As the CEO of UNIC, Laura Houlgatte manages an international trade association gathering cinema operators and their national associations across 39 territories. Working on multiple areas of the cinema industry, every year she supervises the organization of the CineEurope and CinemaDays events. At the same time, Houlgatte’s “invisible” lobbying work in Brussels for cinemas helps to keep the primacy of the theatrical experience at the front of the minds of EU policymakers. She has also built the UNIC Women’s Cinema Leadership Programme mentoring scheme into a force for change in the industry and the UNIC People Programme to ensure that the industry remains well-placed to attract and retain top talent. This says nothing of her contributions to the Global Cinema Federation (GCF). All the while Houlgatte projects a calm, friendly and informed aura of authority in all public gatherings. She has become so synonymous with UNIC and the important work that it does, that it’s almost impossible to imagine UNIC run by anyone else.

As Managing Director of Picturehouse Cinemas and its prize-winning distribution arm Picturehouse Entertainment, Clare Binns is at the heart of the growth and development of the UK’s most innovative neighbourhood cinema group, playing a vital role in expanding the company’s reach across the UK. With forty years of experience in the industry, starting as a cinema usher, Binns has garnered career achievement awards from Screen, WFTV, and BIFA, is number 70 on The Guardian Film Power 100 list, and was named as one of the 25 people driving the London entertainment scene by Variety. Picturehouse operates 28 of the country’s most distinctive, welcoming cinemas, and you’re likely to find her enjoying a film in any one of them. Binns was this year’s recipient of the UNIC Achievement Award delivered at CineEurope 2024.

Suzie Welch has been juggling a lot over the last couple of years as she now serves as the Chief People Officer at ODEON Cinemas Group, and the Managing Director for ODEON Cinemas UK & Ireland. In her dual roles, she is responsible for executing the company’s people strategy and overseeing operations across the UK and Ireland. Her extensive experience in human resources and management has been pivotal in shaping ODEON’s organizational culture and operational efficiency.

Welch delivers results with creativity and a focus on growth. She applies her skills, leadership, and strategic approach to managing the UK & Ireland business, keeping it robust and on course through challenging times while maintaining innovation and agility. Welch has also consistently driven the People Plan across the business with unwavering passion, ensuring it remains on track, and that key elements are successfully implemented across ODEON Cinemas Group.

Helena Eklund continues to develop and progress within the industry and ODEON Cinemas Group, and in the past year has progressed from the role of Commercial Director for Northern Europe, into a new role of Group Marketing & Innovations Director. This role is focused on growing the company’s brands across Europe, by leading marketing communications and activities. This is a key role within ODEON’s Senior Leadership team, acting as the voice of the guest and the catalyst for brand growth, creativity, innovation & marketing excellence. Her naturally collaborative management style enables her to bring together marketing teams across nine countries and deliver outstanding work efficiently in line with ODEON’s strategy of ‘think global, act local’. Eklund has worked in exhibition for 17 years, and prior to that at Sony on the distribution side.

Golden Village Multiplex remains the largest cinema operator in Singapore with 16 multiplexes and 122 screens. Besides opening the luxurious BUGIS+ location in 2023, the company also reopened its multiplex located at Great World City, both offering premium cinema experiences with Gold Class dining menus. In addition, Cheo oversaw the GV’s partnership with one of Singapore’s indie-cinemas, The Projector. The new location, named Golden Village x The Projector at Cineleisure, opened in December. The exhibitor’s Suntec City and VivoCity were named by TimeOut among Singapore’s top cinemas. Cheo credits Asian titles for helping GV attract audiences over the past year and fill in when Hollywood titles were absent. In a country with 5.6 million people, GV’s Movie Club loyalty program boasts over one million members.

Christine Berg has been Chairwoman of the Board of HDF KINO e.V. since August 2019. She was previously Deputy Chairwoman of the Board of the German Federal Film Board (FFA). In this role, she was responsible for the entire funding area of the FFA. She was also project manager of the German Federal Film Fund (DFFF), which was introduced on 1 January 2007 by the Federal Government Commissioner for Culture and the Media (BKM) and is coordinated by the FFA. Prior to this, the Hamburg native was, among other things, Managing Director of the Gesellschaft zur Förderung audiovisueller Werke in Schleswig-Holstein mbH (MSH) and Director of the Nordic Film Days Lübeck, Head of the Location Office of Filmförderung Hamburg and Production Manager for various feature film productions. Berg is a member of the SPIO board and the FFA board of directors, as well as Vice-President of UNIC.

