The Paley Center for Media Announces Initial Speakers and Agenda for the 2025 Paley International Council Summit: Global Media Unbound: The Future of Innovation

The Paley International Council Summit Returns to Silicon Valley for the First Time in Over a Decade

Initial Speakers Include Frank A. Bennack, Jr., Campbell Brown, Dylan Byers, Barry Diller, Mike Fries, Nicole Graham, Sarah Guo, Stephen Hadley, Mellody Hobson, Jeffrey Katzenberg, Michelle Khare, John C. Malone, Anja Manuel, Crystal McCrary, Neal Mohan, Adam Mosseri, Bob Pittman, Arnaud de Puyfontaine, Michael D. Ratner, Ryan Roslansky, Faiza Saeed, Phil Spencer, Hiroki Totoki, Gary Vaynerchuk, Dave Wehner, Joshua Xu, and Strauss Zelnick

The Henry A. Kissinger Annual Keynote Address Made Possible by William S. Paley Foundation to Feature Frank A. Bennack, Jr., Stephen Hadley, and Anja Manuel

The Paley International Council Summit Is Made Possible by the Generous Support of Hearst and William S. Paley Foundation

NEW YORK, Aug. 21, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- The Paley Center for Media announced the initial lineup of speakers and agenda for the 2025 Paley International Council Summit: Global Media Unbound: The Future of Innovation. The annual event will take place this year on October 22 – 24 at The Rosewood Sand Hill in Menlo Park, California.

The initial lineup of speakers includes Frank A. Bennack, Jr., Executive Vice Chairman and Former CEO, Hearst, and Chairman, The Paley Center for Media; Campbell Brown, Founder and CEO, Remark; Dylan Byers, Founding Partner & Senior Correspondent, Puck; Barry Diller, Chairman and Senior Executive, IAC and Expedia; Mike Fries, CEO, Liberty Global; Stephen Hadley, Principal, Rice, Hadley, Gates, & Manuel LLC, Nicole Graham, EVP, Chief Marketing Officer, Nike, Inc.; Sarah Guo, Founder and Partner, Conviction; Mellody Hobson, Co-CEO and President, Ariel Investments; Jeffrey Katzenberg, Founding Partner, WndrCo; Michelle Khare, YouTube Creator and Host, Challenge Accepted; John C. Malone, Chairman, Liberty Media, Liberty Global, Liberty Broadband, and GCI Liberty, and Chair Emeritus, Warner Bros. Discovery; Anja Manuel, Principal, Rice, Hadley, Gates, & Manuel LLC; Crystal McCrary, Co-Founder, GameUp and Get To Yes Productions; Neal Mohan, CEO, YouTube; Adam Mosseri, Head of Instagram, Meta; Bob Pittman, Chairman and CEO, iHeartMedia, Inc.; Arnaud de Puyfontaine, Chairman of the Management Board & CEO, Vivendi and Chair of the Board, Havas; Michael D. Ratner, Founder & CEO of OBB Media and Co-Founder & Co-Executive Chairman of rhode skin Ryan Roslansky, CEO, LinkedIn; Faiza Saeed, Presiding Partner, Cravath, Swaine & Moore LLP; Phil Spencer, CEO, Microsoft Gaming; Hiroki Totoki, President and CEO, Sony Group Corporation; Gary Vaynerchuk, Chairman, VaynerX, and CEO, VaynerMedia; Dave Wehner, Chief Strategy Officer, Meta; Joshua Xu, Co-Founder and CEO, HeyGen; and Strauss Zelnick, Founder and Managing Partner, ZMC, and Chairman & CEO, Take-Two Interactive Software, Inc. 

A highlight of the Paley International Council Summit is The Henry A. Kissinger Annual Keynote Address Made Possible by William S. Paley Foundation, which will feature a timely discussion on current global events with Bennack, Hadley, and Manuel.

"With this year's distinguished lineup of speakers and sessions, the 2025 Paley International Council Summit in Silicon Valley will once again serve as a premier forum for bold ideas and critical conversations shaping the media landscape," said Bennack. "The Summit has always been a place for visionary thinking, and I look forward to the insights that will influence the industry and beyond."

"We are honored to welcome this prestigious group of global leaders from across media, tech, gaming, entertainment, and business to Silicon Valley," said Maureen J. Reidy, President & CEO of The Paley Center for Media. "Their innovation and foresight are not only shaping the strategic direction of entire industries but will also drive the high-level conversations that are hallmarks of the Paley International Council Summit."

Often referred to as the "Davos of Media," the Paley International Council Summit was founded in 1995 by Frank A. Bennack, Jr. and Dr. Henry A. Kissinger, and has taken place in some of the world's most prestigious cities including Rome, London, Bejing, Paris, Mexico City, Madrid, and Istanbul. This year marks the Paley International Council Summit's highly anticipated return to Silicon Valley. Long celebrated as the center of innovation and a hub for thought leadership, the Northern California region is the ideal setting to explore the issues shaping the rapidly evolving media business.

Bennack also leads the Summit Organizing Committee which is comprised of some of the most respected leaders in media, gaming, entertainment, and technology including David Baszucki, CEO, Roblox; Eddy Cue, Senior Vice President, Services, Apple; Neal Mohan, CEO, YouTube; Ryan Roslansky, CEO, LinkedIn; Phil Spencer, CEO, Microsoft Gaming; Dave Wehner, Chief Strategy Officer, Meta; and Andrew Wilson, CEO, Electronic Arts.

