Randel Bryan - Co-Chair

Randel Bryan has pioneered operational and commercial strategies for some of the world's leading studios and venues, including Universal Pictures, Endemol Shine, and, most recently, Factory International. At Factory International, he helped launch Aviva Studios, a world-class music and arts venue in the heart of Manchester – a truly pioneering project that is set to generate £1.1 billion for The local economy.

In his new role as Managing Director of SXSW Europe, Randel will lead the strategy to bring the world-renowned celebration of creativity and technology to Europe. The event aims to present an unmissable addition to the European creative calendar, blending the SXSW essence with a distinct European flair that will unfold in East London, the epicentre of creativity and tech in one of Europe & leading capitals.

Eva Omaghomi - Co-Chair

Eva Omaghomi CVO is the founder of Forster Jones & Associates, a premier advisory firm specialising in strategic communications, cultural intelligence, and elite industry connections. With a remarkable 20-year career in Communications including in the Mayor of London’s Office then to the British Royal Household — notably as the first Director of Community Engagement to a British Monarch — Eva brings unique expertise to globally influential clients. She continues to advise King Charles III on global community engagement and supports Idris Elba in shaping his international profile through IE7 and The Akuna Group.

AYESHA QURESHI

Ayesha Qureshi MBE is a distinguished solicitor, magistrate, and community leader with a career spanning law, civic engagement, and public service. She is known for her impactful contributions to the East London communities. A senior finance lawyer based in London, she has advised a broad range of clients in both private practice and in-house roles. 

In recognition of her contributions to the successful London Olympic bid, Ayesha was awarded an MBE in the 2006 New Year’s Honours. A dedicated public servant, she also serves as a Magistrate (JP) in London and was granted the Freedom of the City of London in 2023. 

DOROTHY CHOU

Dorothy Chou leads the Public Engagement Lab at Google DeepMind, where she helps shape how society envisions and prepares for AI-enabled futures. A long-time advocate for transparency and equity in tech, she created the first industry-standard Transparency Report at Google and has held senior roles at Uber, Dropbox, and Google, including work on criminal justice reform and self-driving policy. Outside of DeepMind, Dorothy is pursuing a Master’s in Practical Ethics at Oxford and is an active angel investor and Venture Partner at Ada Ventures, backing historically excluded founders across Europe and the US. She serves on the development board of the Young Vic theatre, co-founded the nonprofit Superbloom, and holds a B.S. in International Politics from Georgetown University’s Walsh School of Foreign Service.

Guto Harri

Former Non-Executive at the Hey Festival, political editor at GQ, Managing Director of External Communications at Liberty Global, and former Strategic Communications Adviser for the government, Guto was awarded a CBE in 2022 and been at the forefront of his industry for decades.

Irene Agbontaen

Irene Agbontaen is a strategic entrepreneur, cultural innovator, and brand builder with a proven track record of driving business growth and shaping global conversations. As the founder of TTYA London, she identified an untapped market in fashion, creating a pioneering brand that addressed the needs of tall women. Through strategic positioning and market penetration, she successfully scaled TTYA London into a global business, securing a licensing deal with ASOS—demonstrating her expertise in brand expansion, retail partnerships, and consumer engagement.

Karen Blackett

Karen is a proven turnaround CEO with a 30-year track record in value creation, energising teams, creating vibrant cultures and consistently delivering business growth and success. She is the former UK President for WPP, the world’s largest marketing services group, where she was directly responsible for driving growth in WPP’s second largest market of 13,000 people, and managing revenue of $2 billion.

Marek Reichman

Marek Reichman is a prominent figure at Aston Martin, renowned for his expertise in automotive design. A graduate of the Royal College of Art, he is celebrated for his innovative approach and significant contributions to luxury vehicle projects, pushing the boundaries of automotive artistry and engineering.

Richard Lewis

Richard Lewis is a seasoned expert in the digital landscape, having served as Managing Director of YouTube UKI. His vast experience in online content and platform management has been pivotal in driving growth and engagement across multiple markets.

Rochelle Palmer

Rochelle is the Co-founder and Managing Director of Untold Studios, a pioneering creative powerhouse recognised with BAFTA, EMMY, and GRAMMY nominations. The studio specialises in producing innovative content across Music, Entertainment, and Advertising.

As a leader, Rochelle drives the creative and commercial vision of Untold Studios, overseeing the Creative and Production teams in both London and Los Angeles. She fosters a culture of ambition that thrives on teamwork and collaboration. Since the studio’s inception, she and her team have successfully recruited, developed, and retained a talented workforce of over 500 people.

Sam Mathys

Montreal born Londoner Sam Mathys is a nighttime economy specialist with 25 years of experience in hospitality and entertainment, known for an innovative approach to creating vibrant, inclusive, and diverse night-time spaces. She played a key role in shaping East London's nightlife as Night Time Economy Manager for the London Borough of Hackney for almost 7 years. She is known for the development and management of the Hackney Nights program as well as leading the evening and night time strategy work for the borough. She is now a Senior Policy Officer in the Greater London Authority, working in the 24 Hour London team, leading on nightlife policy, safety and regulation and the London Nightlife Taskforce. 

Tom Connaughton

Tom’s background is music and technology, where he has spent his career building things (brands, companies, departments, teams) and connecting things (companies to partners, artists to audiences, and audiences to the things they love).  A focus throughout his career has been bridging the gap between artists, technology, and audiences through brand building, marketing and creative content. He has worked for Sony Music, Myspace and Vevo - with his most recent role being Managing Director for Spotify in the UK and Ireland, a role he held for 6+ years. He is a partner in boutique music distributor Canvas Music. He is also a trustee on the board of Camden-based charity, The London Irish Centre.