Paul Robinson – Managing Director and Co-Founder, KidsCo TV

Paul is the Managing Director and co-founder of KidsCo, the global children’s channel which launched in September 2007, and is now in 95 countries in 18 languages around the world.

Prior to KidsCo, Paul headed up PR Media Consulting with clients including Disney, Sony BMG, Hit Entertainment, Chello Media, Liberty Media Corporation and GCap Media, a company he formed in 2004.

Prior to that, Paul was CEO of Talk Radio where he turned the station round to break even and secured commercial radio’s first ever national world cup commentary football rights.

From 1989 he was Managing Editor of BBC Radio 1 responsible for all music and programming, and then Head of Strategy for BBC Network Radio 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5Live.

Prior to the BBC, Paul was Programme Director of the Chiltern Radio Network during which time he founded Galaxy Radio in Bristol.

Paul writes regularly for Broadcast, the Guardian and other publications on broadcasting.

James Cridland – Radio Futurologist / Managing Director Media UK

James has worked in radio since 1989 as an award-winning copywriter, presenter, and internet advisor. In 2001 he joined the original Virgin Radio in London, where he was Digital Media Director. In 2007 he joined the BBC to work on the BBC iPlayer for radio, achieving a dramatic increase in the service’s audio quality. Since leaving the BBC in 2009, he has worked for a variety of businesses, including the receiver manufacturer PURE, audio blogging platform Audioboo and a variety of European media companies, helping them focus on the benefits and challenges that new platforms bring to their business.

He is one of the organisers of nextrad.io, the radio conference for ‘people that do’ in September.

He is Trustee of the The Radio Academy. He is also Secretary-Elect of the hybrid radio RadioDNS project, and has served as a judge for a number of industry awards including the Sony Radio Academy Awards, where he has also served on the organising committee.
James lives in North London with a big black cat, and likes beer. He blogs about the future of radio on his own website at james.cridland.net.

Karen Pearson – Director, Folded Wing

Karen is passionate about music and radio, and finding new ways to combine the two. That’s why she founded Folded Wing, and why it’s now recognized as one of the most innovative and forward-thinking production companies in the world.

Karen’s radio career began 16 years ago at the BBC where she produced Gilles Peterson’s legendary “Worldwide” show, helping it to become a globally respected and commercially successful brand.

In 2005, she left to set up the company which became Folded Wing – quickly establishing herself as an authority on podcasts and alternative audio broadcasting. Along the way, Folded Wing picked up a Gold Sony Award for the “Book Slam” podcast, and earlier this year, they won 5 awards in one week, most notably ‘Indie Of The Year’ in the Radio Production Awards.

A respected DJ in her own right, Karen continues to perform at venues around the UK and internationally, and promote the successful “Broad Casting” club nights, featuring unique performances and collaborations with artists from around the world.

Lorna Clarke – Network Manager, BBC Radio 2 & 6 Music

Lorna is Network Manager for BBC Radio 2 and 6 Music where she is responsible for the strategy, finance, commercial and creative development of both networks.

Lorna’s career began in 1983 in the newsrooms of BBC Cornwall, Radio Viking in Hull, Metro Radio in Newcastle, BBC GLR and World Service News.

She joined KISS 100 London in 1990, working her way up to Programme Director. She was Head of Mainstream Programmes for BBC Radio 1 for five years, followed by four years as BBC Talent Executive. She then moved on to become Head of Programmes for BBC 1Xtra and Electric Proms Director, where she established the innovative festival as one of the key musical landmarks in the UK live music calendar.

Lorna is a respected radio and music executive, having judged the Sony Radio Academy Awards and The Mercury Music Prize. Whilst Programme Director for KISS 100, Lorna was awarded the prize of Best Radio Programmer by the commercial radio industry.

Matt Deegan – Creative Director, Folder Media

Folder Media is a radio and new media consultancy and Matt helps its clients develop and
implement plans to benefit from the changing digital world. This includes everything from business planning and platform analysis to customer relationship management and social network marketing.

Since its inception in 2007, Folder Media has developed a broad client base ranging from large media companies like IPC and UTV, radio stations like Planet Rock and Absolute Radio, industry bodies including the RAB and the Radio Academy and even government bodies like the Highways Agency.

Folder Media also operates the children’s radio station Fun Kids. Matt’s work on the station has seen him be nominated for Progammer of the Year and the station winning Best Digital Station at this year’s Sony Radio Academy Awards.

Folder is also in the process of launching a raft of local DAB multiplexes under the MuxCo banner – bringing local digital radio to over 10million people.

Lisa Kerr – Director of Strategy, RadioCentre

Lisa is Director of Strategy for RadioCentre, the organisation which represents UK Commercial Radio and whose remit is to maintain and build a strong and successful Commercial Radio industry.

She recently spent a year working for the entire radio sector as Campaign Director for Digital Radio UK leading the radio industry’s parliamentary and communications strategy for the Digital Economy Act.

Lisa was previously MD of local radio group which specialised in establishing and operating small Commercial Radio stations and is also is a former award winning presenter and producer for Radio Forth and Classic FM. She is a Fellow (and a Trustee) of the Radio Academy, a member of the Sony Awards Committee, and was recently awarded the Arqiva Commercial Radio Chairman’s Award for “Outstanding Contribution to the Long Term Development of Commercial Radio”.

Lisa lives near Elgin with her husband and two young children. She is a Vice Chairman of Scottish Opera and a Governor of Gordonstoun Schools.