Lorna Willis is chief executive of Archant. Founded in 1845, they are publisher of 140 local, regional and national media brands; with a monthly reach of 5 million in print, and 9m online with 37m unique page views.  She joined a decade ago as digital sales director after a career spent at the Financial Times and The Guardian, and became chief executive in 2021. In this in-depth interview, Lorna reflects on a decade of “disruptive methodology,” modernising the company and tackling its old-fashioned “hierarchical nature” - recalling that in the early days she was sent home for not wearing a suit; describes how many know Archant as a newspaper publisher, but don’t realise the “huge consultancy side” of the firm, providing marketing and audience insight services for over 37,000 commercial customers; and shares her optimism for the future of regional news - with Covid-19 fostering a “renewed level of appreciation” for the value of local journalism.

Media Masters - Lorna Willis

Extended one-to-one interviews with the key people in the industry. Find out their tips for career success, and peek behind-the-scenes at their workplace. Candid, thoughtful and reflective - a chance to share the insight of those at the very top of their game. Presented by Paul Blanchard.

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Born in Australia, Jen traveled to New York City to work at Razorfish, becoming VP of Client Engagement, Managing Partner and then Executive Vice President and North East Region Lead. She moved to fellow Publicis Groupe agency Digitas UK at the start of 2023. She has worked with some of the biggest brands including Unilever, Citi, United Nations and Marriott, specializing in the latest from TikTok, to MadTech, AI, gaming, and social commerce.Jen talks about her personal journey in leadership – learning that it’s okay to admit when you’re wrong and how nurturing teamwork improves progress — and shares her ambitions to create a societal impact through ‘unicorn’ agency, Digitas, by immersing itself in emerging technologies and partnering with companies like NexTech Girls, to expand access and promote practical education for women and girls in the tech industry.

Jen Berry - CEO, Digitas UK

Working as a programme editor at both the BBC and Channel 4 News specialising in politics and international affairs, Charlie covered major stories such as the terrorist attacks on New York and London, and is an award-winning filmmaker. In 2006, Charlie joined the London School of Economics and Political Science, and became founding director of Polis, the university’s’ international journalism institute.Charlie discusses his current role, leading JournalismAI and the issues that generative AI still presents: from the inequality of biasing English or European-languages to the gaps in its learning, inability fact-check with enough precision, and other major problems that need to be solved before it’s possible for AI to replicate human writing or publish breaking news. Charlie also explores how AI will be beneficial for journalists—saving time, effort, and boosting journalism by transferring written pieces into different creative mediums.

Charlie Beckett - Journalism Professor, London School of Economics

Steve has been involved for almost 30 years with TV, book, and video game growth, working with big names such as Viacom, Disney, and GSV Ventures—a venture capitalist firm that invests in EdTech. Now, as the CEO of Sesame Workshop, he’s leading the world-famous nonprofit educational organisation to help kids everywhere grow smarter, stronger, and kinder, aiming to provide impactful early learning.Steve shares what he’s learned from Big Bird, and how the quintessentially American show ‘Sesame Street’ implements progressive ideas to teach children and raise their social and academic literacy—like greater tolerance and appreciation of different races, gender identities, and those with disabilities—and how the brand is evolving to reach more diverse cultures and countries around the world at a local level. He sees the future of ‘Sesame Street’ streaming on YouTube in collaboration with children’s YouTube stars, focusing more on emotional well-being.

Steve Youngwood - Chief Executive Officer, Sesame Workshop

For nearly 18 years, Katie has guided Guinness World Records through innovative initiatives that maintain its relevance and international esteem. She started as a software engineer and led teams in  IT, marketing, to becoming SVP of Content and Product in 2018. In her most recent appointment in 2022, she has led the company’s expansion into digital content services that enable the iconic book of world records to reach new audiences and remain ‘fresh’.Katie talks about how the origin of Guinness World Records started as an idea by the Guinness Brewery becoming a “pioneer” of content marketing. Katie explains the process and the key parameters for adjudicating records and argues that when media brands evolve to stay relevant, they still have a duty to reflect the good and bad of society—reporting the stories of inspiring determination as well as unsafe stunts that have gone horribly wrong.

Katie Forde - Senior Vice President Brand & Digital, Guinness World Records

With over twenty years working across print, digital and broadcast media, Marc is one of the most prominent entertainment journalists in the industry. He’s served as a writer and editor for leading publications, including the New York Daily News, Us Weekly, and New York magazine, and was an on-air correspondent at E! News. In 2018, he became senior culture & events editor at Variety and hosts the ‘Just for Variety’ podcast, featuring conversations with the biggest names in Hollywood.From his struggles as an openly gay journalist during the AIDS epidemic in the early 90s, to the ongoing writers’ strike – and how it will evolve – Marc shares his stories and insights from the front row.

Media Masters - Lorna Willis

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