UK

United Kingdom · Events and experiential marketing · C-Suite (20+ years)

VP, Global Rights & Commercial Affairs

Here is the whole job, in plain words. What it is, what you decide, how you're judged, how people get here and where they go next. Then the part no course gives you: twelve AI tutors who learn your work.

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  • Experience bandC-Suite (20+ years)
  • Direct reports100 reports
  • Reports toChief Executive Officer (CEO) / Board of Directors
  • UK framework levelUsually a director, accountable for a division and its numbers

Also advertised as Chief IP & Monetisation Officer · EVP, Business & Legal Affairs (Events) · Global Head of Commercial Rights

Built on 43,079 real UK job descriptions we analysed · grounded in qualifications employers recognise

Two short quizzes about you

1From this job to a course

The qualifications matched to this job

AIM Qualifications Level 3 Diploma in Media Creation, Production and Craft Support AIM Qualifications · Level 3 · covers 1 of 2 standards

Matched from the standards this job is measured against: a suggestion, not an official ruling.

The units you would start with

Identifying and Negotiating Copyright Issues for a Broadcast Production AIM Qualifications Level 3 Diploma in Media Creation, Production and Craft Support

The future skills this job leans on

AI Fluency working with AI as a thinking partner
Data Fluency turning numbers into a decision
AI Governance Fluency using AI responsibly
Automation Fluency building AI into how work runs
Frontier Fluency the next wave, beyond mainstream AI
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2AI and this work

Will AI change your work as a VP, Global Rights & Commercial Affairs?

Nobody can say exactly how. Here is what this job is being asked for next, and where to start.

The new skills this role is being asked for

  • Web3 & Metaverse IP Monetisation Strategy
  • AI-Driven Rights Negotiation & Compliance
Why each one is rising

The future skills this job leans on

We'll only ever tell you what we can actually back up. No hype, no scare tactics.

What happens when you start

Next, a free account. We build your VP, Global Rights & Commercial Affairs plan as you set up, starting with a Future Fluency module on using AI in your job. No card.

Your first Future Fluency module is free. After that, your AI tutor is £70 a month.

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3What this role really is

This role manages global rights and commercial affairs, turning intellectual property and event portfolios into revenue while keeping deals within the law.

4What you'd actually use

The tools this job runs on, and how well you'd need to know each one.

Icertis (or equivalent enterprise CLM) Architect

Leading the selection, enterprise-wide implementation, and strategic integration of CLM systems with Salesforce and Finance to create a unified source of truth for all contractual obligations. You're defining the future of how we manage contracts, not just using it.

Bynder (or equivalent enterprise DAM) Architect

Developing the enterprise-wide DAM strategy, making the business case for integrating it with production, marketing, and archival systems to maximise asset ROI and ensure global rights compliance. You're shaping the entire asset lifecycle.

FADEL Rights Cloud (or equivalent Rights Management Platform) Strategic

Owning the relationship with the platform vendor, customising the platform to model complex multi-party rights agreements, sponsorship tiers, and royalty calculations at a global scale. This means ensuring it meets our evolving strategic needs.

Anaplan (or equivalent Financial Planning & Analysis) Strategic

Using Anaplan to model the financial impact of major media rights deals, forecast long-term licensing liabilities, and present these insights to the C-suite and Board to inform strategic investment decisions.

Tableau/Power BI (Executive Dashboards) Strategic

Presenting dynamic dashboards to the C-suite and Board that visualise global rights availability, compliance risks, sponsorship fulfillment status, and IP monetisation performance. You're using these to drive strategic conversations.

5What you get to decide, and how that grows

Power in a job isn't your title. It's what you're allowed to decide. Here's how it grows as you move up.

The choiceComing in Where you are nowThe step above
Global IP Strategy & Monetisation No involvement. Follows established guidelines. Contributes data and analysis to support strategic discussions. Proposes strategic initiatives and leads implementation for specific workstreams.
Major Commercial Deal Negotiation (e.g., £5M+ media rights) Processes paperwork post-agreement. Drafts standard clauses from templates, tracks deliverables. Negotiates moderately complex terms, advises on deal structure.
Organisational Design & Talent Acquisition (within function) None. Focus on individual learning and tasks. Provides informal feedback on team processes. Mentors junior staff, provides input on hiring for junior roles.

6How you'll be judged

The scoreboard, and what is not on it. The hard targets, how often each is actually looked at, and the quiet signals that never reach a dashboard.

