Mellody started at Ariel Investments as a college intern while at Princeton, and is now Co-CEO. She discusses why she has spent 31 years at Ariel, and how her relationship with Ariel founder John Rogers shaped her college choice, her career, and her outlook on business. She also shares how her husband, George Lucas, has helped shape her understanding of entertainment and film, from spending time at Skywalker Ranch, becoming Yoda’s stepmom, and witnessing Lucas’ creative process. 

When Hobson was in her 30s, she joined the Starbucks Board. Then, she was approached by Howard Schultz, who told Steven Spielberg, Jeffrey Katzenberg and David Gethin that Hobson was a prime candidate to be on the board of Dreamworks. Hobson jumped on the chance, joining a board which she describes as “Moguls ‘R Us.” She discusses her experience on the board for 10+ years, beginning as a “pipsqueak” in the room to later becoming Chairman and acting as chief negotiator during the Comcast acquisition.

According to Hobson, the key to success for modern media companies lies in the refusal to stay in the past. She cites examples of Comcast, Disney, and Netflix as companies who evolve with advancement of technology and changing the demand of consumers. Hobson also predicts that streaming services will soon be re-bundled and streamlined, as unbundling is more costly and poses more technological challenges to consumers than traditional cable.  

Later, Wolpert and Hobson delve into the issues of race, gender, and mental health in America today. Hobson is the only Black woman who is the chairwoman of a Fortune 500 Company, which signals that there is still much progress to be made. She addresses the shortcomings of the corporate world when it comes to diversity in both race and gender, and how diversity initiatives oftentimes mask and perpetuate underrepresentation

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This episode is presented by: Stubbs, Alderton & Markiles. Contact: salderton@stubbsalderton.com

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Hosted by: Richard Wolpert

Produced by: AJ Moseley

A CurtCo Media Production

Mellody started at Ariel Investments as a college intern while at Princeton, and is now Co-CEO. She discusses why she has spent 31 years at Ariel, and how her relationship with Ariel founder John Rogers shaped her college choice, her career, and her outlook on business. She also shares how her husband, George Lucas, has helped shape her understanding of entertainment and film, from spending time at Skywalker Ranch, becoming Yoda&rsquo;s stepmom, and witnessing Lucas&rsquo; creative process.&nbsp;
When Hobson was in her 30s, she joined the Starbucks Board. Then, she was approached by Howard Schultz, who told Steven Spielberg, Jeffrey Katzenberg and David Gethin that Hobson was a prime candidate to be on the board of Dreamworks. Hobson jumped on the chance, joining a board which she describes as &ldquo;Moguls &lsquo;R Us.&rdquo; She discusses her experience on the board for 10+ years, beginning as a &ldquo;pipsqueak&rdquo; in the room to later becoming Chairman and acting as chief negotiator during the Comcast acquisition.
According to Hobson, the key to success for modern media companies lies in the refusal to stay in the past. She cites examples of Comcast, Disney, and Netflix as companies who evolve with advancement of technology and changing the demand of consumers. Hobson also predicts that streaming services will soon be re-bundled and streamlined, as unbundling is more costly and poses more technological challenges to consumers than traditional cable. &nbsp;
Later, Wolpert and Hobson delve into the issues of race, gender, and mental health in America today. Hobson is the only Black woman who is the chairwoman of a Fortune 500 Company, which signals that there is still much progress to be made. She addresses the shortcomings of the corporate world when it comes to diversity in both race and gender, and how diversity initiatives oftentimes mask and perpetuate underrepresentation
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This episode is presented by: <a href="https://stubbsalderton.com/">Stubbs, Alderton &amp; Markiles.</a> Contact: <a href="mailto:salderton@stubbsalderton.com">salderton@stubbsalderton.com</a>
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Hosted by: Richard Wolpert
Produced by: AJ Moseley
A <a href="https://www.curtco.com">CurtCo Media</a> Production

Richard Wolpert, a 35 year veteran of Technology and entertainment (Apple, Disney, RealNetworks, 4xCEO) shares the amazing lessons learned on past, present, and predictions of the future of media and technology, and of how these two categories have and will continue to converge or clash.

Having been on both sides of the technology and media industries for over the last 35 years Richard has learned the good the bad and the ugly. This show shares some of the best thinkers and leaders of Entertainment and Technology so you too can learn some of the lessons it has taken him 35 years to learn.

Every episode features a C-Level guest from the fields of entertainment and media who will share their personal insights, state of the industries today, and predictions for the future for these rapidly changing fields.

Richard Wolpert, a 35 year veteran of Technology and entertainment (Apple, Disney, RealNetworks, 4xCEO) shares the amazing lessons learned on past, present, and predictions of the future of media and technology, and of how these two categories have and will continue to converge or clash.
Having been on both sides of the technology and media industries for over the last 35 years Richard has learned the good the bad and the ugly. This show shares some of the best thinkers and leaders of Entertainment and Technology so you too can learn some of the lessons it has taken him 35 years to learn.
Every episode features a C-Level guest from the fields of entertainment and media who will share their personal insights, state of the industries today, and predictions for the future for these rapidly changing fields.

Richard Wolpert, a 35 year veteran of Technology and entertainment (Apple, Disney, RealNetworks, 4xCEO) shares the amazing lessons learned on past, present, and predictions of the future of media and technology, and of how these two categories have and will continue to converge or clash.  Having been on both sides of the technology and media industries for over the last 35 years Richard has learned the good the bad and the ugly. This show shares some of the best thinkers and leaders of Entertainment and Technology so you too can learn some of the lessons it has taken him 35 years to learn.  Every episode features a C-Level guest from the fields of entertainment and media who will share their personal insights, state of the industries today, and predictions for the future for these rapidly changing fields.

Tech vs Media

Negotiating a mega deal, and disrupting the industry from the top down: Mellody Hobson, the Co-CEO and President of Ariel Investments, Board Director of JP Morgan and Starbucks, and former Chairman of Dreamworks discusses her perspective on the past, current, and future of the entertainment industry, as well as her perspectives on race, diversity, mental health, and gender in America today.

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