Dr Alex Connock

Dr Alex Connock is a leading keynote speaker on media, artificial intelligence and innovation, recognised for bridging academic insight with frontline commercial experience. Alex is a Senior Fellow at Saïd Business School, University of Oxford and Professor of Media & AI at the University of Exeter, roles that place him at the centre of global thinking on how technology reshapes business and culture. His defining achievement lies in shaping how senior leaders understand and apply AI responsibly across media, marketing and creative industries. With more than two decades at the top of both academia and industry, Alex is known for clarity, authority and relevance, qualities that consistently resonate with executive and board level audiences.

Alex’s early career reflects an exceptional academic foundation combined with entrepreneurial ambition. Educated at the University of Oxford, Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism and INSEAD, he developed a rare blend of political, economic, journalistic and commercial insight. These formative years sharpened his ability to analyse complex systems and communicate ideas with precision. Before returning to academia full time, Alex built and led media businesses, learning directly how audiences behave, how technology disrupts markets and how creative ideas become commercial outcomes. This period laid the groundwork for his later doctoral research, earning a PhD focused on video optimisation for e-commerce, where academic rigour met real operational challenges faced by digital and media leaders.

Across his career, Alex has delivered impact at scale. He was Co-Founder and CEO of Ten Alps, later Zinc Media Group, producing television, digital and branded content for major UK and international clients. He went on to serve as Managing Director of Endemol Shine North, leading significant growth within one of the UK’s most influential production groups. During this period, he was six times shortlisted for UK Entrepreneur of the Year, a rare marker of sustained innovation and leadership. Alongside industry success, Alex built an outstanding academic portfolio, holding senior positions including Senior Fellow at Saïd Business School, Oxford, Professor of Media & AI at Exeter University, Professor of Media Innovation at the University of Sunderland and Head of Department for Creative Business at the National Film and Television School. His thought leadership is reinforced by widely adopted textbooks on media management and artificial intelligence, and by receiving a Teaching Excellence Award for Innovation at Oxford in 2025. He also serves as a Voting Member of BAFTA and held senior governance roles as Vice-Chair of UNICEF UK, adding ethical and societal perspective to his work.

As a keynote speaker, Alex is hired by organisations seeking grounded, strategic insight into AI and media transformation. His talks explore artificial intelligence in the media, generative AI tools, marketing strategy, national AI policy and the future of creative industries. These topics matter because leaders are under pressure to move fast without losing trust, creativity or control. Alex combines Oxford research with boardroom experience, offering audiences practical frameworks rather than hype. Delegates leave with a clearer understanding of where AI delivers value, where risks sit, and how to lead confidently through change.