Mark Schneider is a successful and seasoned entrepreneur, investor, and executive. Mark has founded and co-founded numerous media and telecommunications businesses. Among the most prominent of these have been United International Holdings (UIH), United Global Communications (UGC), United Pan-European Communications (UPC), Chello Broadband, Chellomedia and Priority Telecom. These businesses (the United Group) became the material assets of Liberty Global Communications (LGI), when they were acquired. Mark then co-founded and became Vice Chairman and principal investor in Wananchi, a rapidly emerging broadband and multimedia business developing in fourteen countries in Africa.
He is the Co-Founder of GB News, the highly successful British news channel. As an experienced media executive, he played a key role in shaping the channel’s strategic vision, helping establish GB News as a disruptive and influential voice in the UK broadcasting landscape.
Mark is a lawyer and economist by education, following completion of his Juris Doctorate in 1980, he worked in the Attorney General’s office for the Governor of Alaska. He joined as the Staff Counsel and later became Legislative Chief of Staff to the US Senator Ted Stevens (formerly President Pro Tempore of the US Senate and formerly ranking Republican Member and at that time majority whip). Mark subsequently represented various public land, energy, and communications organisations as a private lawyer and for a period as Washington representative for British Petroleum’s major US business. In 1986 Mark left Washington.
Mark became Senior V.P. of United Cable Television (UCT) for development and acquisitions. United Cable acquired numerous cable systems and invested in Discovery, QVC, E, Prime Sports, Blockbuster Video, Republic Pictures and Turner Broadcasting among others. Many of these were early stage or start ups at that time.
Mark initiated and worked through completion of the merger with United Artists to create United Artist Entertainment (UAE) and served on that Board until the company was sold in 1991; and was its Head of Business Development. While Mark was in that role UAE became the 3rd largest US cable television company and largest theatre owner by 1990, when sold to TCI / Liberty for approximately a three and one half billion-dollar valuation.
Beginning in 1989 to 2004, Mark, along with his father Gene Schneider – and a handful of other former UA / UCT executives – founded and developed United International Holdings (UIH). From 20 million USD of investment in 1989 to secure Scandinavian, Israeli and Maltese cable and programming assets, these companies have evolved to be worth 30-40 billion USD of value in over 20 nations and 4 continents through growth and expansion. (UIH later became United Global Com and ultimately the nucleus for John Malone’s Liberty Global Inc. (LGI) when it acquired United in 2004).
Besides building the largest cable and one of the largest satellite portfolios outside of the United States, Mark led United in pioneering media investments and acquisitions such as SBS, one of Europe’s largest broadcast groups, (UPC was its largest shareholder until sold to KKR in 2006), Discovery Europe, HBO Eastern Europe, IPS in Spain, Extreme Sports, Reality Television, MGM International, Zone Vision, MTV Poland, Canal Plus Holland, Sport 1, Film 1 and Club among others. These channels and content investment served to secure the success of the United distribution properties, while building significant stand alone value. These channels serve hundreds of millions of customers around the world.
Since his departure from Liberty Global Inc., Mark has been investing personally and with other entrepreneurs in new business, serving on boards as well as continuing to provide consultancy support to Liberty Global and other clients on large acquisition targets. New investments are being made in media and communications distribution, content and technology – often using his investment holding company Schneider Media Holdings Group LLP. In addition to Wananchi, investments include, ShortsTV, I Like Music, Music Choice, Simplestream, TVPlayer, NOVA, Startle and various other media tech investments.
To raise capital for substantial distribution investments Mark not only invests personally but also brings in partners such as Liberty Global, Altice, Apollo, Oppenheimer Group, Disney, Time Warner and many other well known private investment organisations and family offices for equity investment. Mark has worked with most of the major banks in the world of telecom and media finance. Mark has worked with DFO organisations such OPIC (Overseas Private Investment Corporation, USA) and EDC (Economic Development Canada).
Mark has served on several public and private company boards in over 20 countries around the world, including United Artist Entertainment, UIH, United Global Com, UPC, SBS Broadcasting and Blockbuster Video at various times. He has been a member of the World Economic Forum for many years and also served as a member of the International Board for the Museum of TV & Radio. He also serves on a number of charitable foundation boards.
Mark Schneider was born in 1955 in Wyoming, grew up in western USA and lived many years in Colorado. Mark enjoys skiing, biking, golf and the arts. He is married and lives in London with his wife and family.