Arcade, the management company behind YouTube supergroup The Sidemen, has appointed Pete Cory as chairman following a seven-figure investment from Lumina Media.
Cory, who most recently served as managing director for YouTube’s EMEA partner development division, brings over 35 years of experience spanning media, advertising and technology.
His career began at global agencies including Dentsu and Universal McCann, before an 18-year tenure at Google, where he led agency and advertiser sales teams and later helped creators across Europe monetise and grow their YouTube presence.
As chairman, he will work alongside co-founders Jordan Schwarzenberger and Sam Uwins to expand the London firm’s brand and agency partnerships.
He joins a refreshed board including Schwarzenberger, Uwins, Thomas Benski and Matt Elek.
At the business, Cory will focus on scaling opportunities around The Sidemen, one of the world’s most successful creator collectives, boasting over 130 million YouTube subscribers and 40 billion views.
The group’s global influence now spans TV, music, sponsorships, consumer products and their membership platform Side+.
“Pete’s appointment is a major milestone for Arcade,” said Jordan Schwarzenberger, co-founder of Arcade.
“He has a perfect blend of experience that means he can unite the traditional and the new, delivering mutual benefits for both creators and advertisers.
“I’m looking forward to working with him to build on what we have already achieved with The Sidemen, opening new doors and helping brands recognise the benefits of a creator-first approach.”
Cory added: “Joining Arcade is a dream next step for me. Arcade’s mission to pioneer the next phase of the creator economy is hugely important in today’s entertainment landscape, as marketeers increasingly shift from traditional advertising to creator-led campaigns.
“The team at Arcade, working with The Sidemen, have achieved an unrivalled position across Europe building a platform with the scale and loyalty of traditional media, but with the authenticity and influence that truly resonates with audiences.
“I’m excited to join Arcade on their journey, using my expertise in advertising and talent to help them forge meaningful partnerships with brands looking to break new ground with Gen Z consumers.”