New Rights-Enabled Revenue Streams
Revenue generated from new licensing deals, IP monetisation, and commercial partnerships that you've strategically identified and secured.
Target · Achieve £10M+ in new revenue from rights monetisation annually.

Successfully negotiated a global streaming deal for our flagship festival, bringing in £12M in new revenue in the first year, exceeding the £10M target.

Global IP Portfolio Value Growth
The year-on-year increase in the independently assessed valuation of the company's entire intellectual property portfolio (trademarks, copyrights, event formats).
Target · Increase IP portfolio valuation by 15% year-on-year.

Through strategic acquisitions and proactive IP registration, the company's IP portfolio was valued at £150M in 2024, up from £130M in 2023, a 15.4% increase.

Legal & Commercial Risk Reduction (Cost Avoidance)
Quantifiable savings from avoiding litigation, fines, or penalties due to proactive rights management, compliance, and shrewd negotiation.
Target · Demonstrate £2M+ in cost avoidance from legal and compliance risks annually.

Proactively identified a potential £3M copyright infringement risk in a new marketing campaign and re-negotiated terms, avoiding a costly lawsuit and associated damages.

Strategic Partnership ROI
The return on investment from major rights-based partnerships (e.g., title sponsorships, media distribution deals), including both direct revenue and brand value.
Target · Ensure top-tier partnerships deliver 3x+ ROI.

Our lead media partner delivered £5M in direct revenue and £10M in media value, a 3x ROI on the £5M investment, driven by the rights package you structured.

Board & Investor Confidence
The Executive Leadership Team and Board consistently trust your strategic advice on IP, commercial deals, and risk. They'll see you as a key driver of long-term value.
  • You're regularly invited to present on strategic growth initiatives and risk mitigation to the Board. Investors specifically ask about our IP strategy during earnings calls. Your recommendations are typically adopted without significant challenge.
Global Regulatory Acumen
You're seen as the go-to expert for navigating complex international legal and commercial landscapes, ensuring our global expansion is compliant and commercially sound.
  • You lead the strategy for market entry into new territories, proactively identifying and mitigating regulatory hurdles. You're sought out for advice on international M&A rights integration. We don't get caught off guard by unexpected international legal issues.
Organisational IP Culture
You've built a company-wide understanding and appreciation for intellectual property, ensuring everyone, from creative to sales, understands its value and how to protect it.
  • IP protection and rights considerations are embedded in product development and marketing campaign planning from the outset. There's a noticeable reduction in 'forgiveness, not permission' incidents related to IP usage across the business units. Your team is seen as a strategic partner, not just a 'department of no'.
Talent & Team Development
You've built and nurtured a world-class team, fostering a culture of excellence, compliance, and commercial innovation within your function.
  • Your direct reports are recognised as industry leaders. Retention rates within your department are high, and there's a clear succession plan for key roles. Your team is consistently delivering high-quality, commercially impactful work.

7Would you like it

Both sides. What people enjoy, and what grinds them down.

What people enjoy
Enterprise-Level Impact & Value Creation

You get a real buzz from seeing your strategic decisions directly contribute to the company's bottom line and long-term growth. This isn't about small wins; it's about shaping the entire business.

Successfully launching a new global digital content licensing programme that adds £15M to the company's revenue, knowing it was your vision and execution that made it happen.

Complex Problem Solving & Risk Navigation

You thrive on tackling the trickiest, highest-stakes legal and commercial challenges. The more ambiguous or high-pressure the situation, the more engaged you become.

Navigating a multi-jurisdictional IP dispute that threatened a major event, ultimately securing a favourable settlement and protecting the company's assets.

Building & Leading High-Performing Teams

You're energised by developing a world-class team of legal and commercial experts, empowering them to deliver exceptional results and grow their careers.

Mentoring a Director who then successfully leads a major rights negotiation, knowing you've built the capability within the organisation.

What frustrates people
  • Dealing with internal resistance to necessary compliance changes, especially when it impacts established ways of working.
  • The sheer volume of complex, high-stakes decisions that land on your desk daily, often with incomplete information.
  • The constant need to balance aggressive commercial goals with stringent legal and ethical boundaries across diverse global markets.
  • Managing the expectations of investors and the Board while navigating unpredictable market and regulatory environments.
  • Cleaning up significant, costly errors made by other departments due to a lack of understanding of rights and IP.
What this role does not give you
  • A quiet, predictable routine with minimal external pressure.
  • The luxury of focusing solely on legal theory without commercial realities.
  • An environment where all decisions are clear-cut and universally popular.
  • A role where you don't have to challenge senior leadership or the Board.
  • The ability to completely avoid public scrutiny or major crises.

