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Leila Martine

Leila Martine, Director of New Devices, Microsoft UK is responsible for introducing new, innovative products to market, including HoloLens.

Leila is well placed to discuss Mixed Reality (MR), the intersection between the real and virtual worlds and how this technology is already driving transformation for customers today across a broad range of industries and scenarios.

Leila has held several senior positions at Microsoft where she has been responsible for leading business units. This has included leading the Central & Eastern Europe’s Server business and UK’s Windows Consumer and Windows Phone businesses.

Dave Ranyard

Dave is a self confessed VR pioneer and the CEO of an independent virtual reality studio, Dream Reality Interactive. The studio is based in London, where the largest concentration of VR developers outside Silicon Valley are to be found and its mission is to create intuitive virtual reality experiences with deeper challenge and social play. Dave is excited about the future of VR and is keen for the studio to concentrate on a multi-platform approach.

Prior to this, Dave was the director of Sony’s London Studio, where he oversaw Sony’s critically acclaimed ventures into the world of virtual reality on PlayStation. Recent demos include Ocean Descent, The London Heist and The Getaway, exhibited around the world at key games industry events such as E3, GDC and Gamescom and are to be part of the premium PlayStation VR retail package, known as VR worlds.

Having, studied at Leeds University, Dave obtained a 1st in computer science and PhD in artificial intelligence. Prior to becoming London Studio head he has been a research fellow, programmer, audio manager & musician, creative services manager, executive producer (SingStar & Wonderbook) and has released a number of dance records.

Dave is also an active member of the game development industry, holding positions on the BAFTA Games Committee, the Game Developers Conference (San Francisco) and the Virtual Reality World Congress.

Sol Rogers

Sol Rogers founded REWIND, an immersive content agency, in 2011 after growing demands for his professional work pulled him away from 15 years as a University Senior Lecturer in Digital Animation, Visual Effects & Emerging Technology.

Sol has grown REWIND into an award winning tribe of vibrant creative technologists and digital artists. The team is focused on harnessing immersive technologies to deliver groundbreaking VR, AR, Animation, DOOH, VFX and 360 degree video projects for some of the world’s largest companies and brands including the BBC, NBC, Nike, Sony, Red Bull, Rolls-Royce and Björk.

Awarded by the UK government the inaugural ‘Immersive Reality and Innovation’ award in 2015 by Lord Marlon, and named as ‘BIMA 100’ most influential in 2016. Sol’s knowledge of VR production combined with his evangelical enthusiasm for this new industry has seen him invited to speak at conferences the world over, interviewed for TV and write for magazines and newspapers.

Christopher O’Reilly

Christopher O’Reilly is the co-founder and Executive Creative Director of Nexus and its interactive division Nexus Interactive Arts. He leads creative development across the studio. After living in Japan, he initiated international collaborations with legendary Japanese anime directors Oshii Mamoru (Ghost in the Shell) and Koji Morimoto (Memories) before co-founding the London based studio.  A graduate of English Literature from Oxford University, Christopher has a keen interest in storytelling, particularly in the challenging new spaces of VR and interactive film.

Nexus’ is a 200-seat animation studio based in London creating highly innovative cross-platform stories.  Their extensive linear work in film, TV series and commercials includes the Oscar nominated short This Way Up, a Grammy nominated music video, as well as two Cannes Grand Prix winning commercials and several coveted yellow and black D&AD Pencils.  Their interactive division Nexus Interactive Arts creates engaging interactive experiences.  Credits include Google’s Made with Code initiative for which they installed the Holiday Lights at The White House, an Augmented Reality exhibit at CES, and many interactive installations for museums and galleries.  Together they are exploring interactive film and virtual reality, including a new soon to be released 360-film for Google’s Spotlight Stories.

Zillah Watson

A former current affairs producer, works as editorial lead on future content and storytelling projects for BBC Research & Development.

Current projects include developing VR and immersive journalism for news/current affairs; curation of web content; and developing web-native ways to explore dramas and soaps.

