John McVay OBE is the Chief Executive of Pact the UK’s leading Trade Association for Film, TV, Animation, Children’s and Digital production companies. He has been involved in programme making as a producer, consultant and trainer since 1986.  Prior to his appointment at Pact, John held positions as the founding Director of the Research Centre for Television and Interactivity in Glasgow, Director of Training and Education at Scottish Screen, Chief Executive of Scottish Broadcast and Film Training and as a Director of Independent Film and Television production companies.

John contributes to many UK government and international policy fora on the creative industries, broadcasting, trade and investment.  John has extensive experience of policy development across all aspects of broadcasting and television production and leads on all Pact policy development in the UK and Europe.  He also maintains excellent relationships with all of the UK’s major political parties and the devolved assemblies and parliaments.  

John is a member of the Creative Diversity Network, a member of the Creative Industries Council (CIC) and is the industry lead on the CIC sector deal which has recently been agreed with the UK Government.  John is the Chairman of the UK’s digital single market campaign and is the UK rights spokesperson for the Creative Coalition Campaign. 

John has been active on many industry bodies and organisations and has served Chair of the Creative Diversity Network, as a board member of Skillset, Chairman of the Skillset TV Investment Committee, a Governor of the NFTS, and President of CEPI, the pan‑European TV producers' association.  He is also a member of the British Film Commission’s business group and a Board member of the Creative Cities Convention.

At Pact, John led the successful campaign that resulted in changes to the 2003 Communications Act which resulted in the UK having the world’s most creative and commercially successful independent production sector.  This achievement was followed by negotiating and overseeing the successful introduction of increased competition for BBC commissions (The WOCC) in the BBC charter from 2007-17 and the further agreement with the BBC that all programming will be contestable by the end of the BBC Charter 2017-28.  He recently led the successful campaign to ensure UK independent producers retained the regulations that guaranteed their ownership of intellectual property rights.

John is involved in all of the negotiations with UK PSBs for the commercial contracts that govern their commissioning of independent producers.  As part of his duties at Pact he is often involved in editorial or commercial issues between suppliers and commissioners and works to find a resolution that can work for all parties concerned.

Max is a solicitor specialising in television and film law. He qualified with media lawyers Frere Cholmeley Bischoff (now part of Eversheds).

Before joining Pact, he worked for DCD Media Plc (formerly September Films), where he was Head of Legal and Business Affairs, and Carlton TV Productions, where he was Senior Business Affairs Executive.

Max represents Pact on the boards of CEPI (European Independent Producers), FIAPF (International Producers Association), AGICOA (International TV Retransmission Collection Society), the Albert Consortium and the Joint Industries Grading Scheme for Film and TV.

Contact Max about:

• Terms of trade negotiations/advice
• Production legal and business affairs advice
• Union and Guild negotiations/agreements

Favourite TV Programme growing up: The Muppet Show

Favourite Film Quote: "No good deed goes unpunished"

Outside of work, most likely to be found: In Wiltshire

Contact me about:

•    Joining Pact.
•    Membership renewals.
•    Membership services & general membership queries.
•    Problems with accessing the Pact website, logging in or other website troubleshooting.
•    Enquiries about the Pact website – news stories, event bookings, accessing resources

Favourite TV Programme growing up: Fresh Prince of Bel Air

Favourite film quote: "The greatest trick the devil ever pulled was convincing the world he didnt exist" - Usual Suspects

Outside of work, most likely to be found: Spending time with family, watching the Arsenal, keeping up with the boxing or in the gym.

Contact me about:

• Pact Accelerator
• UK Indies
• Growth Accelerator
• Projects & Events
• Pact Skills
   

  
  Favourite TV Programme growing up: He-man, She-Ra, Rainbow Brite, Fraggle Rock.. All the 80’s classics.

  Favourite film quote: “Where we're going, we don't need roads” – Back to the Future.

  Outside of work, most likely to be found: Having adventures with my 2 boys, Indy and Theo.

   

Amber Vassiliou is Pact’s Head of Communications. Amber oversees Pact’s overall communications activity and is responsible for dealing with press enquiries and external stakeholder communications.

Amber joined Pact in September 2014 having spent the previous 11 years at Ofcom. As Communications Manager at Ofcom, she specialised in consumer telecoms, and more recently in broadcasting content policy.  Prior to that she worked for the Independent Television Commission. 

She has a BA in French Studies from the University of Manchester and a MA in Public Relations from the University of Westminster.

Please contact Amber about:

-    Press enquiries
-    For member communications, please email: membercomms@pact.co.uk

Favourite TV programme growing up: Degrassi Junior High or Beverley Hills 90210 – anything set in an American High School.

Favourite film quote: “She looks too pure to be pink” – Grease – see above American High School reference.

Outside of work, most likely to be found: Either in the gym or on the stage. 

Anjani’s role is to work with industry partners to help build diversity across the content production sector. She also provides support and advice to the Indie sector in order to help them develop their diversity policies and to recruit as widely as possible, both in terms of their staff and creative on and off screen talent.  

