Barbara Galavan is New SPI Chief | The Irish Film & Television Network

Barbara comes to SPI with considerable experience in the entertainment business. During the course of her career she has been a director of U2’s management company, Principle Management and a director of McGuinness/Whelan Music Publishing, the company controlling the music rights to Riverdance. She served on the Irish Government Task Force for the music industry and was vice chairman of the Irish Music Rights Organisation. She was awarded an ESB media award for best sports broadcast for her independent production of a 90 minute documentary on Irish hurling legend DJ Carey for the RTE True Lives series and was the industry expert judge on the RTE series ‘You’re a Star’ in 2005.

Chairman of SPI, Gaby Smyth says “We are delighted to welcome Barbara as the new CEO of Screen Producers Ireland. We feel she is well qualified to deal with all of the challenges facing producers at this difficult time in our economic history. The board and I also wish to acknowledge the excellent job done by Sean Stokes during his three year tenure as Chief Executive and wish him every success in his new position”.

Barbara said of her new role: “I am very pleased to be taking over as CEO of Screen Producers Ireland. There are significant challenges facing independent producers of film, television and animation in Ireland and having a representative organisation that provides strong leadership, at this particularly difficult time, is critical”.

Sean Stokes officially handed over the role of SPI CEO yesterday, Tuesday, August 24th. An interview with both Barbara and Sean will feature in tomorrow’s IFTN weekly newsletter.

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