Fox Entertainment CEO Rob Wade is set to deliver a keynote address at the upcoming Banff World Media Festival, organizers said on Tuesday.
Wade will appear as part of the Banff Summit series at the 45th edition of the Canadian Rockies gathering of media execs. "Being part of Banff's 45th milestone year is quite an honor. This annual must-attend festival is like no other, uniting our industry in celebration of creativity and forward-thinking innovation. I very much look forward to sharing Fox Entertainment's global growth story and the strategies that are driving our content business," Wade said in a statement.
In Oct. 2022, Wade was promoted from the broadcast network's head of alternative entertainment to CEO of Fox Entertainment, as the previous CEO Charlie Collier left to head up Roku's media business.
Wade's time as head of Fox's unscripted slate included the launch of breakout hit The Masked Singer and shows including Lego Masters and Ramsay's Next Level Chef. Prior to joining the network, he was showrunner of Dancing With the Stars for ABC and head of entertainment development for BBC Worldwide. He also was head of TV at Simon Cowell's Syco Entertainment North America and an executive producer of the company's America's Got Talent and The X Factor.
As CEO of Fox Entertainment, Wade oversees businesses like the Fox Network, the in-house unscripted and scripted studios for the broadcast network, the indie production studio MarVista Entertainment and worldwide content sales and distribution unit Fox Entertainment Global.
"Rob is a seasoned producer, savvy creative executive, and now CEO of Fox Entertainment, with exactly the kind of forward thinking and focus on creative and business excellence that defines Banff," Kevin Beggs, board chair at Banff and chairman of the Lionsgate Television Group said in his own statement.
Additional keynotes for the festival ahead of its June 9-12, 2024 run will be announced in the coming months. This year's edition comes amid continuing upheaval for the global media industry as major players pivot from legacy linear TV channels to the streaming space.
Banff organizers plans a focus on international financing and co-productions as they launch a "Better Together" content stream. The festival will also debut a "Soundtrack" conference stream focused on screen-based music. Technology, AI and entertainment content on social media and online platforms are also expected to be key talking points during Banff in June.
"It's a challenging time in global entertainment, but in times like these new opportunities also grow. We are leaning into what is most unique about the festival, and that is access to thought leadership, provocative topical panels as well as celebrating great accomplishments in creativity and business," Jenn Kuzmyk, Banff executive director, added with another statement.
For the third year running, the Indigenous Screen Summit Pitch Forum will return to take place on June 9 at the Fairmont Banff Springs Hotel to kick off the 45th edition.
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