YouTube VP to Address Edinburgh TV Fest

Pedro Pina, the Vice President for Europe, the Middle East, and Africa at YouTube, has been selected to deliver the flagship address at this year's Edinburgh TV Festival. He will be speaking at The James MacTaggart Memorial Lecture, a highly anticipated event in the television industry calendar. Pina's role at YouTube involves overseeing business operations, creator ecosystems, and content strategies across a vast geographic region, working with entities ranging from emerging digital creators to established Hollywood studios.

Prior to his tenure at YouTube, Pina spent ten years at Google, its parent company, in a global client partner role. He focused on major advertising clients such as Unilever, L'Oreal, and Nestlé. Recognised for his leadership, he has been named the world's top LGBT+ executive role model and recently joined the board of trustees for the Victoria & Albert Museum in London. Pina views his invitation as an extraordinary honor, especially during a period he describes as a profound opportunity for the industry to redefine itself.

Pina emphasized that while viewers remain engaged, they expect content on their own terms, highlighting the potential to unlock a new era by integrating premium broadcasting's storytelling with the expansive reach of platforms like YouTube. Adam Hawkins, the festival's advisory chair, expressed excitement about Pina's address, predicting it will be provocative, inspiring, and a catalyst for rethinking the television industry. Previous speakers at this lecture include notable figures such as Michaela Coel, Elisabeth Murdoch, and Jack Thorne.