Soho Media Club has announced the first speakers for its BE YOU Festival 2025 – the “unapologetic, high-energy one-day event where the business of content meets the power of diversity.”
Headlining the programme is Ash Atalla, CEO of Roughcut Television, the producer behind global hits The Office, Big Boys, Things You Should Have Done and People Just Do Nothing. In his keynote, Atalla will take on the state of TV culture today – from tackling commissioning shake-ups and the boom of the creator economy to the industry’s stubborn roadblocks on diversity and disability.
Ash Atalla, CEO of Roughcut Television, says: “TV has always been about who gets to tell the story and for too long, that hasn’t looked like the real world. The industry is changing fast: commissioners are nervous, creators are taking control, and audiences are demanding more. At BE YOU, I want to talk honestly about the state of TV right now – the good, the bad and the very funny.”
Further confirmed speakers include: Camilla Lewis, CEO, Curve Media: Opening the day with insights into how TV is evolving in the era of digital-first audiences; Derren Lawford, CEO, DARE Pictures and Soleta Rogan, Managing Director, Rogan Productions and Rogan Scotland: Lifting the lid on the new funding playbook for getting projects made in 2025.
Melanie Leach, CEO, South Shore, Theo Johnson, BBC1Xtra presenter, Poppy Begum, Investigative Journalist and Nigel Tadyanehondo, Owner & Senior Colourist, Over&Out Studio share personal journeys into the industry in BE YOU Stories: How I Got Here.
Trent Williams-Jones, Executive Producer, After Party Studios is exploring how digital creators are rewriting the rules of TV and reshaping the future of content.
There are workshops on Mental health in an industry under pressure; Building transparent, fair productions; Making LinkedIn work as a tool for career growth.
Tom Witkowski, Co-Founder of Soho Media Club, said: “BE YOU Festival is where honesty cuts through the noise. We tackle the business realities of funding and distribution, alongside the cultural realities of representation, belonging and social mobility. This year’s line-up is about survival, innovation and imagining the industry we want to build. And we’re especially excited to welcome Ash Atalla for a keynote that promises to be raw, fearless and inspiring.”
More info + tickets: www.sohomediaclub.com/beyou
Staff Reporter
Share this story
