In entertainment, leadership takes many forms, because it’s needed in many ways at many different steps of the creative process. It could be finding the right story. Signing the right client. Packaging the right product. Developing the right promotional campaign. Amplifying the right message. Identifying the right launchpad. Leveraging success in the right way to create more of it. And there are hundreds of steps in between these that are just as crucial.
Variety’s annual New Leaders list hopes to identify some of the undersung individuals who provide the connective tissue between idea and execution, messenger and message, property and platform. The 45 names selected in 2024 honor advancement, innovation, accomplishment and greatness across a broad spectrum of disciplines, from social media expertise to legal acumen, production oversight to personnel management, artist development to strategic partnerships.
Tulani André
VP, social media
National Geographic
Ensuring the iconic 136-year-old brand has a thriving social media presence sounds like a daunting task, but André and her growing team engage 810 million-plus followers across multiple platforms, including several YouTube Original series featuring young, diverse hosts and creators. A fourth YouTube channel, Nat Geo En Español, launched last year. Drawing new generations to National Geographic is her top priority. André says diplomacy courses and her master’s degree in conflict resolution have benefitted her career. “Most importantly, it’s [been] vital in letting [people] know that their own experiences and knowledge are respected and valued even when working in a space that can often be unknown for them.”
Simone Spira
Executive, Unscripted Development & Production
OBB Media
OBB Media
Spira, in partnership with Sabrina Carpenter, developed, sold and is executive producing the singer’s upcoming holiday special for Netflix, “A Nonsense Christmas”; Spira also served as an executive producer on OBB’s live stream of the iHeartRadio Music Festival for Hulu, featuring the Weeknd, Dua Lipa, Doja Cat and more, in addition to executive producing the upcoming renewal of the iHeartRadio Jingle Ball TV Special for ABC/Hulu. Spira’s credits also include Demi Lovato’s holiday special for Roku, which hit No. 1 on the platform. “Demand for eventized programming continues to be at an all-time high in the streamer era as audiences seek out more monoculture moments to connect over,” she says. “Distributors are eager to bring new and exciting content to at-home audiences that will ultimately position themselves as part of the pop culture conversation.”
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