NILE RODGERS
Producer, Musician, Songwriter and Co-Founder/Chairman, We Are Family Foundation
Nile Rodgers is a Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductee, Songwriters Hall of Fame inductee and a multiple Grammy Award winning songwriter, composer, producer, arranger, and guitarist.
In 2023 he became the first creator to be awarded a Lifetime Achievement Grammy for his legacy in the same year as being awarded a Grammy for his new work with Beyoncé on the smash hit “Cuff It”.
As the Co-founder of CHIC, Nile pioneered a musical language that generated chart-topping hits like "Le Freak”, the biggest selling single in the history of Atlantic Records and sparked the advent of hip-hop with "Good Times” and “Rapper’s Delight”.
His work in The CHIC Organization, including “We Are Family” for Sister Sledge and “I’m Coming Out” for Diana Ross, and his productions for artists such as David Bowie (“Let’s Dance”), Madonna (“Like A Virgin”) and Duran Duran (“The Reflex”), have sold more than 500 million albums and 100 million singles worldwide, while his innovative, trendsetting collaborations with Daft Punk, Daddy Yankee, LE SSERAFIM and Beyoncé reflect the vanguard of contemporary hits.
Nile is the first, and only Producer In Residence at Apple Music and helms the award-winning Apple Music 1’s “Deep Hidden Meaning” radio show celebrating the work of great songwriters. Nile served as the first-ever Chief Creative Advisor for the incomparable Abbey Road Studios and is the Chairman of the Songwriters Hall of Fame as well as Co-founder of Hipgnosis Songs, the multi-billion-dollar investment fund listed on the London Stock Exchange’s FTSE 250.
In 2001 in the wake of 9/11 Nile co-founded the We Are Family Foundation (WAFF) at first to bring everyone together following the tragedy to start the healing process. It quickly evolved into an organization dedicated to the vision of a global family by creating and supporting programs that promote cultural diversity while nurturing, mentoring, and amplifying the vision, talents and ideas of young people who are positively changing the world.
WAFF is focused on empowering young people globally through its acclaimed youth leadership, storytelling and mentoring program, Three Dot Dash; Youth To The Front Fund, designed to support BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, People of Color), youth at the forefront of fighting systemic racism, inequality and injustice; and Youth To The Table, bringing youth voices to decision making tables that are shaping humanity’s future.
Most recently Nile received the 2024 World Economic Forum’s Crystal Award for his extraordinary efforts to make the world a more peaceful, equal and inclusive place through his music, his exemplary commitment to fighting systemic racism, inequality and injustice, and by championing innovative youth voices to decision-making tables.
MARK BARONDESS
PARTNER, MILLER BARONDESS, LLP
An attorney for more than 36 years, Mark A. Barondess has earned a reputation as an aggressive civil advocate in the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area and in Los Angeles, CA. Barondess is a founding partner of the firm Miller Barondess, LLP, a 40-lawyer firm that has served the Los Angeles community since 2006. His clients have included a former major party presidential candidate, Grammy Award winners, an Academy Award winning Best Actress, multiple Emmy Award winners, various sports legends including two Olympic gold medalists, corporate leaders as well as members of the United States Congress and the Federal Executive Branch of the United States Government at top levels. Mark acted as General Counsel to the former CNN broadcasting giant Larry King and his affiliated companies until his passing. He serves as Vice-Chairman and General Counsel of the We Are Family Foundation. He also serves on the Board of Ambassadors of Project Restore at Johns Hopkins University Medical Center and works with The Nancy Davis Race to Erase MS.
NANCY HUNT
Co-Founder/President, We Are Family Foundation
Nancy Hunt is a co-founder of We Are Family Foundation (WAFF) and has served as President since its inception in 2002. As President, Nancy is responsible for developing WAFF’s educational programs including its acclaimed global teen leader and mentor program, Three Dot Dash; forging strategic partnerships and spearheading fundraising initiatives. Directly after 9/11 Nancy was Executive Producer of the We Are Family Project, which brought over 200 celebrities together to re-record "We Are Family" as a start of the healing process. She was also Executive Producer of the "We Are Family" children's music video PSA which brought together over 100 children's television characters for the first time in history to promote diversity and multiculturalism. Prior to the Foundation, Nancy co-founded Smock Media Inc., an art-based media company in 1999, and Notorious Entertainment, an upscale urban brand with media icon Sean "Puffy" Combs in 1996. During her tenure as Partner and Executive Vice President of both media companies, Nancy oversaw joint ventures, the publishing of Smock and Notorious magazines and the extensions of each brand. She is an award-winning photographer and earned her Master's degree in clinical psychology at The American University.
