Nat Geo’s Tom McDonald Named Wildscreen Festival Chair 2026

Wildscreen has announced Tom McDonald as the Wildscreen Festival Advisory Board Chair for the 2026 edition.  

Executive Vice President, National Geographic Content, McDonald will work with Wildscreen to guide the programme and editorial direction of the 2026 edition of the Wildscreen Festival, taking place from 19-22 October.  

Tom McDonald said: “It is an honour to be Chair of the Wildscreen Festival 2026 – the role of Wildscreen and the storytelling community it supports has never been more valuable and more essential. For over 40 years, Wildscreen has been a nurturing ecosystem for talent, ideas and connections, and a place where so many of our community started their careers – that ecosystem is more essential than ever during a period of such upheaval in the world of global content and, of course, the planet itself.  Wildscreen is constantly pushing for a more equitable global genre both on and off screen, securing a future for the genre where all voices, regardless of background, get to tell the most important stories of our world. 

Lucie Muir, Wildscreen CEO, said: “We’re thrilled to have Tom joining as Chair for 2026. He’s a passionate advocate for the natural world storytelling industry, championing its universal appeal and exceptional craft. We have deep admiration for his pioneering spirit – he’s been behind some of the most ambitious, innovative and impactful natural history content of recent times. As a figurehead in the genre, who is deeply committed to diversifying the stories being told, the people telling them and the audiences being reached, he understands our charitable mission implicitly.”   

For 44 years, Wildscreen has been the largest and most influential gathering of the global wildlife film, TV and content industry. The Festival Programme spans industry panels, masterclasses, workshops and 1-1 decision maker meetings alongside screenings and networking. The hybrid event attracts over 2,000 delegates from over 60 countries spanning broadcasters, streamers, production companies, filmmakers and conversation organisations.  

Wildscreen previously announced that the 2026 edition will move to the historic city of Bath from Bristol, to ensure the hybrid Festival remains affordable for both the charity and its attendees. 

Entries to the Festival’s world renowned film competitions – the  Wildscreen Panda Awards and Official Selection – are currently open for entries, with the regular deadline closing on 16 April.  

Tom McDonald is Executive Vice President, National Geographic Content, overseeing television, streaming, editorial, digital and social across all platforms, including Disney+ and Hulu. He leads global content teams in Washington D.C., New York, Los Angeles and London. Since joining in 2023, he has helped drive a bold content strategy that has received recognition from the Emmys®, BAFTA, RTS, Critics’ Choice, Peabody and Wildscreen. Since 2025, he has been the chairperson of the Grierson Trust, the charity elevating documentary making and documentary makers.  

Before Nat Geo, McDonald spent a decade at the BBC in senior commissioning and production roles latterly as MD of Factual Production for BBC Studios and has deep experience in the independent sector, having worked as a producer, series producer and executive producer for some of the world’s leading independent producers.