MBA Guest Speaker: Bernard Cragg
University of Liverpool alumni, Bernard Cragg, delivered a guest lecture to MBA students at the Management School.
Bernard graduated with a BSc Mathematics honours degree and qualified as a Chartered Accountant with PWC where he worked until 1985. Bernard is an independent director of AIM listed media company and Chairman of GlobalData plc. He is Chairman of Psyop LLC, a US based media company and a director of Framestore Limited, the company most recently famous for the special effects on the film “Gravity”.
Now, with over thirty years' media, commercial and city experience he returned to campus to talk to MBA students about the rising media industry. His talk, entitled “Media - An industry in flux” looked at the rise of digital content and how it has impacted more traditional media.
Bernard spoke about the increased presence of digital media and the accessibility and reach that it has globally. He explained how changes in the way we output media has worked in favour for celebrities who now have more control over the content that they share.
Statistically, digital advertising is expected to catch up to TV advertising by 2018, with an estimated 11% increase in spending. Bernard explained how, despite a shift in the way we access media, content remains integral. He explained the importance of brands, using sports as an example of a global franchise which will endure the test of time.
Bernard said: “digital has become a quality experience and will only continue to get better”.