Zillah produced and curated Alistair Cooke’s Letter from America archive for BBC Radio 4, which was nominated for a Sony Award.

She was head of editorial standards for BBC Radio 4 for five years.

Karen Boswell

Interactive Lead, Adam&Eve

Karen is the Interactive Lead at adam&eveDDB, here to ensure innovative thinking is integrated across all disciplines. She has over 10 years of experience covering the full marketing spectrum and specialises in enabling digital brand transformation. Using technology as an enabler, Karen will plan, shape and lead strategies that sit within a wider marketing mix to ensure the solution is one that seamlessly works in a world where the customer relationship is always on. Karen is a regular speaker at industry panel events and a winner at the 2016 Women of Tomorrow Awards.

Simon Benson

Director – Immersive Technology Group, Sony Interactive Entertainment Worldwide Studios

Simon Benson is the Director of the Immersive Technology Group within Sony Interactive Entertainment Worldwide Studios (SIE WWS) and is a founder member of the PlayStation®VR project team.

Simon began his career as a simulation engineer, creating advanced military flight simulators and Formula 1™ motor racing simulators.  He later joined Sony Computer Entertainment where he worked initially in game development on PlayStation®2 titles such as the World Rally Championship series. Other early career highlights included producing PlayStation®3 launch titles such as MotorStorm™.

Simon has been with SCE for close on 16 years. In his current role, he heads up a team of specialists, researching and developing new technologies to bring high levels of immersion to PlayStation®.  Simon’s team have been heavily involved in the development of PlayStation®VR hardware and system integration from inception. Part of their role involves advising developers on best practices for the creation of VR content.

Michael Hjorth

Chairman of the Board

Board member since: 2007

Born: 1963

Education: Film degree from Bard College, New York

Background: Michael is one of the founder of the Swedish production company Tre Vänner , today part of SF studios.  He is a writer/producer and veteran in the Scandinavian media industry and  has created several television hits, produced over 400 commercials, and has executive produced over ten feature film movies and directed two himself.

He is also a  bestselling crime writer and have, together with Hans Rosenfeldt ( the creator of The bridge TV series) ,   written five bestselling books about Criminal Psychologist Sebastian Bergman.  To date, they have been sold on 32 markets including in the U.S.

Neil Graham

Executive Producer, Sky VR Studios

Neil is Executive Producer at Sky VR Studios, the dedicated, in-house Virtual Reality (VR) production unit established by Sky in 2016. Neil is responsible for the creation of immersive Virtual Reality experiences across news, sports and entertainment, leading a team of directors and production staff with rare and valuable experience of VR film making.

Neil joined Sky in 2005, and has held a number of roles across Sky Movies, most recently as Executive Producer for Sky Movies and On Demand, working on the latest broadcast technologies, including 3D.

Before joining Sky, Neil worked for Mersey TV.

Andre Assalino

I’m a combination of Creative Director and Technical Director. Within MPC, I’m responsible for developing and leading the delivery of concepts built around technology-based solutions for clients’ creative and business challenges, across the digital, mobile and VR/experiential landscape.

With over 15 years of experience, I’ve worked for some of the top advertising agencies worldwide, including Isobar, Agency Republic, Publicis Chemistry and VCCP. Prior to joining MPC, I led three different Creative Technology departments, including the one at VCCP where, as Creative Technology Director, I managed a team of 11 technologists and created innovative work for brands such as Microsoft, O2, The Times, Hiscox and EasyJet.

Throughout my career, I’ve created award-winning websites, apps and interactive installations, using everything from VR headsets to custom controllers, object & sound recognition and motion & gesture tracking.

Greg Ivanov

Greg Ivanov leads rollout of Daydream across EMEA. Prior to this, Greg was a Strategic Partner Lead for Mobile Partnerships EMEA at Google.  Before joining Google, Greg was the Head of Digital for Project Syndicate where he worked on international content partnerships in regards to proprietary digital products.