Category
✨
PeopleTranscript
00:00On behalf of Citi National Bank, we're honored to return
00:03as the presenting sponsor of this important gathering
00:06where we come together
00:07to celebrate the extraordinary contributions
00:09of the business managers and to look ahead to the future
00:12of the entertainment industry.
00:14So first, a heartfelt thank you to our partners at Variety.
00:18You're a fantastic partner to us in all the great events
00:21that you just saw and you've long been a vital voice
00:25in entertainment, shining a spotlight on the people,
00:28trends, and stories that shape this dynamic industry.
00:32So we're special grateful to Michelle Sabrina-Stearns,
00:35who's here today, Chief Executive Officer
00:37and Variety Group Publisher.
00:38Steven Gatos, the Executive Vice President of Content.
00:42Cynthia Littleton, who you'll see in a little bit,
00:44co-editor of Cheese.
00:45And of course, Daya Lawrence,
00:46Chief Operating and Marketing Officer.
00:48Really for your leadership and commitment
00:50to celebrating the people who work tirelessly
00:53behind the scenes, which we see every single day.
00:56We appreciate the partnership and dedication
00:58to making this event possible.
01:00So today, we have the privilege
01:02of recognizing Matt Lichtenberg,
01:04this year's Business Manager Elite Honoree.
01:08Matt needs no introduction.
01:09He represents a remarkable roster of actors, comedians,
01:13writers, and other creatives.
01:15And he's known for his unwavering commitment
01:18to success, to their success and well-being.
01:21By receiving this award, Matt joins an illustrious list
01:24of past honorees, including one of his level four partners,
01:27John Rigney, each recognized for their dedication
01:31and impact within the industry.
01:33The Business Manager Elite Award
01:35is a prestigious acknowledgement
01:37and a testament to the vital role of entertainment,
01:40of the role that business managers play behind the scenes.
01:44But as we celebrate today,
01:45I just thought it was worth reflecting
01:47on the profound impact that the entertainment industry has,
01:50both on our economy and on our culture worldwide.
01:54So the global entertainment and media sector continues to grow
01:57and it contributes a staggering $2.8 trillion annually.
02:02This includes film, television, theater, and digital media,
02:05each shaping narratives and cultural values.
02:08The music industry alone now generates $28.6,
02:12almost $30 billion in revenue globally,
02:14demonstrating resilience and adaptability,
02:17which we all need to think about today as things change,
02:19fueled by the streaming and supported by a growing base
02:22of physical media fans.
02:25In the US, music contributes over $200 billion to GDP,
02:29$200 billion, and supports over 2.5 million jobs.
02:34And that's streaming, recording, live, travel,
02:37retail, marketing, all in there.
02:39But beyond the numbers,
02:41entertainment fosters global connections
02:43and understanding that transcends borders
02:45and brings people together
02:47through universal stories and sounds,
02:49which we all need today.
02:51Business managers have challenging and diverse roles,
02:54and we see it up close at Citi National.
02:57Whether they're managing investments, negotiating deals,
03:00overseeing real estate, planning for the future,
03:03they balance countless priorities every single day.
03:06And through it all, their clients know
03:08that they have someone they can fully trust.
03:11At Citi National Bank, we're proud to be a trusted partner
03:15to business managers and their clients.
03:18Over the past 70 years,
03:19Citi National has become known as the bank to the stars.
03:22But more than that,
03:23it's the bank trusted by the trusted advisors.
03:27As part of RBC, one of the strongest banks in the world,
03:31we are deeply committed
03:32to supporting the entertainment industry
03:34and all of you who help it keep moving forward.
03:37The past few years have been a time
03:40of pretty significant transformation
03:41with business managers guiding their clients
03:44through events no one could have foreseen.
03:46From a global pandemic to a historic strike,
03:49seismic shifts in the content creation and distribution,
03:52not to mention two wars and massive interest rate moves,
03:56business managers have not only helped their clients
03:58weather these changes, but thrive in spite of them.
04:02We're also excited today as we look forward
04:04to the future of our industry.
04:06It's an honor to welcome John Longraff
04:08as the keynote speaker.
04:09Celebrating his 20th year with FX,
04:11John has overseen some of the most award-winning,
04:14culturally significant programming of our time,
04:16and his insights will no doubt be enlightening.
04:20So we honor Matt today and all of the business managers
04:23who play such a vital role.
04:25We at City National want to express our deepest gratitude
04:28to each and every one of you.
04:29Congratulations again to Matt for this well-deserved honor,
04:32and thank you to all of you for being here today.