Brigitte Maccioni has played a crucial role in the evolution and expansion of UGC and was appointed as the first female president of the cinema chain in 2021. Her strategic vision and commitment to innovation have enabled UGC to remain a major player in the cinema industry. Throughout her tenure at UGC, Maccioni has been instrumental in expanding and modernizing the cinema chain, integrating cutting-edge technologies, and promoting cinematic diversity. She is recognised for her inclusive leadership style and strategic approach. In 2023, Maccioni was nominated for Personality of the Year by Le Film Français, confirming her continued influence and remarkable achievements in the film industry.

Shona Gold has designed and delivered several high-profile industry campaigns as Vue’s Group Executive Director of Brand, Marketing & Communications, including “This is not a cinema” and the renowned “Get Lost” campaign, starring John Boyega. But this last year has been another busy one for her, with several sizable achievements under her belt. Gold spearheaded the company’s rebrand of its Danish arm from CinemaxX to Vue, as well as launching ‘Jurassic Get Lost’, an award-winning collaboration between Universal and Vue, launched across all territories. She also launched Vue’s new website and iOS and Android app in the UK and Ireland and is part of the UNIC Women’s Cinema Leadership Programme as a mentor – to name but a few.

Ruth Hinton champions a customer centric culture across both Vue and the cinema industry at-large. She carries out research with customers and ensures the customer perspective is central when making changes with colleagues across Europe, to deliver amazing – and profitable – big screen experiences. An active member of Vue’s climate time, she also launched Big Screen Service – a programme to drive a step change in service across the UK and further territories. Hinton is a huge contributor to the industry and is the go-to in customer research and insight for the UCKA, Cinema First and UNIC. She is the chair of Aura, the UK’s biggest client-side research networking and events organization.

After helping steer Cineworld through its restructuring and emergence from financial distress over the past two years, Manuela Dessel was promoted to her new global role at the beginning of 2024. She reports to Tom Song, the exhibitor’s Chief Financial Officer, and is a member of the finance senior leadership team with high visibility to the company’s board of directors. Van Dessel leads the company’s financing, cash management, and investor relations efforts. Her focus includes corporate finance, managing Cineworld’s relationships with financial institutions, and optimizing its capital structure. The role makes sense given that prior to joining Cineworld six years ago, Van Dessel worked in investment banking working on mergers and acquisitions, raising money for companies in the consumer and retail sector. She has a Master of Science in Management from ESSEC Business School (France) and is moving to the U.S. to take on her new role.

In her current position as Senior Vice President, Content Strategy & Inclusive Programming, Nikkole Denson-Randolph and her team plan, lead, and execute innovative and strategic programs, greatly expanding independent and inclusive content for moviegoers and opening new avenues for independent filmmakers and studios to bring their stories to the big screens. Playing an integral role in the newly formed AMC Theatres Distribution, Denson-Randolph led the planning and execution of AMC Theatres Distribution’s first two concert films, “Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour,” and “Renaissance: A Film by Beyonce.” AMC Artisan Films, a program designed to celebrate character-driven stories from unique perspectives, launched under Denson-Randolph’s leadership in 2019. Day-to-day at AMC, she negotiates Box Office participation with film and content distributors and oversees the strategic development, implementation, and promotional planning of AMC’s programming efforts and initiatives. This includes film, digital content, alternative content, and live events.

Debbi Webber, Senior Vice President, Finance of AMC Theatres, has served in the company’s finance department for 12 years. She is responsible for management financial reporting to AMC’s Executive Committee and Board of Directors, along with forecasting, financial modeling, finance systems and capital allocation. Webber also leads AMC’s worldwide annual budgeting cycle, which includes operations in 11 countries. During the pandemic, she was charged with optimizing all aspects of cash flow and forecasting. Through Webber’s successful leadership in these crucial areas of AMC, her role was expanded in 2021 to include Treasury Operations, where she is responsible for all banking and credit card processing. She serves on the AMC Investment Committee and formerly held the position of Global Chief Audit Executive from 2019-2022. Prior to AMC she served as Vice President of Risk Management and Assurance for YRC Worldwide, formerly one of the largest transportation companies in the world. Webber is a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants, the Kansas Society of CPAs and the Institute of Internal Auditors. She holds dual degrees in Advertising and Business Administration & Accounting from the University of Kansas.

