigating the competitive streaming landscape. Mark Shapiro, President and COO of TKO Group, will discuss the convergence of sports, combat entertainment, and digital media, highlighting the synergies between live events and on‑demand streaming.
Ravi Ahuja, Chairman and CEO of Sony Pictures, will outline Sony’s vision for integrating film, television, and interactive entertainment under a unified brand umbrella. Additionally, David Lee, Chief Financial Officer of Webtoon, will provide a perspective on the monetisation of digital comics and the role of short‑form visual storytelling in the broader entertainment economy.
Beyond the keynotes, the agenda includes a diverse set of speakers from Amazon Prime Video, the Los Angeles Dodgers, Disney, and Regal Global Entertainment, among others. This breadth ensures that participants will hear from stakeholders representing both the content creation side and the distribution side of the industry, offering a holistic view of how entertainment is being re‑engineered for a multi‑platform world.
Industry networking will also be a central component of the event. Executives from companies such as EA, Pokémon, Apple, Netflix, Sony Pictures, and Paramount are slated to attend, alongside senior representatives from leading talent agencies like Creative Artists Agency (CAA), United Talent Agency (UTA), and Verve Talent & Literary Agency. These gatherings are designed to foster collaboration, spark new partnership opportunities, and enable deal‑makers to explore cross‑industry ventures that could define the next decade of entertainment. 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 special 20 percent discount when they apply the promotional code GIB20 at checkout or follow the dedicated discount link provided by the organizer. This reduced rate is intended to encourage more members of the interactive‑media community to join the conversation and benefit from the insights shared by the world’s leading entertainment executives.
In summary, the FT Business of Entertainment Summit promises to be a pivotal gathering where the most influential voices from gaming, streaming, film, sports, and live‑event sectors converge to discuss the transformative trends shaping the future of entertainment. Whether you are a content creator, a platform operator, a talent representative, or a technology innovator, the summit offers a rare opportunity to gain strategic perspectives, forge valuable connections, and stay ahead of the rapidly evolving entertainment landscape.