8Who you work with

You're directly responsible for protecting and growing the company's most valuable assets: its intellectual property and commercial rights. Your decisions will shape our global market position, influence our P&L by £10M+, and determine our ability to innovate and expand into new markets. You'll literally be defining how we make money from our events and content, and how we keep it.

Inside the business
  • CEO and Executive Leadership Team
  • Board of Directors
  • Chief Financial Officer (CFO) and Finance Leadership
  • Chief Marketing Officer (CMO) and Global Marketing Leadership
  • Chief Operations Officer (COO) and Global Operations Leadership
  • Head of Legal & Compliance
Outside the business
  • Major Media Partners (broadcasters, streamers)
  • Global Brand Sponsors and Agencies
  • Industry Regulators and Legal Bodies
  • Investors and Shareholders
  • Talent Agencies and Unions (globally)
  • IP Owners and Licensing Bodies

9What you need before you start

Not a wish list. The things you would be expected to already have.

  • A proven track record (20+ years) of progressive leadership experience in global rights management, business affairs, or commercial legal roles within the media, entertainment, or events industries.
  • Extensive experience (10+ years) leading and managing large, multi-disciplinary teams (100+ people, including other leaders) across different geographies and cultures.
  • Demonstrable success in negotiating and closing multi-million-pound, complex international commercial and IP deals that have significantly impacted a company's P&L.
  • Experience presenting to and influencing Boards of Directors, CEOs, and institutional investors on strategic legal and commercial matters.
  • Deep expertise in IP law (copyright, trademark, publicity rights) and contract law, applied in a commercial context, with a strong understanding of international legal frameworks.
  • A strong commercial mindset, with a clear ability to identify and capitalise on revenue-generating opportunities from IP and commercial rights.
  • Experience in M&A due diligence and integration, specifically related to intellectual property and commercial contracts.

10What to practise next

Where the job is going, and what to do about it starting this week.

Enterprise CLM & DAM Integration Architectures

As our global footprint grows, the seamless integration of our Contract Lifecycle Management (CLM) and Digital Asset Management (DAM) systems with other enterprise platforms (CRM, ERP, Finance) becomes absolutely critical. You need to understand the technical possibilities and limitations to ensure a single, accurate source of truth for all rights and assets.

API-First Integration Strategies · Master Data Management (MDM) for Rights · Cloud-Native & Hybrid Architectures · Data Governance & Security for Sensitive IP

  • This quarter: Review our current CLM/DAM integration architecture, identifying key pain points and strategic opportunities.
  • Next 6 months: Lead a cross-functional task force to define the future state of our integrated rights management ecosystem.
  • Next 12 months: Oversee the selection and implementation of new integration technologies or platforms to achieve our strategic vision.
  • Ongoing: Stay informed about best practices in enterprise architecture and data governance for legal and commercial systems.

Quick win: Schedule deep-dive sessions with our IT and data architecture teams to understand the current state and future roadmap of our enterprise systems. This will give you the language and context needed to drive change.

11Staying current once you are in

What people here do to keep up
  • Regularly attending and speaking at major industry conferences (e.g., MIPCOM, SXSW, Licensing Expo) to stay abreast of market trends and network with key players.
  • Participating in executive education programmes focused on global strategy, M&A, or digital transformation.
  • Engaging with relevant industry associations and regulatory bodies to influence policy and best practices.
  • Mentoring emerging leaders within the legal and commercial functions, both internally and externally.

12The rising capability

The rising capability

Zavmo analysis

What's rising in its place

This is where the work is heading, and the higher pay with it. Get fluent here and the shift stops being a threat and starts being your edge.

Web3 & Metaverse IP Monetisation Strategy

The rise of NFTs, virtual worlds, and decentralised platforms is creating entirely new forms of digital assets and IP. We need to understand how to protect, license, and monetise our brands and content in these emerging spaces, or we'll miss massive opportunities and face new infringement risks.

  • NFTs & Digital Collectibles
  • Virtual World Rights
  • Smart Contracts & Blockchain Law
  • DAO Governance & IP

AI-Driven Rights Negotiation & Compliance

AI isn't just for automating tasks; it's becoming a strategic tool for negotiation, risk assessment, and compliance monitoring. Leaders who can harness AI to gain an advantage in deal-making, predict legal challenges, and ensure global adherence will be lightyears ahead.

