PPA announces 2023 Festival line-up

The Professional Publishers Association (PPA), has announced the return of its annual Festival, which will take place at The Brewery on 25 April 2023.

With a new look and central London location, the PPA festival will be a day full of inspiring content from speakers who are defining the industry, networking and learning opportunities.

The PPA says speakers will include: Lucie Cave, chief creative officer podcasts and commercial content at Bauer Media; Jim Mcginty, managing director Western Europe and Nordics at Foundry; Lisa Smosarski, editor in chief at Stylist; Stuart Forrest, senior vice president audience and marketing at Future Plc; Lucy Kueng senior visiting research fellow at Reuters Institute and Seema Kumari Senior Director, consumer marketing & CRM at Hearst UK.

Speaking of the day, the PPA says the festival has been designed to benefit consumer, b2b, small, large and digital publishing businesses as well as organisations connected to the sector. From ensuring sustainable business models; recruiting and retaining talent; monetising new revenue opportunities and how to work with the latest tech developments; the festival will tackle the real issues currently facing PPA members.

These themes will resonate with the myriad of roles represented within the publishing industry and reflect the areas that the industry cares passionately about and are core to building for the future of the sector.

Reflecting the PPA’s strategy, they outline the key content areas that the event will focus on below:

• People – With 55,000 people employed in specialist media businesses, collectively they create a sector worth £3,74bn to the UK economy. The festival will champion and support the work of all people in the industry across every level and discipline. The content will talk to an evolving workforce, with an emphasis on diversity and inclusion, and growing and retaining talent to ensure a vibrant and thriving sector.
• Product – Technology continues to shape the lives of people, but they choose how they interact. The topics focussing on product look at how publishers can forge even stronger connections using the latest developments in web, social, video, audio, data and AI.
• Audience – A focus on the strategies and tactics that will help publishers know, grow and connect with their audiences. From unbundling existing products delivering value in a recession, to tapping into the latest consumer trends. And building lasting subscriber relationships.
• Content – Trusted, quality content is the bedrock of the publishing industry. Editorial leaders will discuss the need to break new ground in the battle for reader attention and the resilience and confidence needed to ensure specialist media continues to deliver its important role in society.
• Together – Strategic leaders, futurists, trend analysts and policy makers will take to the stage to share their insight into the key opportunities and challenges impacting specialist content providers. Including discussions around digital transformation, organisational culture and talent.

Sajeeda Merali, CEO of PPA said: “Last year’s festival was a huge success and this year we are building on that momentum with a packed agenda that includes insightful guest speakers; debates on topics of challenge and interest to members as well as showcasing the best of the industry to those starting or seeking a career in publishing. I am especially looking forward to sharing highlights from our current Market Sector Survey and revealing progress on a few exciting new initiatives we’re working on this year.”

The PPA says it represents, champions and supports 250+ UK publishing companies including multi-media businesses, consumer magazine publishers, business-to-business data and information providers, customer magazine publishers and smaller independents.

To find out more visit PPA Festival 2023 click here.