About Us

Prior to becoming CEO in 2017, Dave started his Protagonist adventure five years earlier as Director of sales, before then assuming the position of Head of Worldwide Acquisitions.

Dave’s early career saw him hold senior acquisitions and distribution roles at Sony Pictures Entertainment where he worked for over ten years. This was followed by the role of Head of Acquisitions at Revolver Entertainment.

George joined Protagonist in 2013, rising first to the role of Head of Sales before becoming Chief Commercial Officer in 2021. George oversees the Sales, Marketing & Publicity departments and is an integral part of the company’s work as an executive producer, structuring and securing finance for both in house and third party projects, as well as building key strategic partnerships within the industry.
George began his career producing and directing digital content for a wide range of brands and agencies, as well as a number of short films through his own boutique production outfit.

James joined in 2017 from Studiocanal UK.
Prior to that, he worked in business affairs at Curzon Artificial Eye and Revolver Entertainment.

Janina joined Protagonist from HanWay Films sales team having previously worked in production on German films.

Mounia started out her career working in international sales and marketing, before specialising in domestic and international publicity. After leading the international publicity department at Studiocanal, she joined Netflix in Amsterdam, where she managed EMEA and global projects.

She then reconnected with marketing and communication through her own company, Challenge Accepted, before joining Protagonist in 2018.

Before joining Protagonist, Alexandra worked in production for film and theatre. She also worked for the BFI as part of the Programme and Guest team for the London Film Festival.

With a background in the Arts (MA Central Saint Martins, MA Research Goldsmiths in London) and Filmmaking (NY Film Academy), Isabel specialised in film marketing and distribution after a few years working at Merrill Lynch, combining her passion and knowledge for the arts with her experience and interest in financing and marketing.

Before joining Protagonist Pictures, Isabel previously worked as a Sales Agent for Wide Management  in Paris and Head of Festivals for Films Boutique in Berlin, as well as collaborating with Institutions on financing project reviews, seminars and works in progress to aid on the production, marketing, and distribution process.

Prior to joining Protagonist Pictures, Joseph was the Senior Marketing and Distribution Manager at HanWay Films. During his career at HanWay Films, he worked on films at all stages of the production process, collaborating with producers, directors, agencies, and designers on the creation of a wide array of marketing materials, including sizzles, sales artworks, and post-production promos.

Joseph is also a graduate of the 2022 Inside Pictures programme. Before his career in film, he graduated from Birmingham City University with a First Class MA in Film Distribution and Marketing. He currently runs a module on this course and regularly offers guidance and advice to students entering the industry.

Max plays a key role in supporting Protagonist’s sales team, both in the office and on the international market circuit. Since joining in 2023, he has brought energy and adaptability, helping to streamline processes and enhance team efficiency.

A Philosophy graduate from The University of Bristol, Max honed his storytelling skills by creating content for the university’s social media and YouTube platforms. He also made an impact as a writer and producer for The Tab, where his short-form TikTok content amassed over a million views.

In his free time, Max is a passionate documentarian, cinephile, football fan and mental health advocate.

Before joining Protagonist Pictures, Leni worked on the feature film Alma & Oskar, directed by Dieter Berner and produced by Alexander Glehr and Johanna Scherz at FilmAG (Corsage). Before that, she began her career in publicity at the German broadcasting and entertainment company ProSiebenSat.1 Media, where she focused on US and global titles. Originally from Austria, Leni holds an MA in Filmmaking from Goldsmiths, University of London, as well as BAs in Journalism & Communication Studies and Film, Theatre, and Media Studies from the University of Vienna, where her academic research focused on the intersection of marketing, publicity, and fan culture in the online space.

Before joining Protagonist, Alice was the Development Editor at Number 9 Films for both their Film & TV projects. She began her career at Casarotto Ramsay & Associates, working with a broad list of writers and directors.

Emilie works across Acquisitions and Development at Protagonist, where she supports the company’s film slate with a focus on nurturing new talent. Prior to joining Protagonist in 2021, Emilie gained experience in Acquisitions at Focus Features in Los Angeles, and then Development at London-based production company Normal Life Pictures. Her background includes an MPhil in Film and Screen Studies from the University of Cambridge.

Axelle joined Protagonist after obtaining her MA in Film-producing from Goldsmiths, University of London. Prior to this, she worked in UK Film Production & Live Event Production. Her background also includes a BA and MA in Economics from Ghent University and the Vrije Universiteit Brussel.

Katie started her career in operations at Protagonist in 2019, after gaining technical experience in roles at Studiocanal and Warner Bros.

Manuela started as the Market Intern at the European Film Market in Berlin, later joining the Sales Team during Cannes Film Festival.

While interning, she completed her MA in Producing Film and TV at Royal Holloway University (2024), having previously earned a First Class Honors BA in Drama and Theatre Studies (2020). During this time, she produced both, the short film WHAT WE LEAVE BEHIND and theatre production, the anatomy of pain throughout its festival run. As well as this, she has also produced shows at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival (2023) and Shepherd’s Bush Theatre Studio (2023).

Before joining Protagonist in 2022, Tania worked in sales and business affairs at Mediapro Distribution SRL and Vertical Entertainment SRL.

Lani joined Protagonist team in 2021, after working for a year at STX Entertainment as a consultant in business affairs.

Anita is a qualified FCCA and has worked in television and media for over 20 years. She produced and presented a lifestyle TV series Return to Kenya which has been aired on Amazon Prime, Sony TV, Shorts TV and other online platforms. Anita has also written a cookery book Flavours of Kenya and ran her own cookery school Anita’s Kitchen.

She is a keen environmentalist, loves cycling, cricket, music , cooking Kenyan food and having fun.

Ceri comes from a senior credit control background having worked in the recruitment industry at Venn Group and prior to that in the world of media advertising at JCDecaux.