Anjani has over 18 years experience of production, starting as a researcher for LWT’s factual unit, she went on to produce and direct prime time factual and entertainment shows including Come Dine With Me, Masterchef and Location, Location, Location. She has also worked as a Talent Manager for BBC Drama and most recently collaborated with Creative Skillset on a number of projects around high end drama skills shortages and diversity.  

Contact Anjani about:

• Diversity Policies 
• Diamond 
• The Pact Diversity Training Scheme

Anish is a qualified ACCA accountant.

He initially joined Pact as the Bookings Administrator for the Indie Training Fund in 2007, and has since then fulfilled a variety of roles within the finance and membership department before taking on the role of Financial Accountant in 2014.

Anish also sits on Pact's Audit and Finance Committees.

Contact me about:

• General Accounts Queries including Sales or Purchase ledger
• Payroll
• Escrow and Cinema Levy
• Finance queries relating to International Markets/Missions
• Pact’s office IT and Telephone systems

Favourite TV Programme growing up...Thundercats

Favourite Film Quote...A friend should always underestimate your virtues and an enemy overestimate your faults. Vito Corleone, The Godfather

Outside of work, most likely to be found… On the sofa or at the cinema

 

Chris has worked across genres at companies such as CPL, STV, Twenty Twenty, Green Inc, So, Vice, Hat Trick with lots of experience working in the Nations and Regions.He brings with him a huge amount of knowledge, leadership skills and expertise.

Chris started his career at Granada Studios learning what a cafetiere was actually for. After graduating from journalism at the University of Sheffield he returned home to Manchester to work at the BBC across their entertainment and documentary output such as 'The Sunday Show', and 'Evel Knievel Night.'

He has twenty years experience in London where Chris specialised in comedy and entertainment programmes working for all of the major broadcasters such as ITV's 'Off Their Rockers and Safeword, BBC's Room 101, Ask Rhod Gilbert and Channel 4's 'Alan Carr's Celebrity Ding Dong.' Chris also has a successful track record in commissioning whilst at Comedy Central UK working across shows such as Roast Battle, Blockbusters, Your Face or Mine and Gods of the Game.

Contact me about:
All things Nations and Regions: Co-commissioning, access, transparency, funding, recruitment, skills, business support.

Favourite TV Programme growing up:
The Fresh Prince of Bel Air. I learnt the theme tune before everyone else.

Favourite film quote:
'Just when I thought I was out, they pull me back in.' Godfather Part II

Outside of work, most likely to be found:
Brainwashing the nephews about the Theatre of Dreams 

Conrad trained in the City at Field Fisher Waterhouse, later at Denton Wilde Sapte in their TMT department and was educated at Exeter University, St John’s College Oxford and the College of Law.

Contact Conrad about:

• Legal and Business Affairs
• Bectu Film and TV negotiations
• Production queries
• 
  Favourite TV programme growing up: Brideshead Revisited
  
  Favourite film quote: "Ben, this whole idea sounds pretty half-baked. No, it's not, Dad. It's completely baked".
  
  Outside of work, most likely to be found: on a tennis court.

Specific areas of responsibility include Television, Political engagement, general legislation and regulation and research on broadcasting.

Contact Emily about:

• Television
• Pact Census
• Ofcom
• BBC
• Political engagement: select committees
• General legislation
• Regulation on the Terms of Trade

Favourite TV Programme growing up: Crystal Maze

Favourite film quote: ‘Roads? Where we’re going, we don’t need roads.’

Outside of work, most likely to be found: In an art gallery

Grace supports with TV, SVOD & Film Registrations, Global Talent Visas, along with General Production Legal and Business Affairs queries.
 

Before joining Pact Grace worked in the commercial sales team at Bauer Media UK. She has a BA degree in Theology and Religion from the University of Oxford, and a Postgraduate Diploma in Law from The University of Law.

Contact me about:

• TV/SVOD/Film Registrations
• Global Talent Visas
• General production Legal and Business Affairs queries

Favourite TV Programme growing up: Community

Favourite film quote: ‘Blue flower, red thorns. Blue flower, red thorns. Blue flower, red thorns. This would be so much easier if I wasn't COLOR-BLIND!’ (Donkey – Shrek).

Outside of work, most likely to be found: with friends or my dogs (also friends).

Helen worked at Fremantle for 9 years; working as a Contracts Executive in the Fremantle International team, which focused predominantly on EMEA distribution sales. Then as a Business Affairs Executive in the Kids and Family Entertainment team. She also spent six months seconded to the production teams of Thames and Talkback.

Contact me about:

• BBC Terms of Trade
• ITV Terms of Trade
• Channel 4 Terms of Trade
• Writers (TV)
• Equity TV & Film

Favourite TV Programme growing up: The Animals of Farthing Wood.

Favourite film quote: "Come out to the coast, we'll get together, have a few laughs..." - Die Hard

Outside of work, most likely to be found: watching action, sci-fi and/or comic book movies/tv series.

