NATPE appointed Executive Board of Global Content Leaders to drive strategic growth

The National Association of Television Program Executives (NATPE) has appointed a new Executive Board comprising senior leaders from some of the world’s most influential media and technology companies. This high-level board will steer the organization’s long-term strategy and support its ongoing evolution as the leading global marketplace for content commerce, including its flagship events NATPE Global and NATPE Budapest.

Bringing together a diverse cross-section of executives from the streaming, broadcast, production, and digital sectors, the new NATPE Executive Board will focus on shaping the organization’s strategic vision, programming scope, and partnership development. These senior leaders are tasked with ensuring that NATPE remains at the forefront of a rapidly changing media economy.

“This Board embodies the innovative, cross-platform spirit that defines today’s content landscape,” said Claire Macdonald, SVP and Executive Director of NATPE. “Their collective insight will be critical as NATPE continues evolving into a truly global hub for content commerce and creative collaboration.”

The Executive Board includes: Brad Beale, Head of Worldwide Content Licensing & Distribution at Amazon MGM Studios; Kevin Beggs, Chair and Chief Creative Officer at Lionsgate Television Group; Michael Bonner, President of Global TV Distribution at NBCUniversal; and Val Boreland, President of Entertainment at Versant. They are joined by Flory Bramnick, Executive Vice President of Distribution at Sony Pictures Television; Brandon Brito, Senior Programming Executive at Apple TV+; and Dan Cohen, Former Chief Content Licensing Officer at Paramount Global Content Distribution.

Additional members include: Lori Conkling, Vice President of Licensing at Netflix; David Decker, President of Content Sales at Warner Bros. Discovery; Elaine Frontain-Bryant, Executive Vice President and Head of Programming at A&E and Lifetime; and Rebecca Glashow, Chief Executive Officer of BBC Global Media & Streaming at BBC Studios.

This new board is distinct from NATPE’s annual Content Advisory Boards, with its focus on macro-level challenges such as global market navigation, strategic expansion, and industry connectivity. The goal is to ensure NATPE continues to deliver meaningful value to both buyers and sellers in an increasingly fragmented media ecosystem.

As part of its international growth strategy, NATPE Global will return to Miami from February 2–6, 2026, at the InterContinental Miami, once again co-located with the Realscreen Summit. The two events will share a crossover day, positioning the week as a must-attend opportunity for global content creators, distributors, and platforms. The 2026 editions will also feature keynote appearances by Dhar Mann, founder of Dhar Mann Studios, and Sean Cohan, President of Bell Media. These two leaders, representing opposite ends of the media spectrum, will headline sessions exploring the theme of “Convergence,” with a focus on how social-first and traditional content models are increasingly intertwined.

The Executive Board announcement follows the strong performance of NATPE Budapest, which recently attracted more than 750 delegates from over 65 countries, including more than 400 buyers and 100 exhibitors. The event reinforced its status as Central and Eastern Europe’s leading international content marketplace and underscored NATPE’s ambition to be the global leader in content commerce.