Meet the Judges

13 November 2025. 7:30-9:30pm
Canary Wharf, London

In partnership with

Adam Jacobs

Creative Director
Quintus Studios

Adam is Creative Director at Berlin based Quintus Studios where he oversees the commissioning of Quintus Originals, predominantly working with independent producers, freelancers and video journalists to create compelling non-fiction content for the digital Quintus channel network. Working closely with filmmakers on their projects, he is executive producer on all Quintus Original productions, shaping the direction, narrative and storylines of each project.

Previously, Adam was a documentary buyer, executive producer, development consultant and commissioner, with 20 years’ experience of unscripted content at broadcasters and production companies, including a decade long stint at Discovery Channel where he held several senior positions, including executive producer and Director of Programming. With a background in specialist factual and factual entertainment, he has a passion for arts, culture, fashion and music-based films, developing his own slate of ideas in this space.

Andre Sousa

Head of Social Media, iPlayer and BBC Three
BBC

Andre Sousa is a social media and digital content leader with over 12 years of experience delivering high-impact campaigns across television, digital, and social platforms.
As Head of Social Media for iPlayer and BBC Three, Andre leads strategy to connect BBC content with UK audiences, especially under-35s, through culturally resonant, platform-native storytelling. He has driven the social media success of major titles including The Traitors, Drag Race UK, Gladiators, Doctor Who, Amandaland, and Gavin and Stacey.

Andre is known for championing bold creative ideas and using strategic experimentation to grow reach and relevance. With a background spanning production and digital, he bridges editorial storytelling with audience growth, helping public service content thrive across iPlayer and the BBC’s social ecosystem.

Annika Allen Gray

Head Diversity, Equity & Inclusion
All3Media

Annika Allen Gray is a trailblazer in Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging (DEIB), currently leading DE&I at All3Media, one of the world’s largest TV production groups. With a career rooted in television, she began her journey at Cactus TV before holding roles at TalkbackThames, Maverick, and RDF Television. Her work has consistently focused on amplifying underrepresented voices both on and off screen, and today she drives strategic inclusion initiatives across the global production landscape.

She has prior experience shaping global DE&I strategy at Barclays, where she has a proven track record of building inclusive cultures, creating equitable frameworks, and empowering underrepresented talent. In addition to her corporate leadership, Annika is the co-founder of The Black Magic Awards, Black Leaders in TV, and Join Our Table—initiatives that celebrate and elevate Black professionals in media, advertising and communications industries.

Arren Stromboli

Senior Production Executive
Paramount

Arren Stromboli is a seasoned Production Management professional with 20 years’ experience in television, digital and streaming platforms. His versatile career spans documentary, reality, comedy, entertainment, drama, and music. Arren has worked across a wide range of environments including location, live & virtual studio settings and large scale outside broadcast to deliver dynamic content, with time and budget efficiency.

Since joining Paramount in 2017, Arren has played a crucial role in the commissioning of original content, responsible for the negotiation & approval of budgets, commercial terms and programme finance for Channel 5 and Paramount portfolio labels MTV, Comedy Central, and Paramount+. Known for his collaborative, down to earth approach and operational expertise, Arren excels at aligning creative ambition with production excellence and strong stakeholder & client relationships.

Recently, Arren lead industry wide negotiations to secure a catalogue of content for the launch of the Channel’s FAST streaming service, as part of the channel’s rebrand and digital expansion.

Holding a BA Hons in Media and Communications, Arren remains passionate about production and enthusiastic about the potential of new platforms and emerging technologies to shape the future while preserving the principals of the production of rich, ethical & compelling content.

Asma Shah

Founder & CEO
You Make It

Asma Shah was raised on a Peckham council estate with her late mother and three elder sisters but has been a resident of Tower Hamlets for her whole adult life. After struggles in formal education because of home life challenges, she went on to gain a BA and then MA in Modern History from Queen Mary University. She is the Founding CEO of You Make It and innovated its first programme for women back in 2011, as well as its anti racism allyship programme for employers in 2020. Her commitment to You Make It and its social change agenda has been recognised in the Financial Times in an article which featured her as an 'Architect of Meritocracy', and in The Independent newspaper's 'Happy List', as well as in a range of other print and broadcast media.

She was previously Partnership Consultant for Minor Entertainment; Director with Faction Films (her film Modernising Madrassas was premiered at the London International Documentary Festival); Director of 11 short films about careers in the creative and media industries for Islington Education; Music Pathfinder Manager for the Roundhouse; Talent Adviser at Channel 4; London Development Manager for what is now Screen Skills; and a Policy Adviser for what is now the National Lottery Communities Fund.

