Google, RIM, Random House and CBC execs to head up inaugural Cross Media Toronto event at MaRS

Toronto, June 18, 2010 — CROSS MEDIA TORONTO (crossmediato.com) is announcing a stellar line-up of industry executives and technology experts to speak at its MaRS event July 21, 2010.

In partnership with NATPE, the MaRS Discovery District and the CFC Media Lab, headline speakers include:

  • Lisa Charters, SVP Director Digital for Random House of Canada
  • Sabrina Geremia, Head of Agency Relations for Google Canada
  • Pete Watson, Senior Business Development Manager for RIM
  • Steve Pratt, CBC’s Director of Digital Music

Other special guests include Akamai’s Chief Strategist Chris Van Noy and Transmedia Consultant Dr. Siobhan O’Flynn.

Senior Vice President for Random House of Canada Limited, Lisa Charters is responsible for the development of new ebusiness initiatives and digital strategies, as well as overseeing online sales and promotional efforts to continually enhance value and expand the company’s relationship with readers. Random House of Canada Limited is a division of Bertelsmann AG’s Random House, the world’s largest publisher of fiction and non-fiction for all ages, in a full range of formats that include hardcover, trade paperback, mass market paperback, audio, electronic and digital.

Sabrina Geremia is Head of Agency Relations for Google Canada. She is an international marketer, sales leader and integrated communications specialist. She joined Google in the UK in 2006 to set up the UK Consumer Products and Healthcare sales team. After returning to Canada in 2007, she began working with a wider range of customers spanning from CPG and Finance to Media and Entertainment. In 2009 Sabrina built the Canadian Agency Relations strategy and team. This team works with large media and creative agencies to help them make the most out of their relationship with Google.

In addition, Steve Pratt, Director of Digital Music at CBC and the director of CBC Radio 3, will be speaking at CROSS MEDIA TORONTO’s event. Radio 3 is a multi-platform unit of Canada’s public broadcaster that focuses on emerging Canadian music.

These featured heavyweight media industry executives and technology experts will discuss specific ways their respective media sectors can begin to collaborate with one another. CROSS MEDIA TORONTO is designed to give attendees an opportunity to network with other media sectors as well as learn how the other sectors function in order to foster cross media collaboration in the emerging digital landscape.

”We want the gaming people to meet the TV people, the publishing people to meet the web video people and everyone to meet the advertising people, but let’s be honest, in the end, it’s all about the money,” says conference founder, Gavin McGarry, a veteran digital media executive. He was part of the global content team at the web video start up JOOST and former head of Cross Platform Business Development for ENDEMOL. Currently McGarry runs Jumpwire Media, a cross media agency that helps companies profit from the emerging digital platforms.

Conference co-founder, Jennifer Harkness has been in the media and event business for over 20 years. Jennifer was the Executive Director of the Banff World TV Festival and is currently Head of Development, Factual and Reality, at Temple Street Productions and has advised on international events such as NATPE and, KidScreen .

For tickets, sponsorship or to submit speakers, please contact Priya Rao, Director of Events at 416-809-5378, priya.rao@jumpwiremedia.com

Follow us on Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/crossmediato

Follow us on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Cross-Media-TO/123231091046201

About MaRS
MaRS Discovery District (www.marsdd.com) is a large scale, mission driven innovation centre located in Toronto and networked across Ontario, focused on building Canada’s next generation of technology companies.  MaRS works closely with entrepreneurs to grow and scale their ventures into global market leaders in life sciences and health care, information, communications and digital media technologies, cleantech, advanced materials and energy, as well as innovative social purpose business.

About CFC
CFC is Canada’s largest institution for advanced training in film, television and new media committed to promoting and investing in Canada’s diverse talent from coast to coast. CFC Media Lab provides a unique training, research and production think-tank environment for emerging new media artists, content developers and practitioners. CFC Media Lab has produced over 60 prototypes ranging from web-based interactive documentaries to “shuffle videos” – the creation of randomly generated movies on the iPod.

For media inquiries please contact:
Pennant Media Group
Kevin Pennant
kp@pennantmediagroup.com
Toronto 416-596-2978
Los Angeles 818-748-7517