Global Leadership Team

Jon Sidwick

Founder
Blue Touch Paper

Jon Sidwick has been involved in the AV/UC industry for over 30 years including heading up the professional display business at Sharp and spending over 20 years running the Maverick Presentation Product business, initially in the UK, then as part of Tech Data globally.

He is now the co-owner of Blue Touch Paper, specializing in the global AV/UC industry working with vendors, distributors, and partners building go-to-market strategies, strengthening channel ecosystems and creating channel intelligence. A former member and Chairman of AVIXA’s Board of Directors, Jon brings both strategic vision and practical experience to help organizations embrace innovation, drive growth, and create authentic, trusted partnerships that shape the future of collaboration.

Jon has always been passionate about the need for diversification of all types in industry and has been proud to have directly contributed to this in both in his volunteer roles and within the businesses he has led.

Sadie Groom

Bubble Agency and Rise Founder

Sadie founded Bubble Agency a PR, marketing and events company focusing on the entertainment technology, sports and AV business, in 1999 and is still very much the driving force. Using her 25 years of PR and Marketing experience she not only looks after the business side of things and client strategy but also promotes the role of women in the industries she works in through her work with Rise. Sadie is also on the board of the DPP and Buckinghamshire New University. A keen traveller, she travelled to 50 countries before she was 50 and would like to spend more time on the golf course.

Samantha Harrison

Sam is the Finance Director of the critical connectivity provider NEP Connect, part of the global media technology business NEP. Sam’s role includes helping shape the strategic direction and financial trajectory of NEP Connect as well as providing integrity, commercial insight, structure and good governance. Sam is also a STEM Ambassador, actively supporting secondary school students with careers advice, and promoting the vast career options in the broadcast industry and finance sector. Sam joined SIS LIVE (now NEP Connect) in 2012 as Head of Finance. She helped prepare the company for sale, was a key contributor to the IM preparation and due diligence process, and central to the transition of the business into NEP ownership during 2018-19. Prior to this, Sam held various senior finance roles in the banking, retail, leisure and hospitality sectors. Sam is a Fellow Chartered Accountant with the ICAEW, qualifying with PricewaterhouseCoopers in the mid-90s, and worked for a number of years in the Bahamas before settling back in the UK at the end of 2000. Prior to this, Sam gained a first-class BSc Hons in Accounting from Hull University (1992). Sam lives with her husband, daughter and two dogs in Milton Keynes and is delighted to serve as a Non-Executive Director for Rise.

Claire Da Silva

Claire is the Vice President, Production Services for DAZN, leading a global production estate and an on-going pipeline of dynamic, innovative solutions. She has built highly effective global teams and operating models in the Broadcast and Production space, driving productivity and efficiency of production capabilities. Claire was responsible for well timed virtual production offerings that enabled DAZN to create content from anywhere throughout the pandemic, and led to her being nominated for 40 under 40 Leaders in Sport. Prior to DAZN, she was a multi genre Post Producer for ITV, having started her career in Soho. Claire recently joined Chief, as a Founding Member in the UK. Chief is a private network focussed on amplifying the value and impact of women in senior positions, and paying it forwards to future generations- which she’s very passionate about as the mum of a young daughter.

Namata Sahmah

Namrata is the Chief Product Officer at INTO University Partnerships - a global Higher Education company. Previously, she was the CPO at iPlato Healthcare (myGP) where she worked closely with NHS Primary Care. She has worked in product leadership roles at Paramount, Babylon Health and a number of other exciting global companies. Namrata sits on the board of The Open University Business School, and is an Advisor at Antler - an early stage VC firm. She is an alumni of Manchester Business School, and is trained in global leadership from Harvard Business School. Namrata is the Founder of Women in Product (London) – a vibrant product community. She is also the founding member of Chief UK.

Tim Williams

Tim is an experienced business leader and Director who has worked in the Broadcast industry for over 30 years, starting with Tekniche in 1992, then moving to systems integrator TSL in 1996. In 2018 Tim joined Argosy as Operations Director. With a background in procurement and international logistics, Tim is equally comfortable being customer facing having spent several years working with clients on projects in the Middle East and Asia. Tim has also held Non Exec roles as Chair of a BID (Business Improvement District) group in Marlow and has acted as a mentor in the 30% club.

Charlotte Wheeler

Charlotte Wheeler is the Director of the Broadcast Tech & Sport Group and the Event Director of the UK’s only annual trade event, The Media Production & Technology Show. Charlotte has worked for MBI, the publishers of Broadcast, Screen International for nearly 20 years and started her career on the industry tradeshow , originally called The Production Show, and then BVE from March 2004. Charlotte has worked with many of the key manufacturers and brands within the broadcast technology markets over the years developing relationships as exhibitors and sponsors across a multitude of events. In her role at the Broadcast Tech & Sport Group, Charlotte manages a team of editorial, sales and marketing experts and has been part of many new successful launches over the last 5 years including the Broadcast Tech Awards, Broadcast Sport Awards, TechFest and Broadcast Sport events, all highly regarded by sponsors and media executives alike. Charlotte is passionate about being an advocate for women across all sectors and through her work in MPTS has been one of the only Media & entertainment focussed tradeshows to achieve a 50% gender split in her content programming and introduced a company wide, a no ‘man-el’ policy at their events. Charlotte has been an active advocate of Rise since its inception and has run a number of events celebrating women in the media industries, across the country.

Charlotte has been a mentor twice for Rise and an active member of the advisory board in recent years and looks forward to many more to come.