SF Group spent the latter part of 2022 putting funding and operations in place to expand during 2023 and that’s exactly what Thailand’s second largest cinema chain did. Suvannee Chinchiewchan oversaw the opening of several cinemas with an array of varying concepts that are hard to keep up with. After previously opening auditoriums with beds as seats, SF Cinemas debuted their largest cinema in partnership with the healthcare company, Dr. CBD. Dubbed EarthLab Cinema by Dr. CBD, the venue was designed to deliver an entertainment experience under the Healthytainment concept. The company, which has been leaning heavily into premium cinema offerings, renovated locations at Central Ramintra Branch and The Mall Lifestore. SF also became the first exhibitor in Thailand to offer Chinese subtitles on certain releases. Chinchiewchan’s teams launched the SF Plus card last year, offering discounted prices for kids and senior citizens, as well as organizing the Studio Ghibli Film Festival, featuring some of the work from the legendary Japanese animation company.

Much like her father before her, Edna Epelbaum remains a key voice of the cinema industry in the European sector, let alone a key female executive. She continues to excel by combining her role as CEO of the dynamic Swiss circuit Cinevital with her position as Vice President of the European trade body UNIC. In fact, Epelbaum participates in UNIC Women’s Cinema Leadership mentoring programme. She was instrumental in pushing through the first ever National Cinema Day in Switzerland in September 2015. Epelbaum holds a PhD in literature from New York University.

Tess Manchester’s career in the cinema industry spans nearly 20 years starting in exhibition at Wehrenberg Theatres in 2005. She quickly advanced through roles and responsibilities while developing a growing passion for technology, eventually joining Vista Group as an Application Consultant in 2011. Thanks to an attention to detail and relentless pursuit of excellence Manchester quickly advanced through a series of roles at Vista, including President, Vista US and ultimately to her most recent appointment of Global Head of Client and Platform Support. She has been a key contributor to the company’s executive team which bought Vista Cloud to market in 2022. While being an influential role model and mentor for women at Vista Group, Manchester somehow finds the time to express her love of storytelling by making hilarious short-films for Vista’s internal film-fest and as a writer, publishing a series of novels including “Pivot Point” and “Stay Dark.”

Tori A. Baker is a 2023 Oscar-nominated producer (for “Ninety-Five Senses,” Best Animated Short) and independent film exhibitor devoted to promoting the moviegoing experience. Baker serves as the Vice Chair of NATO’s The Cinema Foundation, with a mission to strengthen the cinema industry and engage moviegoing audiences around the country, and as the CEO and President of the non-profit Salt Lake Film Society, with a goal to exhibit, create and preserve cinematic experiences at the Broadway Center Cinemas and the historic 1928 Tower Theatre. Baker is also the founder of the MAST program, a media accelerator studio dedicated to finding and developing up-and-coming animators and filmmakers. Baker served as a founding board member for National Art House Convergence during the AHC conference launch years, has served on multiple NATO committees, including the Strategic Planning Committee, the Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion committee and the Membership Committee.

Colleen Barstow is the Executive Vice President and Co-Founder, Main Street Theatres of Main Street Theatres which operates ACX Cinemas, Backlot Pizza & Kitchen, Backlot Taphouse and Buchanan’s, with seven locations and 54 screens in four states. She co-founded Main Street Theatres in 1988 with her husband Bill Barstow after the purchase of a single screen theatre in Plattsmouth, Nebraska. Her theaters continue to serve as anchors to their communities having entertained 18 million moviegoers over the past 30 years. Barstow is the Chair of NATO’s Independent Theatre Owners Coalition (ITOC), which fosters collaboration and advocates for pro-growth policies that foster innovation, build communities, and advance the moviegoing experience. She has served on the NATO Executive Board as an independent theatre representative for two years.