Irene Cervellera Micheli
CEO, Newton and Angel Investor
Irene is currently the General Manager of an Italian TV production company and has started her activity as “angel” investor a couple of years ago when she moved from Milan to London. She holds a degree in Business Administration and a number of post-graduate diplomas (including diplomas from UCLA, Financial Times and Intheboardroom). Irene spent the first six years of her career (1989-1995) at Chase Manhattan Bank working between London and Milan where she finished as co-head of Corporate Finance in charge of new business development and structuring of transactions. She then moved to financial communication and joined Dewe Rogerson (the London-based Financial PR agency, European privatisation and IPO market leader) from 1995 to 1999 as a Director, advising directly the former Italian Treasury Minister (Mr. Mario Draghi) on main Italian privatisations (Telecom Italia, ENI 1, 2 and 3, Banca di Roma, Banca Nazionale del Lavoro, etc.). Eventually, she moved back to Italy as Head of Investor Relations at Parmalat (1999 -2004) where she worked for the Company until its delisting. Afterwards, she worked as Head of IR and CSR for the insurance company Alleanza Assicurazioni- Generali Group (2006 – 2007). In 2008, Irene joined as General Manager of SIF “Società Italiana di Filantropia,” the first Italian venture philanthropy association of charities and philanthropists working to increase effectiveness of philanthropy in Italy. Her responsibilities included the launch and coordination of the SIF chair in “Social Entrepreneurship” at Bocconi University (Milan).
She is a supporter of a number of Italian and UK charities. She is a member of the board of the foundation “Oliver Twist” (founded and supported mainly by Kairos partners – the leading Italian asset management company), a charity committed to support the growth and the education of disadvantaged children in Italy and abroad. Irene currently serves on the board of MusiXmatch ( the World's Largest Lyrics Catalog available on line with +30 million users) and on the board of CharityStar (an internet company that raises funds for non-profit organizations through online charity auctions - experiences include music, entertainment, business, politics, sports, art, fashion and other industries - with celebrities and brands).
She is married to Carlo Micheli with two children. She used to play tennis professionally when she was a teenager.
DENZYL FEIGELSON
Director, Apple and Founder, Platoon
Denzyl is a 40 year music industry pioneer and digital disruptor. He started his career as a pro musician, worked on the Paul Simon Graceland record and tour, started a successful management company (Ladysmith Black Mambazo, Gypsy Kings, Johnny Clegg, Luther VanDross, Kenny Loggins) and in 1997 launched the first ever pureplay digital music label - AWAL. In 2001 Denzyl started an advisory role to Steve Jobs, launched iTunes in 2003 and has been advising Apple ever since - Launching iTunes globally, producing the 30-day iTunes Festival (10 years) and working on Apple’s music initiatives - Apple Music, Beats1 etc…. In 2016, Denzyl founded and launched PLATOON an accelerator and investment incubator for emerging talent. The company works with some of the world’s most exceptional new artists - Jorja Smith Mr Eazi Stefflon Don, Billie Eilish Rex OC and many others.
DAVID SADDINGTON
Senior Policy Advisor, UK Government
David Saddington is a climate change policy maker & environmentalist. Since experiencing extreme flooding as a teenager he has communicated the importance of climate change action to millions, pioneered innovative policy change and worked with business on bold sustainability strategies. David’s first intervention was heading up a high profile public awareness campaign featuring BBC, Sky, ITV and working with then UK Prime Minister, Tony Blair, to get climate change on the school curriculum. As a 2008 WAFF Global Teen Leader, David has spread climate education to other countries and his work to re-energise communication of climate change to the public has been featured by United Nations as an example of best practice.
David has shared the stage with heads of state and CEO’s, talked at venues from the Hong Kong Science Museum to a conscious festival in Ibiza and his TEDxTeen talk ‘Why I Don’t Care about Climate Change’ is one of the most watched climate talks on Youtube. David now works for the UK Government designing policy to get to net-zero emissions by 2050. David has been named by WWF as an Earth Hour Hero for his now 15 years of continued work as an environmental change maker and he has been granted Fellowship of the Royal Geographical Society & Durham Energy Institute.
VIKAS SHAH
Entrepreneur & Philanthropist
Vikas Shah MBE is one of the UK’s highest profile entrepreneurs & philanthropists. He is Visiting Professor of Entrepreneurship at MIT Sloan (The Lisbon MBA), Honorary Professor of Business at The Alliance Business School, University of Manchester and an Honorary Industry Fellow at the University of Salford Business School. Vikas started his first technology business aged just 14, and is currently CEO of Swiscot Group (a diversified international trading business). He is a venture-investor in fast-growing technology businesses internationally and sits as a Non-Executive Director and advisor to numerous organisations. Vikas was awarded an MBE for Services to Business and the Economy in Her Majesty the Queen's 2018 New Year's Honours List.