James Burstall
CEO, Argonon
James is an award-winning creative business leader and entrepreneur.
In 2011, James formed the new media group Argonon, designed to deliver world class entertainment
across all platforms. The company is growing rapidly through a combination of organic investment and
strategic acquisition. "My goal with Argonon is to build a world class group of cutting edge creatives and
business leaders focused on delivering exceptional entertainment transmedia. We believe in and invest in
talent and are proud to be growing our business across the globe. The opportunities of this technological
revolution are exhilarating and ripe for development. Argonon is actively seeking innovative, forwardthinking partners with expertise in transmedia entertainment, breakout television formats, digital, gaming,
mobile and branded content.”
James' career as an entrepreneur started in 2001 when he formed the highly successful international
media company Leopard Films. Highlights include House Hunters International, HGTV, Cash in the Attic,
BBC, Swan Lake in 3D, Sky Arts, Leonardo Live, Sky Arts, Africa Express, Channel 4/TLC, Missing Live,
BBC, which was commended in the House of Commons as a series that changes people's lives, and the
drama An Englishman in New York, which won Best Special Teddy at Berlin Film Festival and starred the
actor John Hurt. Leopard shows are on air in 167 countries worldwide.
Prior to this James was a Producer Director for the BBC and Channel 4 making films in the USA, Congo,
Zimbabwe, South Africa, Mozambique, and in many parts of Asia including Thailand, Vietnam, Nepal and
India. He also worked as a Producer Director at Twenty Twenty producing and directing ITV’s multi-award
winning flagship investigative current affairs series The Big Story. He was one of five founding producers
of the award-winning breakout hit series The Big Breakfast and has worked as a producer and reporter at
the BBC on the ground-breaking Def II series Reportage and Rough Guides.
James is a voting member of Bafta and a Fellow of the RSA. He studied at the Universities of Bristol,
Oxford and Stanford. He speaks five languages.