Karthi specialises in all aspects of television from development and production to distribution and exploitation. Karthi has worked at the largest commercial broadcaster, specialist media law firms, and more recently in renowned scripted production companies.
 

Contact me about:

• WGGB
• Equity

Favourite TV Programme growing up: Neighbours 

Favourite film quote: ‘This isn’t the real Caesar’s Palace, is it?’ Hangover

Outside of work, most likely to be found: walking in the countryside with family and playing the piano

Rebecca has been a qualified chartered accountant since 2001, after training with Berg Kaprow Lewis.

She worked for a web startup before joining Pact, initially as Interim Financial Controller on a short term contract. After leaving Pact and spending a year with a recruitment startup company she came back to Pact in a permanent role as Financial Controller, and was appointed Financial Director in 2008.

Rebecca is also Pact’s Company Secretary and sits on the Pact Audit Committee.

Contact Rebecca About:

• Any general accounts / membership queries where unable to reach Anish or Adam
• Annual Audit
• Company secretarial
• Pact elections / Council
  
  Favourite TV Programme growing up: Blue Peter
  
  Favourite Film Quote: "Nobody puts baby in a corner" - Dirty Dancing
  
  Outside of work, most likely to be found… Watching Cbeebies

Rebecca is instrumental in the planning and organisation of many of D&I team projects, report writing and also specifically responsible for all aspects of the Pact Indie Scheme.

Rebecca first joined Pact in November 2022 on a freelance basis and official joined the team in 2024. Rebecca started her career in retail management then found her passion for HR. Before becoming self-employed she worked for Safeways, Debenhams and Dixons Sores Group before becoming Head of HR for United Co-operatives Healthcare Group.

Contact me about: The Pact Indie Scheme (both Scotland and London), Pact D&I Training supported by the BBC, the Pact.Diversity website and Inclusion Tool, the Pact Diversity Schemes Alumni LinkedIn Group.

Favourite TV Programme growing up: The A Team – what a great mix of people, diverse skills and they always defeated the bad people in the end!

Favourite film quote: “There’s no place like home” – you can never watch The Wizard of Oz too many times.

Outside of work, most likely to be found: With my two kids, organising something and outside (I love my garden I am so 50+ years old).

Contact me about:

• Pact Growth Accelerator queries including registration and logging in
• Pact Apps

Favourite TV Programme growing up: The Chart Show

Favourite film quote: "You can never replace anyone because everyone is made up of such beautiful specific details." – Before Sunset

Outside of work, most likely to be found: Going for long walks, watching world cinema movies or listening to alternative/foreign music.

During that time Ross managed relationships with all key industry associations including Pact and also the BFI, BFC, Film Export UK, Animation UK and UK Screen Alliance. Ross supported companies in the creative sectors to export and invest overseas, identifying and helping them overcome market access barriers. Ross also sat on the UK Global Screen Fund steering board with DCMS and BFI.
 

Contact me about:

All things international – Exports, International Markets, Trade Missions & Events

Favourite TV Programme growing up:

Anything 80s and American that involved a super vehicle –Knight Rider, Airwolf, even Street Hawk!

Favourite film quote:

Life moves pretty fast. If you don't stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it.

Outside of work, most likely to be found:

Watching horror movies or Tottenham Hotspur games – although some might say they’re one and the same.

Contact Sam about:

• Trade marks
• Corporate
• Channel 5 Terms of Trade
• Copyright
• Music
• Legal advice
• Privacy rights and data protection

Favourite TV Programme growing up: Fraggle Rock.

Favourite film quote: ‘Wouldn’t it be nice if my problems and your plans were somehow connected’.

Outside of work, most likely to be found: Running.

Susie is Pact’s Senior Policy Executive. Susie supports the Policy and Communications team with the delivery of its work. 

Before joining Pact, Susie was a Research Assistant at a think tank. She has a BA degree in Philosophy and Politics from the University of Liverpool, and an MA degree in International Relations from Warwick University. 

Favourite TV Programme growing up: The Simpsons

Favourite film quote: “That’ll do, pig. That’ll do.” - Babe 
 
Outside of work, most likely to be found: watching TV

Victoria joined Pact in 2019.  She speaks fluent French and Italian.

She has a BA Hons degree in Traditional Acupuncture from Oxford Brookes University.

Contact me about: 

•    John McVay's diary
•    Max Rumney’s diary
•    Office management issues

Favourite TV Programme growing up: Triangle

Favourite film quote: “Here’s looking at you, kid” Casablanca

Outside of work, most likely to be found: surrounded by dogs

Weronika supports the Deputy CEO with TV, SVOD & Film Registrations and Equity queries, oversees the Global Talent visa implementation process, and supports with a range of Production Legal and Business Affairs queries.

Contact me about:

• TV/SVOD/Film Registrations
• Tier 1 Compliance and Legislation
• Production Legal and Business Affairs queries

Favourite TV Programme growing up: Friends

Favourite film quote: “Hey guys, you ready to let the dogs out?” – The Hangover

Outside of work most likely to be found: Walking along East London’s canals.