Chris Curley

Head of Nations and Regions Member Relations and Projects, Pact

Chris is a former Commissioning Editor and Head of Development at Comedy Central UK. He has great depth and breadth of development and production experience.

Chris has worked across genres at companies such as CPL, STV, Twenty Twenty, Green Inc., So, Vice and Hat Trick, with lots of experience working in the nations and regions. He brings with him a huge amount of knowledge, leadership skills and expertise.

Chris started his career at Granada Studios learning what a cafetiere was actually for. After graduating from journalism at the University of Sheffield he returned home to Manchester to work at the BBC across their entertainment and documentary output such as The Sunday Show, and Evel Knievel Night.

Chris has twenty years' experience in London, where he specialised in comedy and entertainment programmes working for all of the major broadcasters on shows such as ITV's Off Their Rockers and Safeword, BBC's Room 101 and Ask Rhod Gilbert, and Channel 4's Alan Carr's Celebrity Ding Dong. Chris also has a successful track record in commissioning whilst at Comedy Central UK working across shows such as Roast Battle, Blockbusters, Your Face or Mine and Gods of the Game.

Jane Kelly

Co-CEO, Big Mountain Productions

Jane co-founded Big Mountain Productions and leads creative and strategy across both companies in Northern Ireland (NI) and Republic of Ireland with partnerships and teams in LA and Brighton.

Together with husband and business partner, Philip McGovern, they have created award-winning shows in Ireland, the UK and USA and sell their shows and licences worldwide.

Originally from West Belfast, Jane was the first in her family to attend university in Edinburgh and joined the BBC Graduate Trainee Programme before working for many years as a producer/director, then SP on a range of programming for BBC and in the independent sector in the USA, UK and Ireland.

Jane is a passionate and vocal advocate for the TV and film industry, especially in the nations and regions, and is privileged to return to Pact Council to represent NI members.

Jane is also a former member of Creative Skillset (now ScreenSkills) and mentee of BBC/NIS Aim High Schemes, ILBF Trainee Scheme and Young Entrepreneur NI. She has been active in female entrepreneurship in NI, the UK and USA for the last 10 years, is a member of Going For Growth Female-led business network, a former member of The British Irish Chamber of Commerce, CAST (Culture, Arts, Sport and Tourism) Committee and SME Committee, Intertrade Ireland Embassador and a published author.