Presenters

Currently in charge of business and corporate development for Moshtix, the innovative, electronic ticketing business acquired by News Digital Media earlier this year. A relative newcomer to the entertainment and online industry having joined Moshtix earlier this year after spending 5 years working at TZ Limited, a technology licensing and development company. I was involved in seeing this business grow from a startup, through to ASX listing and eventual move to Chicago. TZ was involved in developing IP licensing and technology development agreements with some of the largest global companies. Prior to TZ, I worked for James Hardie in corporate development exploring new growth markets across Asia, Europe, Latin America and the USA.

Stay tuned for the next round of presenters to be announced!

Andrew Smith is Business Development Manager – Digital for destra Entertainment, a division of destra Corporation. Andrew has 7 years experience in the Music Industry, starting out in frontline retail for Sanity before moving into music production and then Rajon Music in 2004. After working in Royalties & Licensing, Andrew initiated one of the first independent record company digital departments in 2005. After a stint living in North America, Andrew returned to work for destra in digital business development & strategy for the group’s labels & artists.

Bruce Joy wrote his first computer game back in 1982. Since then his background has covered the convergent space of web, media, virtual worlds and advertising. He has run his own media production businesses for almost 15 years. Establishing EIN as a fast growing web and media company in 2003, he has achieved world class results for government and corporates including: GM, BHP, Mars, Linfox, Maton, Deloitte, the Seven Network and many more. Bruce is a popular speaker due to his down to earth approach and candid views. In early 2007 Bruce founded VastPark Pty Ltd. Built on 4 years worth of R&D, the VastPark platform will enable users to create and publish 3D exhibitions and virtual worlds quickly with a range of innovations not seen in the current VW market. For more information, go to www.vastpark.com.

Chris Blain is an integral part in the success and development of the ‘Session Musos’ artist agency. His experience as a singer, writer, arranger and producer with groups such as Suade, Minian Funken and Undercover Entertainment has taken him on many local and international tours, as he continues his pursuit and passion for music. Within the business realms, Chris has administered community arts projects in Burmese refugee camps with the Australia-Karen Youth Project (AKYP), runs school and community music education workshops with Suade Voices, has managed several bands and artists locally.

As Visual Jazz's Lead Game Designer, Chris is the Project Lead on a number of large game projects including the Defence Jobs Games Portal, a 3D PC Flight Simiulator titled ADF: Aviator, and a world first for Windows Live Messenger, Extreme Battleships. His job is his hobby and he lives and breathes the industry. Designing and building games in all forms since the age of 12, Chris has covered the full gamut of game design. Chris has explored a huge variety of genres and styles, from board games to 3D action games, role playing to online Flash games.

Christie Eliezer is the Australasian bureau chief of Billboard Magazine. He also writes a weekly nationally syndicated music industry column through Beat, The Brag, Time Off, dB and TheMusic.com.au and writes about entertainment, technology and pop culture for magazines including Business Review Weekly and Australian Musician, and scores of overseas magazines and websites. This month he publishes his fourth book "High Voltage The Movers And Shakers Of The Australian Music industry" (Music Sales) in which he profiles the business deals and careers of seven top music executives. It is a follow up to A Guide To The Music Industry, which he wrote as a handbook for the Music Managers Forum. Christie has been writing about music since his high school days and was long time editor of
the weekly Juke Magazine. He's working on his first film and on no
less than three books.

Claire Stuchbery presents the Australian music program, No Frills on PBS FM. She has been involved at the station in a variety of roles since 1995 including acting as the station’s Sales Manager for a couple of years. She now runs an independent media agency called 4 People Media that is specialising in sponsorship for community radio. Claire works as a freelance music journalist and publicity agent having previously worked for Furst Media.

Con Kalamaras is the Writer Services Representative for Victoria & Tasmania. So if you're a song writer or musician and you call APRA to have your questions answered about APRA or relating to Performance Royalties, you’ll probably speak to Con or his counter parts - Kirsty Rivers & Sibylla Stephen. Prior to working within Writer Services, Con worked within the General Performance Licensing department, licensing music usage for venues, and businesses.

Damian’s career in the music industry started at the age of 15 working at the local music store, while studying a BA in Media Production cemented his commitment to Australian live music. A graphic designer by profession, Damian's freelance career has encompassed work for multi-nationals and boutique design companies. With his unique understanding of the visual in music marketing and the web, Damian gives the music a new dimension that in turn gives Liveband it’s commercial edge.