IndustryMentoring Scheme

The UNIC Women’s Cinema Leadership programme is a 12-month cross-sector, pan-European mentoring scheme for women in cinema exhibition. The programme is rooted in the belief that gender-balanced leadership in cinema exhibition is imperative for business success, better governance and more equity in the industry.
Our key long-term objective is to broaden and deepen the talent pool for leadership in our sector and promote a culture of change within the industry that values growth and equal opportunities.
The initial pilot was launched at CineEurope 2017 to provide 6 ‘up and coming’ female cinema professionals with the unique opportunity to receive one-to-one career advice and guidance from a female senior industry executive recognised for her leadership and business success across the wider cinema landscape. The pilot was warmly welcomed by the industry and is now successfully rolling, with the fourth edition launched in June 2020.
More information on the programme is available here
Edna Epelbaum
CEO of Cinevital, Cinepel, Cinemont, Quinnie; President of the Swiss Cinema Operators' Association; Vice-President of UNIC
Montse Gil
Vice-President General Manager of Paramount Pictures, Spain
Veronica Lindholm
Managing Director of Finnkino
Corinne Thibaut
International Director, Cinema & Leisure at Coca-Cola
Dee Vassili
Executive Director, Group HR at Vue International
Sarah Lewthwaite
Managing Director, Senior Vice President EMEA Region at Movio
Edna Epelbaum
CEO of Cinevital, Cinepel, Cinemont, Quinnie; President of the Swiss Cinema Operators' Association; Vice-President of UNIC
Susanna Hermida Barbato
Executive Board Member at NOS Audiovisuais
Elisabeth Halvorsen
Chief Executive Officer of Bergen Kino
Clare Binns
Joint Managing Director at Picturehouse Cinemas & Picturehouse Entertainment
Mariam El Bacha
Chief Executive Officer of Cinepax Cinemas
Sarah Lewthwaite
Managing Director, Senior Vice President EMEA Region at Movio
Daniella Koot
Director Theatre Programming at Pathé Netherlands
Sofie Braet
COO of Cinionic
Nathalie Cieutat
Director of Programming at Les Cinémas Pathé Gaumont
Helena Eklund
CMO, Marketing at Filmstaden
Cathy Huis in 't veld-Esser
CTO/Co-Owner of Gofilex
Petra Rockenfeller
Manager at Lichtburg Filmpalast
Debbie Stanford-Kristiansen
Chief Executive Officer of Novo Cinemas
Olga Zinyakova
President, KARO Cinema Chain
Eva Maria Valles Novel
HR Director, Spain & Portugal at Cinesa
Nathalie Cieutat
Director of Programming, Les Cinémas Pathé Gaumont
Anne Fitzgerald
Chief Legal Officer and EVP, Real Estate, Cineplex
Norma Garcia-Muro
Head of Industry and Cinema Marketing at THX
Kate Gerova
Marketing & Brand Director, Curzon
Jadranka Islamovic
CEO and Member of the Board, Blitz-CineStar
Grainne Peat
Managing Director, Event Cinema Association
Kaisa Rakemaa
Head of Sales, B2B at Finnkino
Géke Roelink
Managing Director of Filmhuis Den Haag
Bettina Schmidt
COO, KITAG CINEMAS
Georgina Broadhurst
Head of Corporate Sales & Advertising at Vue International
Maria Galvez
Head of HR at Yelmo Cines
Magdalena Lewicka
Finance and Reporting Director at Multikino S.A.
Sandrine Liscia
Manager of theaters in Neuchâtel, Cinepel
Lucie Morvan
Assistant to the CEO at Yorck-Kino
Gráinne Peat
Policy Executive at UK Cinema Association
Lucia Anglade
Regional Cinema Operations Director at Les Cinémas Gaumont Pathé
Marieke Jonker
Head of Content at Vue Netherlands
Delia Kyburz
Head of Marketing and Events at Youcinema
Anna Malaret
Real Estate Director, Southern Europe at Cinesa
Sharon Reid
Director of Marketing and Partnerships at Cinema First Limited
Valerie Thoen
International Human Capital Director at Kinepolis
Laura Weber
Chief Executive Officer at Cinecitta Multiplexkino
Angeliki Angelidou
Cinema Manager at Cineplexx Multiplexx Thessaloniki
Sévrine Breil
Regional Director at Les Cinémas Pathé Gaumont
Susanne Fläxl
Managing Director at Cineplex Neufahrn
Anna Grunert
Market analyst at Helios
Louise McKenzie
UK Operations Director at Webedia Movies Pro
Alessandra Pavan Bernacchi
Senior Manager, Theatre Development, UK and Africa at IMAX
Rochelle Shanthakumar
CRM Campaign Manager at ODEON Cinemas Group
Hanna Szczepkowska
Management Assistant at Arsenal Cinema Tübingen
Clarissa Bergh
Cinema Director, Lillehammer Cinema
Rachel Bland
Screen Content Manager, VUE Entertainment
Monika Giełżecka
IT & Cinema Technology Manager, Multikino Group
Johanna Herfter
Manager Statistics and Research, Rentrak Germany/Comscore Inc.
Valeria Kurohtina
Group Programme Manager, CINAMON
Madelene Lorentzsson
Film Booker, Svenska Bio
Laura Mancilla
Brand Manager EMEA, Searchlight Pictures / Disney
Anna Paprocka
Group Content Manager, ODEON Cinemas Group
Olivia Taylor
Senior Marketing Manager, EMEA, IMAX
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