  • Predictive Analytics for Contract Outcomes
  • AI-Powered Compliance Auditing
  • Generative AI for Legal Drafting
  • Ethical AI & Bias in Legal Tech

13What you’ll use

What you’ll use

Skills this role draws on

Technical

  • Global IP Strategy & Portfolio Management
  • Complex Media Rights & Distribution Architecture
  • M&A Rights Integration & Due Diligence
  • Global Regulatory Compliance & Governance
  • Talent & Union Relations (International)

14The pathway

The pathway

How you actually get there, here

How you become one varies far more by country than what one does. This is the UK route. Most people take one of these ways in; the right one depends on where you're starting from.

  1. 1

    Global Head of Business & Legal Affairs (Large Media/Entertainment Co.)

    15-20 years of prior experience

    Skills to master

    • Enterprise-level legal strategy, international deal negotiation, managing large legal teams, board reporting, M&A integration.

    You're ready to move on when

    • Successfully led the legal and commercial strategy for a major business unit or global division.
    • Demonstrated ability to negotiate and close multi-million-pound, high-stakes international deals.
    • Proven track record of building and developing high-performing legal and commercial teams.
    • Regularly presented to and influenced executive leadership and board members.
  2. 2

    EVP/SVP, Commercial Partnerships & Licensing (Global Brand)

    18-22 years of prior experience

    Skills to master

    • Strategic partnership development, global licensing models, revenue generation from IP, commercial negotiations, market expansion strategies.

    You're ready to move on when

    • Directly responsible for significant revenue growth through strategic partnerships and licensing.
    • Managed a global portfolio of commercial rights and relationships for a major brand.
    • Expertise in structuring innovative commercial deals that create new revenue streams.
    • Strong understanding of the interplay between commercial strategy and legal frameworks.

15Where this role leads

The long view: This role can lead to senior leadership positions in media and entertainment, or to board level roles where legal and commercial expertise shape wider strategy.

The ten Future Fluencies

Zavmo analysis

The credential is what you can do today. These are what keep you valuable.

A qualification proves you can do the job as it's defined today. These ten are what decide whether you're still the obvious person for it in five years. They're the capabilities employers are now writing into senior roles faster than people are learning them. Zavmo weaves them through whatever you study, so you come out with both: the credential and the fluency.

The highlighted ones are the Fluencies your role leans on hardest, from how VP, Global Rights & Commercial Affairs is actually changing.

Where it leads

Roles this leads to

Also named as a next step, with no page in the catalogue yet:

  • Chief Executive Officer (CEO) / Board Member

How you would learn this

One to one, on the work you already do

A tutor sets the task against your own job and marks the reasoning, at your pace. There is no cohort to fall behind.

A lesson from Identifying and Negotiating Copyright Issues for a Broadcast Production, worked against VP, Global Rights & Commercial Affairs.

Identifying and Negotiating Copyright Issues for a Broadcast Production Level 3

Applied to your work in VP, Global Rights & Commercial Affairs

The objective of this unit is to enable learners to identify and resolve copyright issues in broadcast productions. Learners will understand copyright law, fair use, and licensing agreements, and will be able to negotiate permissions and agreements to ensure compliance.

How the thinking builds
  1. 1 Remember
  2. 2 Understand
  3. 3 Apply
  4. 4 Analyse
  5. 5 Evaluate
  6. 6 Create
An illustration of a Zavmo lesson, built from this role’s own route. The unit, its objective and every criterion above are the awarding body’s own words, not an example.

It is £70 a month, billed monthly. Your free first module is Future Fluency, and you can cancel any time.

Start my VP, Global Rights & Commercial Affairs plan, free
See Your Progress Grow Illustration
VP, Global Rights & Commercial Affairs
  • Global IP Strategy & Portfolio Management
  • Complex Media Rights & Distribution Architecture
  • M&A Rights Integration & Due Diligence
  • Global Regulatory Compliance & Governance
  • Talent & Union Relations (International)
This is your Mind Palace on learn.zavmo.ai. Every skill above comes from this role's own record, not an example borrowed from another job. A node lights up when you evidence it, and what you build stays yours between jobs. That is the part a course cannot do.

16The detail, folded away

Everything else the record holds

The career branches in full, how AI is already showing up in the day-to-day, and the questions people ask about this job. Here when you want them, out of the way while you decide.

