Mr. Ward has over 25 years of experience in retained executive search. He is one of the early leaders in the search industry focused entirely on the world of entertainment and media.

Mr. Ward’s career began in Los Angeles at the world’s largest executive search firm, where he worked in the heart of the entertainment and media industry. His experience is deeply rooted in recruiting leaders for all types of entertainment and media companies, including film, television, music, home entertainment, sports, digital media, publishing and live entertainment.

In 1995, Mr. Ward was seconded to London to grow the company’s entertainment and media activities across Europe. In 1998, he took over full responsibility for all entertainment and media assignments in Europe and the Middle East. By 2000, he was promoted to Vice President and Managing Director.

Having lived in Los Angeles, London, and Spain and led executive search assignments across the US, Europe and the Middle East, Mr. Ward has a unique understanding of the issues facing local and international media companies.

Ms. James previously was Chief Talent Scout for Time Warner and served as the leader of a world-class executive search and recruiting organization across all Time Warner businesses domestically and internationally.

She identified top talent, internally and externally, to fill leadership roles throughout the company and facilitated cross-divisional moves that resulted in attracting and developing the world's best talent. James’ unmatched efforts in diversity represented searches that were a magnet for a broad range of people and perspectives. Prior to joining Time Warner, Michele was Managing Director of the world’s largest Executive Search Firm, where she led the media, entertainment and convergence practice in identifying executive talent for major media entertainment technology companies as well as portfolio work of mature capital firms.

As one of the top Executive Search professionals in the field, Michele brought broad-based recruiting experience as well as best practices to her role. Before entering the field of search, Michele held executive and operating positions at a number of firms in the cable and media industries. These include: Executive Vice President and partner of US FiberCom Network, Inc., a subsidiary of TCI/US Cable Groups; Vice President for Cable Sales and Marketing at Westinghouse Broadcasting’s Group W; and Vice President of the media brokerage firm FBC.

Ms. Erbes combines a consultative approach to her client’s business strategies with innovative and targeted senior search execution. The variety of assignments she completes keeps her in constant touch with top level executives in all sectors of the media and entertainment and technology industries, allowing her to stay abreast of the most current trends in the marketplace and advise her clients about how these impact their businesses.

Prior to joining James & Company, Ms. Erbes was with the world’s leading Executive Search Firm for 9 years, most recently serving as co-head of the media practice. Ms. Erbes has conducted numerous senior-level executive search assignments in television, film, satellite, music, publishing, sports and internet industries. This has included her work with emerging Internet and e-commerce concerns, as well as venture capital firms and their portfolio companies within multiple functional disciplines (i.e. CEO, COO, finance, sales, marketing, etc.)

Previously, Ms. Erbes worked in the Network Television Research department of Lorimar Television. Before coming to the United States, Ms. Erbes worked as an Assistant Product Manager at Unilever in Istanbul, Turkey. Ms. Erbes holds an MA in communications management from the Annenberg School at the University of Southern California and a BA in international business administration from the American University of Paris. Ms. Erbes is fluent in French and Turkish.

Helena Frith Powell has more than 20 years of experience in search and the media industry. She began her search career in the City, first for Emerging Markets before joining the Financial Services team of Norman Broadbent. Helena was then recruited as a Senior Associate of the Media and Entertainment division of Korn/Ferry International, based in the London office and working on searches across Europe. She left KFI to join the Seven Arts at its inception in 2002, and she has worked with the firm since then.

Helena has also worked as a journalist and writer since leaving university. She has written for most of the major newspapers and magazines in the UK, including a column for the Sunday Times and editorials for the Daily Mail. She has written nine books, two of them bestsellers, published by Random House and Harper Collins.

She is currently based in London, after spending several years in France, and Abu Dhabi where she leads the firm's recent expansion into the Middle East. While in Abu Dhabi, she developed her journalistic skills as editor of the weekly magazine that comes out with the English-language newspaper there; The National.

Helena has a BA Honours degree from the University of Durham. She speaks fluent English, Swedish, Italian, French, and has a working knowledge of German. In October 2018 she will start a Master’s degree in Creative Writing at Cambridge University.