ChIPs adds top entertainment executives to 2026 global summit

ChIPs will feature Michele Ganeless, Mary Olson and Erin Underhill at its sold-out Global Summit on Oct. 22 in Los Angeles. The panel puts three major entertainment leaders on stage to discuss how intellectual property, innovation and influence are reshaping film, television and gaming.

Why it matters: - The panel brings together leaders from comedy, television and gaming as entertainment companies lean harder on intellectual property. - ChIPs is positioning the discussion as part of a broader conversation about how artists' rights, innovation and pre-established franchises are shaping the next phase of the industry. - More than 800 ChIPs members are expected at the sold-out summit, giving the session a large built-in audience.

What happened: - ChIPs will host Michele Ganeless, Mary Olson and Erin Underhill at its 2026 Global Summit on Oct. 22 in Los Angeles. - The session is titled “Women Who Run Entertainment.” - Stephanie Burns, ChIPs Board Director and senior vice president and general counsel of Sony Interactive Entertainment, will moderate the conversation. - The summit will take place at the J.W. Marriott LA LIVE. - ChIPs said the event is sold out.

The details: - Ganeless is CEO of Comic Relief US and previously served as Comedy Central president from 2004 to 2016. - Ganeless took the Comic Relief US role in 2025 after serving as a long-time board member. - Comic Relief uses comedy to fight childhood poverty and support local nonprofits. - Underhill is president of Universal Television, a division of Universal Studio Group. - Underhill has worked at NBCUniversal since 2000 and became president in 2020. - Underhill oversees creative affairs, casting and production for the studio. - Her portfolio includes the "Law & Order," "One Chicago" and "FBI" franchises, plus Emmy-winning shows including "Hacks," "The Gilded Age" and "The Four Seasons." - Olson is studio head of Santa Monica Studio, the Sony Interactive Entertainment game studio behind the "God of War" franchise. - Olson became studio head in 2025. - Olson has held leadership roles at Sony Interactive Entertainment, Microsoft, 343 Industries, Midwinter Entertainment and Behaviour Interactive. - Olson began her career as a sound designer and later moved into creative, technical and production leadership. - ChIPs said the three executives bring more than a century of combined experience. - The 2026 summit theme is "The Next Act: IP, Innovation, and Influence." - Joan Toth, ChIPs executive director, said the entertainment industry and intellectual property have long been linked. - Toth said the industry is paying deeper attention to pre-established intellectual property and to artists' rights. - Burns said the speakers hold some of the highest positions in entertainment and have some of the longest tenures. - Burns said Ganeless, Olson and Underhill bring over a century of experience and knowledge to the main stage.

Between the lines: - ChIPs is using the summit to connect women leaders in media and gaming with a broader debate about ownership, adaptation and franchise-driven growth. - The speaker mix suggests the organization sees entertainment, television and interactive media as converging around the same IP questions. - The event also underscores the premium the industry places on executives with long track records across major brands and platforms.

What's next: - The panel is scheduled for Oct. 22 during the ChIPs Global Summit in Los Angeles. - ChIPs will continue the summit under its 2026 theme, with additional conversations likely centered on IP and innovation. - Interested attendees can find more information through the organization's LinkedIn page and YouTube channel.

The bottom line: - ChIPs is turning its 2026 summit into a showcase for entertainment leadership at the intersection of IP, creativity and industry influence.