IBC Gears Up for 2016 Conference & Exhibition

NEW YORK: Film director Ang Lee, The Foundry’s Alex Mahon, NBCU’s Hendrik McDermott and Vevo’s Erik Huggers are among the featured speakers at IBC2016, which is gearing up to take place from September 8 to 13 at the RAI Amsterdam Convention Centre.

The IBC Conference will take place September 8 to 12 under the theme Transformation in the Digital Era: Leadership, Strategy and Creativity in Media and Entertainment. The conference program will include such sessions as The New Broadcasters: Next generation video on demand, with McDermott, the senior VP of branded on-demand (SVOD) at NBCUniversal International; The New Broadcasters: The rise of internet TV networks, with Christopher Whiteley, the VP of business development for EMEA at Netflix; a keynote with WPP Founder and CEO Sir Martin Sorrell; and From TV to VR: New content frontiers, featuring Mahon, ex-CEO of Shine Group and now CEO of The Foundry. Huggers, the president and CEO of Vevo, will discuss online broadcasting. Lee, an Academy Award-winning director whose work includes Brokeback Mountain and Life of Pi, will address attendees with a keynote as part of the IBC Big Screen Experience.

The IBC Exhibition, taking place September 9 to 13, covers 15 halls across the RAI and hosts more than 1,600 exhibitors spanning the creation, management and delivery of electronic and media entertainment. There will be a Future Zone, dedicated to disruptive new technology; a Technology in Action Theatre, showcasing the application of technology to the end user; a Partners’ Pavilion, in which industry partners can engage with representatives; and a Launch Pad, for first-time exhibitors.

“Over the years, IBC has constantly evolved and developed into new areas of the industry,” says Mike Crimp, IBC’s CEO. “We are always looking at ways to enhance the show, and this year will see the introduction of some new feature areas to the show floor. IP Interoperability and its impressive progress will, for the first time, be showcased at IBC in a new 150-square-meter dedicated feature zone in Hall 8. Visitors will hear current case studies and experience demos of verified technical progress plus a live broadcast via IP.

“IBC also recognizes the advancements in virtual reality, 360-degree video, immersive video and panoramic video technologies, and in that vein has introduced the IBC Future Reality Theatre,” Crimp continued.

Crimp added, “IBC is known as the most influential annual event for professionals engaged in the creation, management and delivery of electronic media, worldwide. I personally would hope that attendees would leave IBC with new connections, new ideas, a deeper understanding of the latest trends and technology and a collective desire to drive the industry forward.”