The Digital Entertainment Group International (DEGI) confirmed today that Johnnie Thompson, Director, Digital Stores, The Walt Disney Company EMEA, will be joining the board as Co-Chair, effective immediately, having previously sat as a board member.
Further new board member appointments include Andrew Stewart, Head of Prime Video Store (Western & Northern Europe) at Prime Video; Brandon DiMassa, Senior Vice President, International Digital Transactional at NBCUniversal; Ewa Voigt, Director, Digital Distribution & International Licensees at Warner Bros. Discovery; Fahad Durrani, Head of Product – Content Discovery & Monetisation, Google TV at Google and Paul Newton, Head of Commercial at Sky Store.
Thompson joins fellow Co-Chair Ruth Sharp, VP & Head of Digital Distribution at Warner Bros. Discovery. As the 2024 DEG Roadshow arrives in London this Monday, April 29th, all will guide the DEGI in its mission to achieve strategic international digital entertainment growth and success at a category level.
The DEGI Board in full is:
- Amy Jo Smith (DEG: The Digital Entertainment Group)
- Ana Iglesias (NBCUniversal)
- Andrew Stewart (Prime Video)
- Brandon DiMassa (NBCUniversal)
- David Hare (Amazon & MGM Studios)
- Ewa Voigt (Warner Bros. Discovery)
- Fahad Durrani (Google)
- Greg Tod (Paramount Pictures)
- Jesper Dahlgaard (Nordisk Film)
- Johnnie Thompson (The Walt Disney Company)
- Laura Broadbent (Sony Pictures Entertainment)
- Lesley Johnson (BBC Studios)
- Liz Bales (BASE/DEGI)
- Paul Newton (Sky)
- Robert Marsh (Sony Pictures Entertainment)
- Ruth Sharp (Warner Bros. Discovery)
- Tom Reveler (Lionsgate)
The DEGI is committed to bolstering the home entertainment industry by driving consumer engagement with innovative and emerging technologies across expanding territories. Our mission includes delivering a comprehensive analysis of audience behaviours and mapping out trends within the sector to stimulate growth in established and emerging regions. International collaboration is central to DEGI’s efforts, as evidenced by a series of successful global campaigns launched in the first half of 2024. These include the inaugural Mega Movie Week in Japan, the comeback of Les VODays in France, and the UK-led Mega Movie Weekend.
Click here to learn more about Member Benefits and upcoming sessions.
Thompson succeeds Joe Braman outgoing SVP, International Digital Account Management at NBCUniversal, who left the company earlier this year after a decade with the organisation. Braman’s leadership significantly contributed to the groundbreaking campaigns and research efforts spearheaded by the DEGI in that time, providing an invaluable contribution to the board and all its members.
Speaking about his appointment as Co-Chair, Johnnie Thompson said: “The DEGI continues to play an increasingly important role in advancing the digital home entertainment industry by providing an essential forum to come together to share knowledge, insights and expertise. It’s a particularly exciting time to be in this business, and I’m looking forward to working alongside Ruth Sharpe as Co-Chair, and with the whole of the DEGI Board as its scope continues to grow.”
Liz Bales, CEO at DEGI said: “I am incredibly excited to welcome Johnnie and The Walt Disney Company as our new DEGI Co-Chair, alongside new DEGI board members from Google, NBCUniversal, and Warner Bros. Discovery. This is a hugely important time for DEGI, as its international reach and insights continue to grow year on year. The DEGI Board, with its wealth of expertise across production, distribution, product and retail, adds significant value to all our stakeholders. We are thrilled to collaborate with such exceptional talent, thank them for their contributions at the 2024 DEGI Roadshows in Paris, Stockholm and look forward to their participation in London on Tuesday 30th April, and Berlin.”
To become a member of BASE or DEGI, or find out more about our partnerships and sponsorship opportunities, please contact Louise Kean-Wood at [email protected]
