Ben Ward
Founder and Managing Director, The SevenArts
With over 30 years of experience in retained executive search, Ben Ward has been one of the early leaders in the search industry focused entirely on the world of entertainment and media. His career began in Los Angeles at the world’s largest executive search firm, where he worked in the heart of the entertainment and media industry. In 1995, he was seconded to London to grow the company’s entertainment and media activities across Europe. In 1998, he took over full responsibility for all entertainment, media and sports assignments in Europe and the Middle East and was ultimately promoted to Vice President and Managing Director.
He launched The SevenArts in partnership with James & Co, a hybrid executive search firm focused on providing leadership solutions such as executive search, organizational design and performance management, exclusively for content businesses. His experience is deeply rooted in recruiting senior leaders for all types of entertainment, media, sports, and media technology companies, including film (production, distribution, exhibition), television (terrestrial, cable, satellite, production, distribution), music (record companies, labels, publishers), sports (marketing agencies, teams, leagues, federations), digital media (social and online content, SVOD, AVOD, TVOD, FAST), publishing (newspaper, magazine, and book), and live entertainment.
Having lived in Los Angeles, London, and Spain and led executive search assignments in all regions of the world, Ben has a unique understanding of the issues facing local and international media companies. He regularly attends the various international markets, such as Mip-TV, Mipcom, NATPE, Sportel, and IAB. In addition, he served as the Chair of the Board of Trustees for the American School of Las Palmas. Ben was graduated from UCLA with a BA in English.
He launched The SevenArts in partnership with James & Co, a hybrid executive search firm focused on providing leadership solutions such as executive search, organizational design and performance management, exclusively for content businesses. His experience is deeply rooted in recruiting senior leaders for all types of entertainment, media, sports, and media technology companies, including film (production, distribution, exhibition), television (terrestrial, cable, satellite, production, distribution), music (record companies, labels, publishers), sports (marketing agencies, teams, leagues, federations), digital media (social and online content, SVOD, AVOD, TVOD, FAST), publishing (newspaper, magazine, and book), and live entertainment.
Having lived in Los Angeles, London, and Spain and led executive search assignments in all regions of the world, Ben has a unique understanding of the issues facing local and international media companies. He regularly attends the various international markets, such as Mip-TV, Mipcom, NATPE, Sportel, and IAB. In addition, he served as the Chair of the Board of Trustees for the American School of Las Palmas. Ben was graduated from UCLA with a BA in English.