Asma is a 2008/9 Fellow of the Clore Leadership Programme, which gave her experiences of working in arts and social change projects in Cape Town and Rio. She is also an Accredited Coach, a public speaker on issues around leadership and marginalisation, an Advisor on the Mayor of London’s EDI Group, and board member of Dialled In, a spotlight for South Asian artistry.

Beejal Patel

Commissioning Editor, Documentaries
BBC

Beejal-Maya Patel is a commissioning editor at BBC Documentaries and oversees a range of programmes across BBC One, Two and Three including the award-winning series Sort Your Life Out, Stacey and Joe and Change Your Mind, Change Your Life on BBC One. Lucan, Parole and Forensics: The Real CSI on BBC Two, and Boxsets like High: Surviving a Dubai Drugs Bust and Paranormal on BBC Three. She also runs the BBC’s New Directors initiative, commissioning impactful singles such as the BAFTA award-winning Defending Digga D.

Ben Doyle

Co-Founder & Director
After Party Studios

Ben Doyle is a renowned film director and the co-founder of creative production company After Party Studios. He ideates and creates culturally relevant ads, content and online films that online audiences want to share - be it through clips on socials or meme’s in a WhatsApp group chat.

Innovating hand in hand with the world’s biggest platforms, brands and talent, his creative work includes break-out campaigns for the likes of Sky, Netflix, Revolut, Adidas, and Channel 4.0.

He regularly collaborates with the likes of Jude Bellingham, Munya Chawawa, Amelia Dimoldenberg, Sidemen and Luke Littler and was also behind the global smash feature-length documentary KSI: Can’t Lose for Sony Pictures.

Having started out at ad agency BBH London, Ben launched After Party Studios in 2016 after a chance meeting with co-founder and YouTube creator Callux. Their vision was to create content with premium production values that unites the worlds of traditional and digital media, all underpinned by engaging storytelling and good craft - something that remains the same to this day.

Benjamin Field

Founder & Executive Producer
Deep Fusion Films

Benjamin Field is an award-winning producer and director with two decades experience in the development and execution of specialist factual and formats. He is known for his work on The Girl Who’s Allergic to Herself for Sky TV, My Life: I’m Leading the Dance for the BBC and is recognized as a technical pioneer for the inventive use of ‘deep fake’ technology in screen media showcased by the recent intimate ITV/Britbox feature doc Gerry Anderson: A Life Uncharted about the life of the brilliant yet troubled creator of iconic TV show, Thunderbirds.

Deep Fusion Films recently produced a pioneering podcast series Virtually Parkinson hosted by an AI replica of the late Sir Michael Parkinson launched early this year. This project has galvanised the company’s position at the forefront of ethical creative applications of AI. As one of the only UK producers to have successfully used the technology in television, film and podcasting, he contributes to multiple industry trade bodies in the UK & US to help develop the framework, legislation and policy on the inclusion of Artificial Intelligence in broadcast content.

Benjamin is a champion of diversity in the media industry and frequently appears as a guest on podcasts and BBC News as a trusted source for the latest thinking and insights on the application, potential and ethics of Artificial Intelligence within television and film. His company, Deep Fusion Films, is a full-scale independent production company forged at the interface of technology, creativity and human stories.

Bhavit Chandrani

Director
BE Studio

Bhav Chandrani is Director of BE Studio, from ITV, heading up sponsorship, AFE (ad funded entertainment), creative partnerships, social branded content and partnerships innovation for ITV's Commercial team.

With over 25 years in the industry, Bhav's passion is in creatively bringing together the worlds of programming and advertising to make meaningful, entertaining campaigns for brands and viewers. Bhav leads ITV's commercial relationship with other media brands such as X, Global Radio and TikTok.

Bhav is a founding member of the diversity network MeFA (Media For All) and Board Director of Metavision.

Bronagh Monahan

Co-Founder
MonRae Management & Productions

Bronagh Monahan is the co-founder of MonRae, a leading talent management company she launched with business partner Elspeth Rae. Together, they represent some of the world’s most influential digital creators, including DanTDM, Yammy, TommyInnit & Julie Lin.

Described by Grazia as “a quiet powerhouse in the world of digital talent,” Bronagh began her career at Gleam Futures UK, where she helped shape the careers of major YouTubers such as Caspar Lee and Victoria Magrath. She later joined BBC Studios as a consultant at digital label 'TalentWorks' where she developed and produced content with high-profile names like Eddie Hearn, Amelia Dimoldenberg, and Burna Boy.