Where it leads next, rung by rung

Where it leads

The career path, and where it branches

VP, Global Rights & Commercial Affairs is a start, not a ceiling. Each step below asks for new skills and hands back more autonomy.

  1. Chief Operating Officer (COO)

    3-5 years

    Lateral move, potentially higher enterprise scope.

    • Large-scale operational planning and execution for global events
    • Technology infrastructure management for event delivery
    • Crisis management beyond legal/commercial scope
    • Enterprise resource planning (ERP) system oversight

  2. Chief Executive Officer (CEO) / Board Member

    5-10 years

    Promotion to the highest executive level.

    • Corporate finance and M&A strategy (overall company level)
    • Market expansion and new business development (across all functions)
    • Innovation and R&D strategy (enterprise-wide)
    • Global political and economic landscape analysis
Working with AI on the job

Working with AI

Where AI is starting to help

At the C-suite level, your time is incredibly valuable. Imagine if you could cut through the noise, get critical insights faster, and ensure global compliance with less manual effort. AI isn't just for individual contributors; it's a game-changer for executive decision-making and strategic oversight.

For a VP of Global Rights & Commercial Affairs, AI can transform how you manage enterprise risk, identify monetisation opportunities, and maintain a pulse on our vast IP portfolio. We're talking about tools that give you a strategic edge, not just automate mundane tasks. It's about empowering you to make bigger, bolder, and more informed decisions.

Enterprise Risk & Compliance AI

Use AI-powered platforms to continuously scan global regulatory changes, identify potential compliance gaps across our event portfolio, and flag high-risk contractual clauses. Get real-time alerts on emerging legal threats in new markets, allowing you to proactively adjust strategy and mitigate multi-million-pound exposures.

IP Monetisation & Market Analysis AI

Deploy AI to analyse market trends, competitor IP strategies, and consumer behaviour data to identify untapped monetisation opportunities for our existing rights. Get AI-driven forecasts on potential revenue from new licensing models or digital content distribution, informing your strategic investment decisions.

Executive Insight Dashboards

Leverage AI-driven analytics to consolidate complex data from CLM, DAM, and financial systems into concise, actionable executive dashboards. Quickly visualise global rights availability, contractual obligations, revenue performance by IP asset, and overall risk posture, ready for board presentations or investor calls.

Strategic Communication & Briefing AI

Use AI to rapidly synthesise vast amounts of information – legal opinions, market reports, internal data – into crisp, executive-ready briefings and presentations. Get AI-assisted drafts for board reports, investor updates, or strategic proposals, ensuring clarity and impact in your most critical communications.

Common questions

Common questions

How do you become a VP, Global Rights & Commercial Affairs?

Common routes in include Global Head of Business & Legal Affairs (Large Media/Entertainment Co.) (15-20 years of prior experience) and EVP/SVP, Commercial Partnerships & Licensing (Global Brand) (18-22 years of prior experience). Times vary with prior experience.

Where can a VP, Global Rights & Commercial Affairs progress to?

This role can lead on to Chief Operating Officer (COO) (3-5 years) and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) / Board Member (5-10 years), depending on the skills you build.

What new skills matter most for a VP, Global Rights & Commercial Affairs?

Increasingly, Web3 & Metaverse IP Monetisation Strategy and AI-Driven Rights Negotiation & Compliance. These are the skills our record of this role lists as growing.

Free tools

Want a read on where you stand?

Three free tools, no account needed. Each one ends with a role, a level and a way in.

Read the Zavmo manifesto to understand how you will be taught Meet your tutors

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17Where to go from here

Other roles at Level 7

Same depth of qualification, different job. Useful if the work appeals but this particular role does not.

 More jobs in events and experiential marketing

Stay in the field you know and move sideways rather than up.
If you leave this industry

Skills in global rights, commercial strategy and legal affairs transfer to other industries built on intellectual property. This includes sport, music, film, gaming and technology companies with large content or platform rights. Monetising and protecting intellectual property at scale is valuable across sectors.

This role profile is © 2026 Growth Engineering Technologies Ltd. Built from UK occupational standards and regulated qualification data, and written for Zavmo.

You're not behind. You're right on time. The shift is only just beginning. Your role won't look the same in two years. Be the one who leads the change, not the one it happens to. Start my VP, Global Rights & Commercial Affairs plan, free What happens next: a free account, then we build your plan as you set up. No card. Build your plan, see your roadmap and meet the twelve tutors matched to you. All free. When you're ready to start learning, it's £70 a month, billed monthly. Cancel any time and billing stops.