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Ivana Kirkbride is a seasoned investor in digital media, a successful entrepreneur at disruptive startups, and a proven operator at Fortune 50 corporations. She has been instrumental in structuring and negotiating over $2 billion in investments and strategic partnerships within the media, consumer, and technology sectors. She is also an award-winning executive producer with trusted creative relationships throughout the industry.
Her investment experience with Advent International and ABS Capital Partners in early internet and digital media paved the way for leadership roles at major companies such as Google, Meta, and Verizon, as well as at innovative startups such as Vessel, an early pioneer in mobile video and the creator economy. As a product marketing lead for Facebook, she guided strategic initiatives for the next generation of Meta AI and LLM models. In her role as Chief Commercial Officer at Deezer, she drove profitable growth, led global partnerships across Europe and the Americas, and launched strategic initiatives across new markets and verticals as a member of the C-level executive team.
Ivana has been a driving force behind pivotal industry initiatives, including YouTube Originals, Premium Mid-Form video, and groundbreaking diverse creator programs for Facebook and Instagram. She has spearheaded partner programs and product launches for Meta Entertainment products across Video, Music, and Gaming, as well as for Verizon's suite of OTT Entertainment products. During her tenure as Chief Content Officer for Verizon's go90, her leadership resulted in over 90 major award nominations, culminating in an Oscar win for the Best Animated Short Film Dear Basketball—a historic milestone for ad-supported video platforms.
A 2018 Henry Crown Fellow with the Aspen Institute, Ivana currently serves on the Board of Directors for Future PLC, a FTSE 250 Index company, where she chairs the Responsibility Committee and serves as the Designated NED for Employee Engagement. She is also a member of the Producers Guild of America and the Television Academy, where she serves on the Foundation's board and chairs the Interviews Committee, which preserves television’s largest oral history archives. Ivana's diverse experience as an investor, entrepreneur, and corporate leader, combined with her commitment to social impact, makes her a valuable asset to organizations and a respected leader in the industry.
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