Catriona White

Digital Commissioning Executive
Channel 4

Catriona White is a Digital Commissioning Executive at Channel 4, where she commissions original social-first content across a range of genres, from documentaries to entertainment. She is commissioning lead on C4’s recently launched recipe channel, 'Channel 4 Served'.

Prior to Channel 4, she spent two years at LADbible developing, producing, and directing across a slate of legacy YouTube-first formats at LADbible, including Minutes With, The Gap and Snack Wars. Prior to that she held senior development roles at broadcasters like BBC Three, as well as independent production companies including Love Productions and Twofour.

David Smyth

Commissioning Editor, Entertainment
ITV

David Smyth is a Commissioner in the Entertainment team at ITV, a role he's held for 6 years. He's responsible for shows such as The Assembly, In For a Penny and The Royal Variety Performance. He's also commissioned a series of documentaries such as John & Joe Bishop: Life After Deaf, Adam Lambert: Out, Loud and Proud and will i am: The Blackprint.

Prior to Commissioning, David produced shows such as The Voice, Love Island, Strictly Come Dancing, Come Dine With Me and Children in Need.

Elspeth Rae

Co-Founder
MonRae Management & Productions

With over 12 years experience producing and managing cultural events across the UK, I spent 2015-2018 at Endemol Shine UK working closely with digital talent, influencers and in-house production teams, to create global touring events and spin off SVOD series.

Utilising our unparalleled experience working with digital talent and with a particular focus on the live sphere, in June 2018, alongside Tom Greenwood-Mears, I launched the new digital talent focussed label Cut and Mustard, part of Endemol Shine UK.

As of September 2019, I went freelance and set up The Creator Project Ltd., independently managing DanTDM and Adam Savage.

In 2021, Bronagh Monahan and I founded MonRae Management, a bespoke, independent talent management company, launching MonRae Productions in the same year. We represent some of the world's biggest and most influential digital first talent.

Emile Nawagamuwa

Commissioning Editor
UKTV

Emile is a Commissioning Editor at UKTV responsible for factual series. Since joining UKTV in 2021 Emile has overseen an eclectic range of series from cutting edge documentaries to popular factual including the latest iterations of Stacey Dooley Sleeps Over and the 6-time Bafta Award nominated Big Zuu’s Big Eats to brand new commissions such as Red Flag, and the Broadcast award nominated Jamali Maddix: Follow the Leader.

Emile leads All Voices UKTV’s partnership with Talented People and the Equal Access Network which seeks to improve off screen representation on UKTV productions. Emile also curates and produces the Asian Inclusion Networking Events which are the first regular events of their kind for TV professionals.

Prior to UKTV Emile was an RTS winning Series Producer and Grierson nominated Director with over 15 years experience making documentaries and prime time factual programmes for both UK and US networks. Highlights include Hospital for BBC2, Homestead Rescue for Discovery and My Brave Face for Quest.

Faraz Osman

MD
Gold Wala

Faraz Osman is the Managing Director of Gold Wala, the award-winning indie he founded to champion diverse creative teams, tell purposeful factual stories, and create bold, entertaining content for younger audiences.

His recent credits include What’s In Your Bag? (CBeebies), Evil Escapes (ITV), Garms: Black Culture’s Influence on British Fashion (BET/Paramount), Sounds Like It’s Christmas (Channel 4), My Mate’s a Muslim(BBC Three), short drama Listen, Dad (CBBC), and Yo! MTV Raps: Streets.

Faraz is a former Chair of BAFTA’s Children’s and Young People Committee, and currently sits on the Young BAFTA Advisory Group, the Children’s Media Conference Advisory Committee, and chairs the ScreenSkills Unscripted Development Fund Working Group. He also mentors for Creative Enterprise UK, writes a regular column for Broadcast, and contributes to The Media Podcast as a guest and occasional host.

Prior to launching Gold Wala, he was Editor of Education at Channel 4 and a lecturer at Goldsmiths, University of London.

Graham Gallery

Head of Digital
Lime Pictures

Multi-award-winning, Cannes Lions and BAFTA-nominated creative leader with extensive experience in producing engaging multi-platform content for the Lime Pictures and All3 Media portfolio.

With over fifteen years of experience in the broadcast, corporate, commercial, and digital sectors, I have a diverse background as a self-shooting producer/director, editor, and multi-disciplined creative. I have produced content for some of television’s most prominent talent, social media channels, broadcasters, and brands, including Hollyoaks, TOWIE, Celebs Go Dating, Free Rein and Sexy Beasts.