As the first Black Latina to own a movie theatre in New York, Stuart wanted to have more control about what people in her community get to watch on the big screen. She transformed a warehouse storing construction trucks into a vital movie theater and café that is now the cornerstone of her neighborhood, inspiring other business owners and independent filmmakers to move into the area as well. By investing in her cinema and making it a locus of culture, Stuart helped revitalize a forgotten corner of Brooklyn. Her expansion plans include a second luxury auditorium next door to the original Stuart Cinema, and an additional venue in another under-represented Brooklyn neighborhood. Stuart is also a filmmaker, a film festival founder, an executive producer and a board member of the Art House Convergence as well as the Vice Chair of NATO’s ITOC (Independent Theatre Owners Coalition), championing independent exhibitors as the backbone of the cinema industry.

Eva is a key member of the Southern European senior leadership team as Operations Director, leading over 2,500 colleagues to deliver the cinema experience across 99 cinemas. She has a strong focus on converting business objectives into strategies and action which in turn have improved the performance and productivity across the Southern European business. Last year Vallés moved from her role as People Director to be the Operations Director for Southern Europe. Her impact as Operations Director has been impressive, focusing on improving guest experience and significantly growing guest satisfaction metrics over the last 12 months.

Hannele Wolf-Mannila is the Commercial Director for Northern Europe, after progressing from Sales Director to take on additional responsibility for Marketing and Digital. She plays a significant role on the Senior Team for Northern Europe in shaping the commercial strategy and operations for the region, covering Filmstaden, Finnkino and ODEON brands in Sweden, Finland and Norway respectively. She has been instrumental in driving growth, enhancing customer experience, and optimizing business performance. Her work involves overseeing an array of commercial activities with significant revenue responsibility, including digital, marketing communications, public relations, pricing, promotions, in-house media sales, gift cards, events, venue hire and B2B partnerships. Wolf Mannila’s leadership and expertise have been key in expanding ODEON’s presence and influence in Northern Europe, and she is looking forward to leading a digital transformation of our Finnkino business over the next 12 months.

Marie Zablocki provides high impact leadership on workforce management and labor planning for Cinemark theatre teams. Over the past year she has been a key part of rolling out a new communications system for the company’s over 300 domestic cinema locations, ensuring key information is disseminated while also creating new, more streamlined ways for teams to create and upload showtimes. Zoblocki spearheaded numerous workforce management programs that streamlined staffing processes, finding significant labor and wages efficiencies in 2023 despite a 22% year-over-year increase in attendance. Under her guidance, theatre operations introduced multiple new tools to provide deeper insight into, and help solve, day-to-day challenges for general managers, including a completely new theater staff training programming, a comprehensive communications portal more directly connecting theaters with the corporate office.

Beatrice Tourvieille joined Pathé Cinémas in 2019, as deputy CEO in charge of Marketing and Digital. She has led transformative initiatives in digital customer experience and global marketing strategy. Leveraging her expertise in customer data to optimize insights and enhance personalized experiences for customers, she has greatly contributed to building a premium entertainment experience. Prior to her tenure at Pathé Cinemas, Tourvielle’s career spanned various industries, providing her with a deep understanding of diverse markets and consumer behaviors. She is currently participating in UNIC Women’s Cinema Leadership mentoring programme.

As Vice President of Content & Strategy, for Xperi, Loren Nielsen runs the company’s cinema business. Last year that meant launching DTS Surround Cinema, an enhanced surround sound offering with dedicated left and right bass management subwoofers. Of course, she also oversees the distribution of blockbuster movies featuring DTS:X, the company’s immersive sound format. To help facilitate the adoption of DTS:X, Nielsen has been a champion of the standardized Immersive Audio Bitstream (IAB). She has worked in cinema technology for the better part of three decades, participating in numerous industry organizations such as the International Cinema Technology Association (ICTA) and the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences, of which she is a member.

Having joined GDC Technology USA in 2007 with a mandate to expand the company’s footprint in the US and Latin America, Annie Wang has been instrumental in helping the company gain the second largest market share for digital cinema solutions in North America. The team she oversees has also grown from a handful of personnel to include departments covering sales and marketing, technical support, customer service, production, purchasing, accounting, and logistics. In 2023 Wang participated in the launch of DTS Surround, providing cinema operators with a surround sound system that features an extended frequency range.

