MIPCOM boasts high-profile speakers

The highly regarded conference section of MIPCOM, the world’s biggest television market, will kick off with a keynote interview with Leslie Moonves, the president and CEO of CBS Corporation. Instead of the traditional interview conducted by a journalist, CBS’s head honcho will sit down with Peter Bazalgette, Endemol’s chief creative officer.

The theme for this year’s keynote lineup is “Visionaries, Moguls, Entrepreneurs” and for the first the Grand Auditorium at the Palais des Festivals will house the conference sessions. MIPCOM 2007 opens on Monday, 8 October and concludes on Friday 12 October.

The first day of MIPCOM 2007 will also focus on the country of India, with Subhash Chandra, the founder and chairman of Zee Network and the Essel Group of Companies, and Ronnie Screwvala, the founder and CEO of the UTV Group, providing insights into thisgrowing market. It is anticipated that India is going to be Asia’s leading pay-TV market in the next ten years.

MIPCOM delegates will also be able to participate in the culture of India with an Indian-themed opening night party at the Majestic Hotel.

MIPCOM has arranged a master class for the Indian delegation on how to utilize international markets to their advantage. VIPs from India will also be hosted at a VIP networking lunch which is by invitation only.

Other executives who will deliver keynotes at MIPCOM include Paula Wagner, the CEO of United Artists; Ben Silverman, the co-chairman of NBC Entertainment and Universal Media Studios; and Mike Volpi, the CEO of Internet streaming platform Joost.

Stars scheduled to attend MIPCOM 2007 include Kim Cattrall, renowned for her role as Samantha Jones in Sex and the City who will be in Cannes to promote the new television drama My Boy Jack, about Rudyard Kipling’s son. Cattrall plays Jack’s mother.

Other international stars attending MIPCOM are Australian actess Gia Carides (My Big Fat Greek Wedding) who will present her new drama series East of Everything; John Nettles and Jason Hughes will celebrate 10 years of Midsomer Murders; Max Beesley (Hotel Babylon) will present the thrilled The Last Enemy and British clairvoyant, Lisa Williams, who communicates with the dead will promote her show Lisa Williams: life among the dead.

On 10 October, the third edition of the MIPCOM Mobile & Internet TV Awards will be hosted by British showman Brian Conley.