John joined Saffery in 2012, having been a partner at RSM previously. John is a partner in the UK firm’s Film & TV unit in London but is also a partner of the Irish firm overseeing strategic cross-border opportunities for both jurisdictions.
John provides specialist advice on accessing film and television financing opportunities. His list of clients includes many significant members of the international film and television community. These include Universal Studios, Lucas Film, Disney/Marvel, Lionsgate, CBS, 20th Century Fox, ABC, Fox Searchlight, Sony Pictures, MGM, Working Title, Lionsgate TV, Blueprint Pictures, Alcon Entertainment, Annapurna, Eon, SF Studios, Sony TV and Carnival, as well as a variety of other independent producers.
John is a member of the firm’s Leadership Board.
Key experience
- During his career, John has been involved in advising on hundreds of films and television shows, including more recently No Time to Die, The Last Kingdom, Deadpool 3, Star Wars, Jurassic World Dominion, Spiderman, The Banshees of Inisherin, Mary and George, Mufasa and A Haunting in Venice,
- Away from the cut and thrust of the commercial world, John has been a mainstay of film policy in the UK for a number of years, advising both the UK government and key strategic film agencies,
- In November 2006, John was awarded the UK Production Guild External Merit Award for outstanding contribution to the British film industry,
- In July 2023, John took on an additional role as Co-vice Chair of the Production Guild of Great Britain,
- John has lectured regularly on film incentives having spoken at seminars in London, Cannes, Berlin, Frankfurt, Los Angeles, New York and Beijing.
Interests
John lives in Middlesex and is married with three daughters.