Al Lieberman
Al Lieberman is a Clinical Professor of Marketing and the Executive Director of the Entertainment, Media, and Technology (EMT) Program at the Stern School of Business, New York University, where he was awarded the first Albert Gallatin endowed Chair as Professor of Business. He has created a unique specialization curriculum with courses covering the marketing, professional management, finance, accounting, globalization, new media, and strategic development of the entertainment, media, and telecommunication sectors.
Professor Lieberman has extensive experience in the world of entertainment marketing. He served for over 12 years as President and founder of Grey Entertainment and Media, a wholly owned subsidiary of Grey Advertising. Under his leadership, Grey Entertainment grew to become a leading specialized marketing and communications agency, servicing clients such as Warner Bros. Studios, Warner Home Video, ABC Entertainment, Harper Collins Publishers, Viking/Penguin, Murdoch Magazines, People Magazine, Universal Music, Radio City Music Hall, Madison Square Garden Network, Metro Cable Coop (1.800.OK.Cable), Celebrity Cruises, and Barbados Board of Tourism, among others.
Professor Lieberman also served as Executive Vice President of Simon & Schuster. As General Manager of the Silhouette book division, he played a significant role in launching the Silhouette paperback brand, which grew to over $250 million dollars in retail sales worldwide, with distribution in 90 countries and 16 languages.
His research involves film festivals, technology and its disruptive impact on media and entertainment, and global entertainment and media. He has worked and taught in Italy, France, Germany, India, Argentina, China, and Brazil.
Patricia Esgate specializes in strategic business development for market platforms that utilize dynamic experiences to build brand loyalty, drive repeat visitation, and increase revenue. Through the consulting practice of Esgate & Associates, Ms. Esgate’s clients have included the Walt Disney Company, Sony, Universal Studios, Jim Henson Productions, and the McDonald’s Corporation, along with an extensive list of individual projects both domestic and international. Ms. Esgate has had the pleasure of organizing several conferences focusing on the destination entertainment industry, including her own event, the Summit for Experience Creators, and enjoyed five years as the editor of EM magazine, a groundbreaking publication that focused on all facets of the experiential marketplace. Ms. Esgate has appeared at industry events as both a featured speaker and provocateur; she has also served as a faculty member for Harvard University’s Experience Architecture Forum and Pine & Gilmore’s popular Strategic Horizons thinkAbouts.