Leadership series: Gerry Cottle

Our CORE Leadership Series gives a voice to exceptional leaders shaping the industry today.

In this episode, we connect with Gerry Cottle, the Founder and CEO of Rooftop Cinema Club, to dive into the art of creating unforgettable social experiences. 

Gerry shares how his extraordinary upbringing within the vibrant world of circus arts, spectacle, and live crowds fundamentally shaped his contemporary approach to experience design. 

We explore the current landscape of traditional cinema and discuss how Rooftop Cinema Club positions itself amidst structural industry pressures, serving as a unique complement and breath of fresh air to the standard movie-going format.

The conversation delves into the business of demographics, looking at how the brand caters to its core 25–34 age group whilst strategically planning for the long-term evolution of future generations. 

Gerry opens up about his personal growth as a leader, reflecting on how his leadership style has transformed from the early days to where he stands today, and whether there was ever a definitive moment where he felt he had truly made it. 

Looking at the bigger picture, we reflect on the milestones of the last decade and cast a vision forward to what the next ten to fifteen years hold for the business. 

To wrap it all up, Gerry shares some fun personal insights, revealing his biggest commercial movie success, his ultimate Sunday afternoon plan, and his absolute favourite film to watch.