Team
Matt Barber is an entrepreneurial CEO and founder with a track record of building, capitalising and leading boutique companies in the media and education spaces. Alongside his extensive career as an actor, (SAG ensemble award and BAFTA special award participant as Atticus Aldridge in Downton Abbey; Breakfast At Tiffany’s - Haymarket; Pygmalion – Old Vic) he has also achieved multiple commissions as a screen writer . Matt co-founded and has run the boutique educational consultancy Equilibrium – The Learning Company for 17 years, and has raised extensive finance across his companies. He is a dedicated ambassador for Centrepoint and Great Ormond Street Children’s Hospital.
Scott Poulter is a serial entrepreneur and a keen advocate for start-up businesses. Between 1996 and 2003 he owned numerous sports marketing businesses which controlled various commercial or licensing rights in Formula One auto racing from 1996 to 2003. More recently Scott has been Chairman and CEO of Pacific Green Technologies, a global environmental technology and renewable energy developer based out of Vancouver, London and Sydney.
Winner of Primetime Emmy, BAFTA, Golden Globe and Producers’ Guild of America awards, Liz Trubridge produced and executive produced all six series and three films of the Downton Abbey franchise, which has sold in every single territory in the world and is the most successful British drama export of all time. Liz began her career at the BBC, working her way through the ranks to 1st Assistant Director then Script Editor, before landing her first producing role on The Riff Raff Element for which she was nominated for a BAFTA. Liz executive produced the 6-part mini series Belgravia for ITV, and earned another BAFTA nomination for her film A Short Stay in Switzerland. In 2024 she executive produced Lockerbie: A Search for Truth for Sky, which won her a Scottish BAFTA.
Alex is a Chartered Accountant with over 10 years experience in corporate finance and business strategy as both an advisor and principal investor. Alex is commercially focussed with experience across multiple industries and a strong interest in the creative sector.
As Head of Operations, Katherine keeps everything running behind the scenes at New Empire. After initially starting a career in Social Work, Katherine pursued an acting career in New York City before moving to London in 2020. Katherine also runs a sustainable fashion business and is a certified Colour Analyst.
Sara is a business operations executive with over 20 years of experience in the film and television sector across the UK, US, and Italy. She is currently Head of Business Operations at Grey Seal Media, a specialist advisory company bridging the global film, television, and music community with the wider corporate and financial world. Across more than two decades, Sara has operated at the heart of some of the most successful companies and productions in the international screen industries, bringing rigorous operational expertise to creative organisations at every stage of their development.
Eamon is an ACCA-qualified finance executive with over 25 years of experience at CFO and Finance Director level, with a track record of scaling creative businesses. Eamon's career began at PolyGram Filmed Entertainment, where he moved with the business through its landmark acquisition of WorkingTitle Films and the subsequent purchase by Universal Studios. At Working Title he drove turnover from $20m to $200m in just five years. He went on to serve as Finance Director at Universal Music Group, followed by Finance Director at the National Film and Television School, where he doubled the institution's capacity and revenues. He subsequently became FinanceDirector at GFM Films and Evolution Pictures, overseeing film financing and production before taking on the role of CFO at 108 Media Group. There he spearheaded an ambitious M&A roll-up strategy, raising over $30m in debt and equity and leading the acquisition of multiple global media assets.
