Anjali Rao is a multi award winning journalist with two decades in global broadcast news and current affairs. She was the anchor of CNN International's weekday breakfast show and the host of Talk Asia, aired to more than 220 million households worldwide. Earlier, she held key presenting roles at Sky News and Channel 5 News in London, establishing herself as one of the most recognizable faces in international journalism.
Her candid and relaxed interview style has led to memorable conversations with influential figures such as the Dalai Lama, former United States President Bill Clinton, Rihanna, Kanye West, Roger Federer, Kobe Bryant, Karl Lagerfeld, and Donatella Versace. She has covered major breaking stories including the 9/11 attacks, the 2004 Asian tsunami, the 7/7 London bombings, the 2008 siege of Mumbai, and the 2011 earthquake and tsunami in Japan.
At BRIDGE Summit, Anjali will bring her experience and storytelling expertise to the stage, exploring the future of media, the power of authentic conversation, and the evolving relationship between journalism, culture, and public trust.
AI tools like Runway’s Gen-4, Synthesia’s avatars, and Modular’s MAX are among the technologies fueling the next content boom, making creation faster, cheaper, and higher-quality at scale. In 2024, the generative media tools market topped $4.5 billion, signaling a major shift in how content is developed and distributed. How will this new backbone reshape creative workflows, monetization models, and investment strategies across the media ecosystem?
In a fragmented information landscape where politics is both a content and commodity, the role of a journalist is being fundamentally rewritten. Veteran broadcaster Chuck Todd and award winning correspondent turned tech startup founder Jane Ferguson, reflect on how platforms, algorithms, and polarization are reshaping the craft of reporting, and what it will take for political journalism to remain credible and relevant in an era of speed, spectacle, and suspicion.
Paid subscription models like Meta and X Verified are transforming the meaning of a blue checkmark, from a symbol of earned credibility to one of transactional access. As verification becomes something users can buy, trust in platform signals is eroding, heightening risks of misinformation and disinformation spread in particular. How do we think about restoring trust in this monetized and AI-driven media landscape?
A mainstage fireside chat with Grigory Lavrov, VP of Marketing, Local Brands & Franchise Management for CEE & MENAT at Warner Bros. Discovery. This conversation explores how global entertainment giants localize storytelling to connect with diverse audiences. It dives into the intersection of creativity, data, and culture revealing how brands sustain iconic IPs while building authentic local voices that shape the next era of global entertainment.
As gaming evolves into a dominant force in entertainment, new models for creation, distribution, and engagement are rapidly emerging. This session explores how technology, content, and community are reshaping the industry at a global scale. From world-building to cross-platform ecosystems, we examine what it takes to design the next generation of gaming experiences and unlock the sector’s next chapter of growth.
Marketing is being reshaped by cultural fragmentations, platform disruptions, and global audience fluidity, demanding brands move with increase clarity and ambition. In this conversation, three leaders unpack the systems and creative rigor required to establish resonance across markets and generations. Together, they reveal the frameworks that turn storytelling into influence, and influence into enduring commercial value.
From publishing and journalism to film and music, AI is blurring the lines between inspiration, imitation, and ownership. As machines learn to write, design, and distribute creative work at scale, long-standing notions of authorship and value are being rewritten. This session explores how technology is reshaping the creative supply chain—from who gets credit to who gets paid—and what the next era of rights, royalties, and responsibility will look like across every medium.
Gen-AI is on track to empower anyone to become a video storyteller and producer of high-quality content using only words. Higgsfield AI CEO Alex Mashrabov joins leading MENA music Creator Peter Hollens, and Film Director Uzi Merchant, to explore how generative tools are elevating storytelling instead of flooding feeds with noise. Together they look ahead to 2026 and beyond, predicting a future where creators use AI to craft deeply personal stories that connect across cultures and platforms
Social Activist & Founder, Giving Joy Foundation
Minister of State, UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Freelance Entertainment Journalist, Forbes
Independent Journalist, Noosphere
Founder & CEO, RL Media
“One BRIDGE to unite them all. BRIDGE Summit looks to become the largest cross-sector media event in the world.”
“A gateway for knowledge exchange.”
“A summit to BRIDGE the gaps in the global media ecosystem.”
“We are proud to take part in the inaugural edition of BRIDGE Summit.”
“Un pont pour tous les réunir.”
