Bart Jan Gorissen

Commercial Director Nordics, Central & Eastern Europe and Balkans at FremantleMedia

My experience and deep interests:

• Innovation

• Journalism & PR

• Sales, Marketing & Advertising

I am based in: London

I was referred to THNK by Sarah Baynes @ https://thecreativegarden.co.uk/

Growing up in small town Netherlands as a high school student, during a hot summer in the early 80s, a television documentary series about the economic rise of the Pacific region made an ever-lasting impression on me. I promised myself that one day I would visit Hong Kong, Japan and the Pacific coast. Likewise, the 1984 Los Angeles Summer Olympics and the broadcast of a week’s worth of “Good Morning America” made me even more curious to explore the world. Is the sky as blue and are the clouds as white on the other side of the world? I did go to see Hong Kong, the Pacific coast in Ecuador, and many other cities and countries around the world (Japan still to visit!).

Fast forward to early 2006. I found myself on a night flight to Melbourne from Bangkok, nervous and a bit unsettled. I had given up my senior legal counsel position with an international media company, to start a postgraduate Master of Laws’ studies. Packed my bags and left. It was time for a change, to pursue dreams and promises. I wanted to break free, as Freddy Mercury a long time ago sang, to fly and rise like Grover (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SKanTX1huJw) and learn again. To broaden my views, to meet different people and experience various cultures, to displace myself, to step into unknown territories, to gain knowledge, to meet inspiring people. I got it all, and even more enriching experiences than I was hoping for.

London was next, where I continued a career in intellectual property, media & entertainment and tech. “Content is king” and I am passionate about that world. Developing from lawyer to Commercial Director, experiencing “convergence culture”, and the increasing industry disruption caused by digital innovation. I am intrigued by what artificial intelligence, robotics and virtual reality will bring us. At the same time, I have a long-term interest in sustainability, am an early investor in ethical and green funds and had I not chosen for law and commerce my career may have brought me into this area (or may still bring me there!). Yoga, mindfulness and the occasional mad cardio and boxing workouts keep me sane, and I am about to embark on a yoga teacher training. I am passionate about what I do and driven my brain activity often in overdrive, a keynote speaker at industry conferences on TV format protection and social & digital media, sometimes I find time to publish. THNK will be my next (intellectual) challenge. The Creative Leadership Program provides an opportunity to put on the boots and step into the deep again, new adventures, meeting inspiring people from around the world, validate business thoughts. On my way to think how to make an even more positive impact on people’s lives, to think different.