Weighing the impact of the cost-of-living crisis on media and entertainment

Rob Gallagher

Chief Analyst, Consumer Technologies & Services

With over 25 years of experience analyzing consumer technologies and services, Rob specializes in identifying opportunities at the intersections and gaps between media, big tech, and consumer electronics markets. He regularly advises clients across the value chain, including media firms, tech giants, device makers, network operators, infrastructure vendors, investors, and regulators.

Rob began his career in 2000 as a journalist covering internet access, e-commerce, and digital media. Since joining the company that is now Omdia in 2003, he has played a key role in expanding the company’s coverage of innovative consumer services and technologies. Rob’s achievements include devising and launching several research services and leading complex consulting projects.

Steven Bailey

Principal Analyst, Video Games

Steve specializes in the online PC gaming market, virtual worlds, online consoles, as well as casual, browser-based, and social gaming. 

He also provides consultancy services for major international clients and general games intelligence service work. Steve focuses on subscription and micro-transaction markets in the West as well as in emerging gaming sectors.

Prior to joining Omdia, Steve had an accomplished career in games journalism in a variety of magazine roles, including as editor of a TV-based games portal. Most notably, he lent his distinctive voice as a freelance writer to Edge, the influential games periodical. Over the six years of his career as a writer, Steve published several thousand published pages of video game content within the specialist press.

Steve attended Cardiff University in Wales, completing a PhD in mathematics with an emphasis on numerical analysis and multivariate calculus.  

Simon Dyson

Senior Principal Analyst, Music and Digital Audio

At Omdia, Simon edits the industry newsletter, Music & Copyright. He also provides a wealth of insight and information including research, data, trackers, and forecasts.

Prior to joining Omdia, Simon had a lengthy career in the music industry, after which he returned to education and then worked for a specialist music research agency for three years. His extensive music industry knowledge covers all sectors of the industry with a particular interest in recorded music and publishing, as well as royalties and music-related intellectual property issues. Simon has worked for Omdia, formerly Ovum and Informa Telecoms and Media, since 2000. His knowledge of the music industry was gained through performance, management, and record company ownership. He holds a Bachelor of Science in media studies.  

David Hancock

Chief Analyst, Media and Entertainment

David is a leading expert on the global film and cinema market and played a fundamental role in the conversion of cinemas to digital projection and distribution technology over the past decade. Leading Omdia’s cinema team, he has set up the cinema intelligence service and the premium cinema service, most recently. 

David has authored reports on the cinema market and participated in consultancy projects. He specializes in new business models, market sizing and valuation, competitor analysis and benchmarking, strategic roadmaps, due diligence, and market analyses. 

Since 2015, David is the President of the European Digital Cinema Forum and often contributes to media regarding the film industry. Prior to joining Omdia (formerly IHS Markit), David was as a research consultant at IDATE DigiWorld and a senior executive with Eurimages. 

He holds a Bachelor of Arts (Hons.) in business studies and French from Leeds Beckett University in the UK and studied at the Brest Business School in France. 

William Thompson-Hare

Research Director

William Thompson-Hare is the Research Director for Telecoms Data Strategy at Omdia. He is responsible for leading and managing Omdia’s World Information Series (WIS) product family (including WCIS and WBIS) and driving the creation of unique market data for the telecom industry.

William has more than 17 years of experience in the telecom sector, advising operators, NRAs, and professional services firms worldwide. He joined Omdia in 2020 and became the practice leader for European Service Provider Markets. William led a team of analysts covering fixed and mobile market developments in the European telecom industry across more than 50 countries. His specializations include market modeling and data analysis, market forecasting, 5G, and broadband market dynamics. William holds a degree in Mathematics from the University of Cambridge.

Irina Kornilova

Practice Leader, TV & Online Video

Irina tracks the international online, movie, and TV markets and maintains the Omdia online video models via extensive interview work and desk research. Her widespread contacts with a network of key industry players support Irina’s research and analysis of the sector. 

Irina is also a regular contributor to industry reports. She has written about a range of topics, including an assessment of iTunes market share, the changing nature of the Australian online rental market, and the strategies of consumer electronics companies for online video in Europe. Irina holds a Master of Science in international management from King's College London, as well as a graduate degree in management from the Russian State University of Trade and Economics. She is fluent in Russian.