Claire Gandy is the National Film and Content GM at EVT (Event Cinemas), where she blends her local and international market insights to shape film trends and identify compelling, diverse stories that resonate with audiences. With a focus on creating innovative audience strategies, she leverages customer and box office data to maximise exposure and foster positive word of mouth for films. Her commitment to diversifying screen content is evident through her collaborative efforts with distribution and studio partners, enhancing Event Cinemas’ engagement with communities across a broad spectrum of content.

Serena Gill was promoted to Everyman’s Director of Film in August 2023, working her way up through the company since joining in 2015. The company operated 16 sites across the UK when she joined and since has launched a further 29 cinemas, something Gill has helped to drive. She oversees the programming across the circuit, focusing on a diverse film strategy that combines the best of mainstream and independent releases, as well as repertory films and unique events. In 2023, Everyman outperformed the wider cinema market in the territory, delivering double digit growth in revenue (15.3%) and EBITDA (11.7%). The company opened seven new locations over 2023-2024, adding 26 screens, including the acquisition of the Tivoli sites in Bath and Cheltenham. Prior to working at Everyman, Gill worked in TV post-production. She is a recent graduate of Inside Pictures 2022, Europe’s leading film business programme.

Elisabetta Hoch joined UCI Italy in 2004 as a multiplex employee and worked her way to the top. In 2007 she became cinema manager, the next year Deputy Manager and in 2016 Cinema Manager. In 2021 deciding to watch behind the curtains of the Operations department she started a new adventure as Productivity and Planning Manager. A year later Hoch became Regional Operation Manager, in this role she had direct responsibility for the economic results of the sites under her control. During these years she seized different opportunities to empower her knowledge of the cinema business, taking part in Film Festivals, CICAE Arthouse+ Management and UCLA Specialization in Entertainment Business Fundamental. In 2021/2022 after an enthusiastic experience as a mentee in the UNIC Women’s Cinema Leadership Programme, and later as a mentor, she and the Italian Cinema Association ANEC launched the Women’s Leadership programme (LED) for cinema exhibition in Italy, which she also coordinates. Since September 2023 Hoch has been the Film Insight Manager, overseeing the programming for all UCI cinemas in Italy.

Zarah Doyle is dedicated to fostering an inclusive and engaging workplace culture, focusing on the growth and well-being of our employees. Her expertise in talent management and people operations plays a crucial role in enhancing and supporting ODEON’s mission to provide exceptional cinema experiences. She has led the work to launch the company’s leadership development programme across the European business which has supported over 300 leaders across nine countries. Doyle has supported the launch of the UNIC People Programme, which aims to address challenges in attracting and retaining talent within the cinema industry. This initiative is aligned with her commitment to investing in people and ensuring that the cinema industry remains an attractive employment choice.

Butheina Kazim is the founder of Cinema Akil in Dubai, the only independent arthouse cinema in the Gulf region. She was awarded the title of Chevalier de l’Ordre des Arts et des Lettres by the French Ministry of Culture and was named by Fast Company Middle East as one of the Most Creative People in Business in 2023. She is a member of the Steering Committee of the Network of Arab Alternative Screens, of which Cinema Akil is a member and a member of the UAE Academy Award selection committee. As a Fulbright Scholar, Kazim obtained an MA in Media, Culture and Communication from New York University and lives and works in Dubai. Cinema Akil schedules repertory cinema programs at their flagship home in Alserkal Avenue, at the new outpost of the 25 Hours Hotel in Dubai and through its nomadic cinema journey across the GCC.

Giuliana Fantoni is the new President of Federazione Italiana Cinema D’essai (FICE – Italian Arthouse Cinema Federation) for a three-year period 2024-2027. After studying law, she joined the Cinema Edera company, first managing the Corso in Treviso and later the Manzoni in Paese (TV). Fantoni has been working in the cinema industry since 1996 as cinema programme manager and then as a cinema programme director. She joined FICE in 2018 and was responsible for programming and artistic director of the Multiplex Edera in Treviso. In 2020 Fantoni was elected FICE Delegate for the Triveneto region and in May 2021 she was appointed Deputy National Vice President. Fantoni has the strong desire to identify promotional strategies aimed at strengthening arthouse cinema and to engage in a close dialogue with institutions that can address the critical issues afflicting the sector.

