We were delighted to welcome Old Birkonian Chris Rice back to the school to give the latest lecture in the Boumphrey Lecture Series. Chris is the Global Strategy Director for the marketing company Zero Degrees West. He inspired the children with his exciting work including the material he and his team had put together for films such as Spider Man!
On the last day of the Lent Term, we were privileged to have another Boumphrey Lecture for Years 5 and 6. Our guest speaker was Old Birkonian, Mr Chris Rice, who is Global Strategy Director for the marketing company, Zero Degrees West. Chris joined the Prep 25 years ago in Year 5. He went all the way through School to complete his ‘A’ Levels and then went on to study Arts, Music and Entertainment Management at LIPA.
Whilst at Birkenhead School, Chris particularly enjoyed Science Club, Chapel Choir, Theatre Studies, Music and Drama. He said he has always been drawn to the entertainment industry and this led him to work in marketing for entertainment, first at Sony Music and then at Zero Degrees West. He has met countlessIC stars whilst working on projects for Warner Brothers, Universal, Paramount, Pinewood, ITV, Sony Pictures, 20th Century Fox, Odeon and HMV.
Chris shared with us some of the marketing material he and his team had put together for films like Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse, Wonderwoman, Ocean’s 8, Lego Batman, Kong, Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, Dunkirk and Aquaman. The children were absolutely fascinated and had lots of questions. In answering the children’s questions, Chris got them to consider just how many career opportunities there are in marketing – for example games, fashion, technology, books, theatre, television, food, cars, music and art. When I asked the children how many would now consider a career in marketing, lots of hands went up!
A fascinating lecture and many thanks to Chris Rice for travelling up from London especially to speak to us.