South by Southwest® (SXSW®) Conference and Festivals (March 8–17) has announced further additions to their Keynote and Featured Speaker lineup for the 2019 event. The Keynote speakers announced today include Endeavor Chief Marketing Officer Bozoma Saint John, director, actress, producer and activist Olivia Wilde, and the addition of Instagram co-founder Mike Krieger to a conversation with Kevin Systrom and Josh Constine.
Among the Featured Speakers revealed today are musician and creative A$AP Rocky; journalist and author Jill Abramson; actress, writer, producer and director Pamela Adlon; Chairman and CEO of Vox Media Jim Bankoff; co-founder of the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative Priscilla Chan; Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez; singer-songwriter David Crosby; director, producer and writer Cameron Crowe; author and popular podcaster Tim Ferriss; best-selling author Neil Gaiman; United States Senator Mazie Hirono; WndrCo co-founder and Quibi founder and chairman Jeffrey Katzenberg; award-winning journalist, speaker, and author Soledad O’Brien; founder and CEO of Buzzfeed Jonah Peretti; Quibi CEO Meg Whitman; Bird founder and CEO Travis VanderZanden; actor Henry Winkler, and more.
"Each of the Keynote speakers announced today reflect bold and innovative talent transforming their respective industries," said Hugh Forrest, Chief Programming Officer. "The breadth and diversity of the Featured Speakers make the 2019 event an even stronger and more compelling place for creatives, innovators and storytellers alike."
“We’ve been fortunate to have Olivia Wilde at SXSW numerous times as an actress and producer, and we’re always impressed by her talent and her intelligence,” said Janet Pierson, Director of Film. “We could not be more excited to have her here as a Film Keynote on the eve of her outstanding directorial debut, Booksmart.”
The addition of Bozoma Saint John (Convergence), Olivia Wilde (Film) and Mike Krieger (Interactive) complements previously-announced Keynotes Jessica Brillhart (Film), Joseph Lubin (Interactive), Shirley Manson and Lauren Mayberry (Music), Marti Noxon (Film), and Kevin Systrom with Josh Constine (Interactive).
SXSW Conference programming is organized into 25 tracks divided between Interactive, Film, Music, and Convergence, presented in a variety of session formats. Once again, SXSW is offering expanded access to events for all registrants. Attendees will receive primary access to programming associated with their badge type but now also enjoy secondary entry to most other SXSW events. To register for the event, please visit sxsw.com/attend.
Keynote speakers
Bozoma Saint John (Convergence) — Bozoma Saint John is Chief Marketing Officer at Endeavor, a leader in entertainment, sports and fashion operating in more than 30 countries with a portfolio of companies including WME, IMG, and UFC. In her role, Saint John focuses on driving marketing efforts across Endeavor’s growing portfolio, including on behalf of Endeavor Global Marketing clients and premium brands. Collectively, the Endeavor network specializes in talent representation and management; brand marketing, sponsorship and licensing; media development, sales and distribution; event operation and management; and sports training and league development.
Mike Krieger and Kevin Systrom with Josh Constine (Interactive) — Mike Krieger and Kevin Systrom are the Co-Founders of Instagram, a social networking platform that was acquired by Facebook in 2012. Instagram has grown into a global community of over one billion and a family of apps including Instagram, IGTV, Direct, Boomerang, Layout, and more. The company’s mission is to bring you closer to the people and things you love. Mike Krieger and Kevin Systrom will be in conversation with Josh Constine, Editor-At-Large for TechCrunch, whose scope of coverage includes social networks, streaming music, and early-stage companies.
Olivia Wilde (Film) — Olivia Wilde has a resume ranging from director, to actress, producer and activist. Her directorial film debut Booksmart will release wide on May 24th of this year. Wilde has starred in a range of award-winning and critically acclaimed films including Meadowland, Her, Rush, and Drinking Buddies and has worked with some of the biggest directors in Hollywood including Martin Scorsese, Spike Jonze, and Reed Morano. Additionally, she has directed music videos for The Red Hot Chili Peppers and Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros. Earlier this year, she was named one of the Ten Directors To Watch by Variety.
Featured Speakers
Jill Abramson and Jonah Peretti (Media & Journalism) –– Jill Abramson is a journalist who spent the last 17 years in the most senior editorial positions at The New York Times, where she was the first woman to serve as the Washington Bureau Chief, Managing Editor and Executive Editor. Abramson is also an author of Merchants of Truth: The Business of News and the Fight for Facts, and co-author of Strange Justice: The Selling of Clarence Thomas, a National Book Award finalist. Jonah Peretti is Founder and CEO of Buzzfeed, the leading tech-powered digital media company that provides a pioneering mix of breaking news, entertainment, and shareable content. Under Peretti’s leadership, BuzzFeed has grown worldwide and generates more than 9 billion monthly content views, with writers and producers creating shareable and entertaining content, and reporters covering everything