Leader of a team of digital creatives at Lime Digital, producing daily content, developing social media strategies, and executing marketing campaigns. Our goal is to engage audiences, drive social change, and broaden the reach and impact of the shows and brands we collaborate with.

Hattie Burles

Senior Acquisitions Manager, Scripted Fremantle

Hattie Burles is the Senior Acquisitions Manager for Scripted at Fremantle, where she plays a key role in sourcing and acquiring premium scripted content for international distribution. With a keen eye for distinctive storytelling and a passion for championing global voices, Hattie works closely with creative teams from all over the world to make series with bold, commercial appeal and creative ambition.

Helen Nightingale

Head of Factual and Factual Entertainment Commissioning
UKTV

Helen is Head of Factual and Factual Entertainment Commissioning at UKTV where her commissions span across channels U&Dave, U&W, U&YESTERDAY and U&GOLD. Since joining the multi-channel broadcaster as Commissioning Editor in 2015, Helen has commissioned a wide range of popular titles including Emma Willis: Delivering Babies, Gemma and Gorka: Life Behind The Lens and Pete Wicks For Dog’s Sake for U&W, The Good Life: Inside Out for U&GOLD, Secrets of the London Underground and Robson Green’s World’s Most Amazing Walks for U&YESTERDAY, and new series Guy Martin’s Proper Jobs for U&Dave.

Prior to joining UKTV, Helen was Head of Factual at Gogglebox Entertainment where she executive produced Singing In The Rainforest for Watch and Young War Widows for ITV. Before that, she was Head of Popular Factual at IWC Media executive producing shows such as Location, Location, Location for Channel 4, and Extreme Fishing with Robson for Channel 5.

Jack Newman

MD & Co-Founder
Bullion Productions

Jack Newman is the co-founder and managing director of Bullion Productions, a creative production studio with offices in London and Amsterdam. Bullion initially made its mark by producing award winning music videos, short-form branded content, and high-profile TV commercials.

Bullion has expanded its portfolio to include scripted comedy, and factual entertainment. Jack views the company as uniquely positioned at the intersection of advertising and television. Bullion are actively working in the brand-funded programming space and actively looking at new ways of working. He is also a strong advocate for social and environmental responsibility, leading Bullion to achieve B-Corp certification in 2023.

Before founding Bullion, Jack built a successful career as a producer and cinematographer, working on award-winning projects for Vice, Partizan, and the BBC, among others. Having worked his way up from a runner, he brings a deep appreciation for all industry roles, which informs his leadership style today.

Jen Topping

Consultant & Commentator
Business of TV

Jen works with production companies and creators to help them grow their businesses in this age of tech disruption. Her clients have included 100+ independent TV, film and content production companies; Channel 4’s Emerging Indie Fund; as well as organisations such as the Booker Prizes and Beano Studios. Over 2,000 industry professionals subscribe to her weekly newsletter businessoftv.substack.com, which covers the TV and media trends producers need to know so they can plan for the future.

Previously, she worked at the Microsoft studio making interactive TV for Xbox and was at Channel 4 for seven years working across 4oD, multiplatform TV shows, channel4.com, YouTube and social. She started her career as a BBC news trainee. She has an MBA and a professional certificate in executive coaching from Henley Business School. She was vice chair of BIMA, the trade body for the British digital industry.

Jo Abel

Co-Head of Documentary at National Film and Television

Jo Abel is an award-winning documentary producer with over twenty years’ experience. Recent credits as series producer include Once Upon A Time in Iraq, which won the BAFTA for Best Factual Series and an Emmy for Outstanding Historical Documentary.

Her work has largely focussed on hard access, social and political issues with projects like Exodus: The Journey Continues, BBC , Broke, BBC, The Trapped 13: How We Survived The Thai Cave; Netflix.

Joelle Mae David

CEO
Bluebird Pictures

Joelle Mae David, is a writer and director as well as the CEO of production company Bluebird Pictures. Joelle released her first narrative short film; Greasy Spoon in 2020, moving away from short documentaries, and has since directed several notable TV shows. Joelle's directing work includes; Dreaming Whilst Black, Queenie, Boarders, and Criminal Record Season 2. She is currently attached to executive produce and direct TV show Homework, currently in development with NBC Universal, Home Team Productions and Peach House. She is also developing a slate of projects with Bluebird Pictures, which includes a grounded-sci-fi feature film and a dark comedy TV series, written by Joelle.