Simon Devereux, Founder & Director, ACCESS:VFX

With over 18 years of experience in the creative industry and a background as a freelance illustrator, Simon has held key roles in talent development and learning across visual effects, games, television, and commercial radio. As the current Global Director of the Framestore Talent Development Team, he is also the Founder and Director of ACCESS: VFX, a global industry movement uniting over 75 leading studios, industry bodies, and educational institutions in visual effects and animation. ACCESS: VFX champions inclusion, diversity, awareness, and opportunity through its four pillars: Inspiration, Education, Mentoring, and Recruitment.

Claudia Marvisi, Head of Texturing, Pixomondo

Claudia is the Head of Texturing at Pixomondo, a leading international VFX company. 

With over a decade of experience in the industry, she has played a key role in bringingstunning visuals to life as both Head of Texturing and Lead Artist on acclaimed films andseries, including House of the Dragon, The Mandalorian, Halo, Raised by Wolves, and StarTrek.

Her journey began more than ten years ago as a 2D artist in video games and advertising. In2014, she transitioned into the world of VFX as a 3D generalist and texture artist, expandingher expertise to include matte painting and motion graphics. Drawn to the artistic, storytelling, and technical challenges of the field, she ultimately specialized in texturingwhile maintaining a strong connection to the broader production pipeline. Her contributionsspan high-profile projects such as Game of Thrones, Carnival Row, Watchmen, JusticeLeague, and Midway, among many others.

Claudia advanced to Texture Lead at Pixomondo Stuttgart, where she guided a growing teamof talented artists. As her leadership skills flourished, she took on the role of Head of Department for Pixomondo Europe, a position she has held for four years.

Passionate about bridging the gap between education and the realities of the VFX industry, Claudia dedicates an increasing amount of time to teaching and mentoring. Through theseefforts, she hopes to inspire and shape the next generation of digital artists.

Anna Seidl, Head of HR, TRIXTER GmbH

Anna Seidl is a highly-experienced HR professional with a decade in VFX and nearly 2 decades in the entertainment industry under her belt.  Her noteworthy and diversified career in film & television began with camera operation, editorial, and production roles for prominent studios across Germany & Switzerland before she segued into VFX in 2013. Having worked in coordination, production, and talent-procurement roles at some of the top VFX houses in the industry, Anna joined TRIXTER in 2021, where she is the Head of HR. She is passionate about building diverse and dynamic teams that sustain the constantly changing industry. Building a creative and encouraging surrounding for each and everyone in the VFX environment is her goal. On a personal level Anna just kicked-off a local makerspace for creative women (and those who want to learn creativity). She enjoys to be a snowboard teacher and just recently started clay-working - how meditative.

Sarah Walsh, Group Commercial Director, Coffee & TV

A strategic and dynamic leader at board level Sarah's mission is to drive commercial growth whilst respecting creative.   She is passionate about building long lasting, trusting relationships and for people to enjoy the journey!  During her career, Sarah has produced VFX for some of the most well known and loved commercials, including the 2015 Cannes Lion Grand Prix winning John Lewis Christmas commercial, Monty the Penguin.  She is currently supporting the global expansion into NY and LA, whilst continuing to nurture existing UK clients.  

 

Paul Wilkes, Talent & Recruitment Consultant, PXL Talent

Paul is a Director of PXL Talent, a specialist global talent consultancy for the creative industries. He has 25 years of international experience working with talent across VFX, Animation, Games and Creative Production, and has partnered with both industry giants and smaller, independent studios alike.Before joining PXL Talent, Paul built and scaled a successful recruitment business for Escape Studios, one of the world’s leading training schools for VFX, Animation, and Games. He also led global talent acquisition for MPC and The Mill’s advertising studios, shaping teams across their international network.