The Paley International Council Summit also welcomes members of the esteemed Paley Media Council and the Paley International Council, an exclusive membership community comprised of the world's most important entertainment, media, and technology executives. Paley Media Council and Paley International Council Members receive a VIP Delegate pass to the Paley International Council Summit and exclusive access to renowned Media Council programs and discussions which feature top industry leaders held year-round in both New York and Los Angeles. To learn about the many benefits of Paley Media Council and Paley International Council Membership please visit Paley Media Council.

The Paley International Council Summit is made possible by the generous support of Hearst and William S. Paley Foundation.

For additional information on the Summit, including delegate registration information, speaker biographies, and latest agenda please visit paleycenter.org/paleysummit. 

About The Paley Center for Media
Founded in 1975 by William S. Paley, The Paley Center for Media is the leading 501(c)(3) nonprofit cultural organization that owns and operates the renowned Paley Museum in New York, recognized as the city's "Best Museum" and "Best Children's Party Place" for two years in a row. The Paley Center sparks dialogue on the cultural, creative, and social impact of media, sports, gaming, tech, and entertainment through dynamic programming and deep industry ties. Visitors can attend premier events in New York and Los Angeles and access the renowned Paley Archive at The Paley Museum in New York and at the Beverly Hills Public Library in Beverly Hills.

2025 Paley International Council Summit Agenda

Wednesday, October 22, 2025

6:00 – 8:00 pm
Opening Night Reception

Thursday, October 23, 2025

9:15 – 9:25 am
Welcome Remarks
Frank A. Bennack, Jr., Executive Vice Chairman & Former CEO, Hearst; Chairman, The Paley Center for Media
Maureen J. Reidy, President & CEO, The Paley Center for Media

9:30 – 10:00 am
Disruption, Consolidation, and What's Next
Speakers: John C. Malone, Chairman, Liberty Media, Liberty Global, Liberty Broadband, and GCI Liberty, and Chair Emeritus, Warner Bros. Discovery; and Mike Fries, CEO, Liberty Global

10:05 – 10:35 am
Rewriting the Script: How Platforms Are Reshaping Media
Speakers: Adam Mosseri, Head of Instagram, Meta, and Dave Wehner, Chief Strategy Officer, Meta
Moderator: Campbell Brown, Founder and CEO, Remark

10:40 – 11:10 am
What Consumers Are Telling Us About the Future of Media
Speakers: Bob Pittman, Chairman and CEO, iHeartMedia, Inc. and Strauss Zelnick, Founder and Managing Partner, ZMC; Chairman & CEO, Take-Two Interactive Software, Inc.

11:40 – 12:10 pm
The Future of Gaming 
Speaker: Phil Spencer, CEO, Microsoft Gaming

2:25 – 2:55 pm
Building Brands in the New Media Ecosystem
Speakers: Michael D. Ratner, Founder & CEO of OBB Media; Co-Founder & Co-Executive Chairman, rhode skin and Faiza Saeed, Presiding Partner, Cravath, Swaine & Moore LLP

3:00 – 3:30 pm
The Future of Media, Entertainment, and Creativity
Speakers: Neal Mohan, CEO, YouTube, and Michelle Khare, YouTube Creator and Host, Challenge Accepted
Moderator: Dylan Byers, Founding Partner & Senior Correspondent, Puck

4:05 – 4:35 pm
The Evolution of Modern Media
Speakers: Barry Diller, Chairman and Senior Executive, IAC and Expedia, and Jeffrey Katzenberg, Founding Partner, WndrCo

4:40 – 5:10 pm
Redefining Leadership in the AI Era
Speakers: Ryan Roslansky, CEO, LinkedIn, and Gary Vaynerchuk, Chairman, VaynerX; CEO, VaynerMedia

5:15 – 5:45 pm
Brands, Athletes, and the Future of Authentic Storytelling
Speaker: Nicole Graham, EVP, Chief Marketing Officer, Nike, Inc.

5:50 – 6:00 pm
Closing Remarks
Frank A. Bennack, Jr., Executive Chairman & Former CEO, Hearst; Chairman, The Paley Center for Media

Friday, October 24, 2025

8:45 – 8:55 am
Welcome Remarks
Frank A. Bennack, Jr., Executive Vice Chairman & Former CEO, Hearst; Chairman, The Paley Center for Media
Maureen J. Reidy, President & CEO, The Paley Center for Media

9:00 – 9:30
Sony's Creative Entertainment Vision: Unlocking Global Synergy
Speaker: Hiroki Totoki, President & CEO, Sony Group Corporation 

10:00 – 10:30 am
Investing in What's Next: Powering Growth in Sports, Media, and Beyond 
Speakers: Mellody Hobson, Co-CEO and President, Ariel Investments, and Crystal McCrary, Co-Founder, GameUp and Get To Yes Productions

11:40 – 12:10 pm
Founders and Funders on the Future of Intelligent Media
Speakers: Sarah Guo, Founder and Partner, Conviction, and Joshua Xu, Co-Founder and CEO, HeyGen

12:15 – 12:55
The Henry A. Kissinger Annual Keynote Address Made Possible by the William S. Paley Foundation: Navigating the Future of Geopolitics
Speakers: Frank A. Bennack, Jr., Executive Vice Chairman & Former CEO, Hearst; Chairman, The Paley Center for Media, Stephen Hadley, Principal at Rice, Hadley, Gates & Manuel LLC and Anja Manuel, Principal at Rice, Hadley, Gates & Manuel LLC

1:00 – 1:10 pm
Closing Remarks
Frank A. Bennack, Jr., Executive Vice Chairman & Former CEO, Hearst; Chairman, The Paley Center for Media

SOURCE The Paley Center for Media