will.i.am and Issa Rae are among the bold names set to share their expertise and insights at this year’s Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity.
HarbourView Equity Partners, an investment firm focused on opportunities in the music, sports, media and entertainment sectors, is convening them and other creators and entrepreneurs for a three-day program of curated conversations running June 17-19, that it says will focus on “business, culture, and connection.”
Music star will.i.am is the founder and CEO of FYI.AI, the company behind the FYI app, which describes itself as “the first productivity tool designed to serve creatives first. He will appear in a “Shifter(s) Series” event.
Actress, writer, and producer Rae is attending as co-founder of ColorCreative, the management and production company she co-founded with Deniese Davis and Talitha Watkins. ColorCreative’s mission is “to empower creators to reach their greatest potential by disrupting the creative industries and championing innovative and inclusive entertainment.”
Rae’s session will take place as part of a series of appearances dubbed “Rosé on the Riviera.” The other speakers in its lineup are Sixte de Vauplane, co-founder and CEO of Animaj, a media company focused on high-quality and inspiring brands for kids and families worldwide, and Alison Moore, the CEO of Chief, the largest community of senior women executives.
Live music performances by Saint Harison, Lucky Daye, Adam Blackstone, Mahalia, and PJ Morton are also set to be part of the experience of the HarbourView event.
“Our three-day presence at Cannes Lions reflects our commitment to meaningful industry engagement,” said Sherrese Clarke, founder and CEO of HarbourView, about what the firm said was its “first major activation” at Cannes. “This setting allows us to showcase our portfolio companies and extensive catalog of evergreen IP, discuss our investment approach, and foster important relationships with brands, creatives, and business communities.”
Added HarbourView chief marketing officer Lucinda Martinez: “Cannes Lions provides the perfect backdrop to illustrate HarbourView’s leadership in redefining investment through cultural relevance and creative impact. Our presence here reinforces our core proposition: intelligently bridging capital and creativity to create enduring value across culture and commerce.”
Newark, NJ-headquartered HarbourView launched in 2021, seeking “businesses or assets powered by IP and investment opportunities that aim to build enduring asset value and returns.” It has more than 70 music catalogs under management, spanning 35,000-plus songs across numerous genres and eras. In a recent deal, it acquired the rights to the producer royalty income streams of Grammy-winning producer-songwriter Rodney “Darkchild” Jerkins.
