James Kirkham

Friend London is a seasoned entrepreneur and business executive with extensive experience in the media, marketing, and music industries. He is currently the Founder of Iconic and was previously the Chief Business Officer at Defected Records and Bigballs Media. Prior to that, he held leadership positions at Leo Burnett, where he oversaw social and mobile strategy, and Holler, which he co-founded. Friend is known for his creative and strategic mindset, and his ability to build successful businesses and brands.

Before his business career, Friend studied Drawing, Fine Art, Painting, and Art at the Kent Institute Of Art And Design and earned a Bachelor of Arts in Graphic Design, Multimedia from the University Of Wolverhampton. He has also been involved in sports, having co-founded MoorMead FC.

As Chief Business Officer at Defected Records, Friend oversaw the label's commercial strategy and partnerships, contributing to its growth and expansion. At Bigballs Media, he served as the Head of Copa90, a digital soccer media platform that he helped build into a global brand. He also co-founded Holler, a creative digital agency that worked with clients such as Nike, Red Bull, and Coca-Cola.

In addition to his business career, Friend has been active in advocating for diversity and inclusion in the creative industry. He is a recognized thought leader and a speaker at industry events.