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Pete Burns

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Key Stats

Key Stats

Role: VP | Video Experiences

Office: London, UK

Year joined Deltatre: 2010

Deltatre in three words: Driven, open, passionate

Why did you start to pursue your career route?

I’ve always been interested in media and advertising and I think a big part of that was the concept of people’s interest in products. How do you communicate something? What defines the value in something?

Can you tell us about when you first joined Deltatre?

I joined as a Project Manager and went straight into working on the 2011 World Athletic Championships. It was live sports data and live video streaming on the other side of the world. That rolled straight into the build-up for the London 2012 Olympics for BBC Sport as the host nation broadcaster.

It resulted in managing five concurrent projects for BBC Sport during the Olympics, which included the live streaming and VOD video player, the results data, and pages across browser and mobile devices.

What happened next?

At the start of 2013, I moved across to the commercial team and it kind of went from there. I worked on commercial deals for the UEFA Champions League, European Tour and Ryder Cup. Initially supporting the Commercial Director in the UK and then identifying and leading deals myself. Most recently, I have built our global tennis portfolio which I’m extremely proud of.

Has your job impacted the way you watch sport?

Absolutely, both watching on a screen or in attendance. You have a greater appreciation for the effort that goes in behind the scenes to make these spectacles come to life and reach people everywhere.

What's it like seeing your work in the real world?

It’s really cool when you watch the biggest sports events and you know that we’re involved in delivering the experience you're seeing on any screen, including TV graphics, OTT platforms, 360° video, and smart highlights.

I've got a friend who regularly refers to me at parties, saying, “Oh, this is Pete, he's got the coolest job in the world.” It makes it hard to have a conversation with someone because when they say “what do you do?”, it's not so easy to describe it succinctly!

What's your favourite part of working at Deltatre?

The media and technology industries are both moving at such a rapid pace that we are constantly moving. Everyday is different which is always exciting. We are encouraged to explore these areas and continually look at how we can help our clients grow their businesses.

How did your role change come about?

When I joined, I was either the 21st or 22nd employee in the UK. There wasn't necessarily an agreement that I would move into commercial but in my previous role prior to joining I had a lot of commercial experience. As the business grew and I had demonstrated commercial management through my other roles, the opportunity came up which allowed me to switch.

Do you think you gained any new perspectives?

Absolutely, we have a few people in the commercial team that have been in operational roles before so I'm probably biased but I think it helps build relationships with clients. It gives you a greater understanding of what is required from their point of view, but also what will be required of your colleagues.

What’s a ‘standard’ day at work look like for you?

I don’t have a typical day, but it's a balancing act between analysing the industry and meeting people. For the most part, I’m looking at how we can work with people to support them in growing their business, so it's important to understand what challenges they’re experiencing. Of course, there’s plenty of travel and networking which is a key part of any international commercial business today.

How has the company evolved since you joined?

As the company's grown, there has been the need for greater structure as we have grown to be a truly global organisation. What’s not changed is the professionalism, the drive to innovate and create, and the focus of the people that work for the business. I think this combined has allowed us to continually push the boundaries. The passion hasn’t changed!

What have been your biggest learnings?

Patience, we work in an industry that is constantly changing, organisations have their own priorities and you need to understand those. Also, the value of teamwork, no one person or business has all the answers. Working with many companies and people bringing together leading solutions requires trust and high levels of communication.