The International Union of Cinemas (UNIC), the European cinema trade group, today launched the ninth edition of its Women’s Cinema Leadership Programme, a 12-month mentoring scheme for women in cinema.
As a result, another cohort of talented female cinema professionals—fourteen this year—will get an exclusive opportunity to learn, enjoy networking opportunities and receive career advice from outstanding women executives from across the cinema landscape, each recognized for their leadership and business successes.
The program remains UNIC’s flagship initiative to help address the gender imbalance at senior levels of the industry and works to encourage and empower female professionals as the industry looks to realize its full potential. The 2025/26 edition welcomes the following key female leaders and rising female professionals from the cinema exhibition landscape, representing 12 countries and 27 companies:
Mentors
- Clarissa Bergh, Managing Director, Lillehammer Kino, Norway
- Grainne Clarke, Head of Corporate Sales & Partnerships, Cineworld Cinemas, UK
- Mariam El Bacha, Independent Cinema Expert EMEA, Denmark
- Beatrice Flammini, Senior Vice President Government and Regulatory Affairs, NBCUniversal, Belgium
- Laura Fumagalli, Head of Marketing and Events, ARCADIA Cinema
- Sabine Goldie-Auger, Retail Director, Pathé Cinémas, France
- Ruth Hinton, Group Head of Customer Experience and Insights, Vue, UK
- Mary Kouinoglou, Senior Vice President, Theatrical, EMEA Licensees, Sony Pictures, UK
- Anna Marsh, CEO, StudioCanal, France
- Finola McLoughlin, Executive Director, EMEA Theatrical Distribution, Warner Bros Pictures Group, UK
- Katarina Nyman, Country Manager & Director of Film Distribution, Nordisk Film, Finland
- Anna Paprocka, Head of Programming, Regent Street Cinema, UK
- Mette Schramm, Cinema Manager / CEO / Owner, Reprise Teatret, Empire Bio & Reel Pictures, Denmark
- Suzie Welch, Managing Director UKI & Group Chief People Officer, Odeon Cinemas Group, UK
Mentees
- Ann Karin Atterås, Cinema Manager, Voss Kino, Norway
- Koyin Awomolo, Account Manager, Harkness Screens, UK
- Patricia Cüppers, Senior Digital Marketing Manager, Yorck-Kino GmbH, Germany
- Nena Loncar, Client Insights Manager, Comscore, UK
- Katrin Mathe-Cotillon, Senior Manager Theatrical Marketing EMEA, Crunchyroll, France
- Oanh Nguyenova, Commercial and Business Development Manager, Gruvi, Portugal
- Paola Parini, Junior Manager, Multisala King, Italy
- Beatriz Romero Fernández-Paniagua, Head of Treasury, Budgeting, and Financial Reporting, Yelmo Cines, Spain
- Magda Rotko, Content Curator Lead, Vista Group, Germany
- Elin Svärdendahl, Senior Film Booker, Filmstaden, Odeon Cinemas Group, Sweden
- Daniela Tamburrino, Cinema Manager, Lucisano Media Group, Italy
- Lesley van der Woude, Head of Film Programming UK/US, Rooftop Cinema Club, US
- Claire Wyckaert, Marketing Manager – Programs, Barco, Belgium
- Samira Zaïbat, Director, The Mouv’, Jolifanto ASBL / European Parliament, Belgium
Welcoming this latest edition of the programme, UNIC CEO Laura Houlgatte commented:
“Since its launch in 2017, the programme has evolved into a vibrant and supportive network of over 180 exceptional female professionals. We are continually inspired by their passion, growth, and commitment to shaping a more inclusive future for our industry. A heartfelt thank you to each of these incredible women—and to our dedicated ‘Champions of the Programme’—IMAX Corporation, Vista Group, and Barco—for their ongoing support in helping us build a strong and diverse community of talents. We warmly welcome our new mentees and mentors, and send our sincere congratulations to this year’s graduating cohort! To quote Michelle Obama: “There is no limit to what we, as women, can accomplish.”
Laure Galtier Buettner, UNIC’s Events & Project Manager added:
“As we enter the ninth edition of the programme, it’s inspiring to see how far this community has come—and how much potential lies ahead. Each mentor and mentee brings something unique, and it’s a privilege to support their journey. Together, we are fostering lasting connections and real change across the industry.”
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