For more than 20 years Pilar Sierra has represented the interests of cinema owners the Catalonia region of Spain through her role at the Gremi de Cinemes de Catalunya, a trade organization representing 48 exhibitors operating 64 theatres with 482 screens. She has a reputation for being committed to the needs of the exhibition industry on both a regional and national level, with solid administrative and governmental relationships. During her tenure she has grown her own experience at the same time as growing the recognition of the association in a very varied job that is part public relations, part “glamour” and part economic.

Claire Beswick has 20 years’ experience in the cinema sector spanning many multiplex and independent operators, including ODEON and Curzon Cinemas, where she headed up the film programming team, prior to founding her own cinema chain. She founded The Living Room Cinema to address the need to provide smaller provincial locations with no cinema with a quality independent offer. The first two venues opened in 2022 and 2023, and Liphook received the Highly Commended Award for the Big Screen Awards’ Cinema of the Year in 2023. As an independent consultant Beswick has project-managed cinema developments, taught cinema as a business at the National Film and Television School, led the “Back to Cinema” campaign for the British Independent Film Awards and provided freelance film programming services.

Heather Blair is the Senior Account Manager for cinema and e-sports venue solutions at LG Electronics. She specializes in bringing LG’s cutting-edge LCD and LED display technologies, including the groundbreaking cinema LED, to customers throughout the U.S. In her role at LG, Blair leverages her cinema industry network to expand the reach of LG’s diverse product lineup, which also includes IT solutions, robots, and EV car chargers. Prior to LG, she worked with MediaMation to expand its themed attractions business into cinemas. Blair was instrumental to introducing 4D technology to exhibitors, leading to groundbreaking deals with major cinemas globally and secured the rights to program the choreography of tent pole titles with major Hollywood studios. A champion for women in the cinema industry, Blair founded and serves as Chairman of Women in Exhibition (WIE), a global 501c3 nonprofit dedicated to supporting women in exhibition. She was inducted into the ShowEast Class of 2023 Hall of Fame.

For the last 13 years, Gisele Freitas has been a fundamental team member of the Barco and Cinionic family. She began her journey as a Sales Associate for Barco in Brazil and quickly rose to her current role of Business Development Executive in the region. During her tenure, Freitas has championed the growth of digital, and now laser cinema, for the region where she led the deployment of Cinionic’s solutions to over 2000 screens. She has been able to forge deep relationships with theatre owners and distributor partners while possessing a keen eye for business strategy due to her intimate knowledge of the cinema market in Brazil .

MeeJee Lee has been with Dolby since 2009 and has been crucial in helping the company’s efforts both in South Korea and the wider Asian region. She has worked tirelessly over the last few years helping Megabox to open seven Dolby Cinemas (with the eighth opening in July 2024). Taking leadership input and guidance from Dolby’s head office in the U.S., Lee has been able to execute flawlessly on the company’s goals in the region and is described by industry colleagues as a force to be reckoned with.

Charline Baudry-Biancarelli is a French marketing professional with seven years experience in the exhibition industry. She joined CGR Cinémas in 2017as Marketing Coordinator, before being promoted to Trade Marketing Manager. In this position, she negotiated and implemented in-theater marketing operations with film distributors and managed relationships with local cinemas’ managers. Since January 2020, Charline has been the Deputy Marketing Director for the exhibitor and is responsible for the marketing strategy as well as the commercial activities in relation to the studios and French distributors’ film releases in France. In January 2023, Baudry-Biancarelli moved to Los Angeles and took up the position of VP Global Marketing & Partnerships Strategy for ICE Theaters, the premium large format created by CGR Cinémas. She develops the company’s international marketing strategy and partnership activities with Hollywood studios and maintains close collaboration with ICE Theaters exhibitor partners. Baudry-Biancarelli holds a master’s degree in business from the ISG in Paris and studied Marketing, Communication & Business of Film at Brooklyn College in New York.