Overview
Donald McGarva is the group chief executive officer of CinemaNext, a role he took up in November 2024. He is based in Cambridge. Since October 2024 he has also been the founder and chief executive of Rteria Ltd, and since March 2022 a governor of Anglia Ruskin University.
He spent from September 2010 to July 2024 as group chief executive officer of Aferian plc, and continued with the company as a consultant to the board from July to October 2024. Before that he was senior vice president of DHL Asia Pacific and president of DHL Japan from 2004 to 2010, and chief technical officer of Microgen and managing director of Microgen Technologies from 2003 to 2004. From 2000 to 2003 he was president and representative director for Japan at Celestica.
McGarva joined ICL in 1987 as production and quality manager, and was seconded to Fujitsu Japan from 1992 to 1994. He then held roles at Fujitsu as director of product management and as country director of ICL Japan until 2000. He holds a B.Eng in electronic and electrical engineering from the University of Strathclyde.
Career history
In the news
- It was a pleasure to attend this event as one of ARU Peterborough’s Governors, Professor Ross Renton . The university is already making a real difference to the city, creating opportunities for local people and developing the skills employers across the region need. This visit was a fitting recognition of what has been achieved and the ambition for what comes next.
- What a wonderful projection booth.
- 2027 is shaping up to be quite a year for Star Wars fans - and for 70mm IMAX! Lucasfilm has confirmed that both the 1977 film and the new Star Wars: Starfighter will be released in the format. First, Star Wars returns on 19 February for its 50th anniversary. Then the Ryan Gosling-led Starfighter arrives on 28 May. Two Star Wars cinema events, three months apart, both presented in one of the most spectacular formats available. But notice anything missing from the title? A New Hope. Is this another hint that we may finally see the
- Perhaps my daughters and I were ahead of the trend… Grazia describes skincare sheet masks as a new cinema hack. This is something we have been doing on long-haul flights for years. If you are sitting in the dark for several hours, you may as well arrive looking slightly more fresh! The photo is the evidence, although my daughters may not thank me for sharing it. It has left me wondering whether cinemas should start selling sheet masks alongside the popcorn for longer films. Perhaps not for every screening, but it is a reminder that
- I love this post from Richard Mitchell in the UK. Something we are seeing in all of our European clients. Introducing innovation to provide sustainable solutions that help exhibitors provide a better experience, reducing their costs and lowering their carbon footprint. Some great case studies that we have developed with our clients. Please reach out if you would like to know more.
- A cinema ticket has never simply bought access to a film. It buys the anticipation in the foyer, the scale of the image, the sound that fills the room, and the feeling of laughing, gasping, or sitting in complete silence alongside other people. This article captures why that shared experience is becoming even more valuable as digital entertainment becomes available everywhere. Premium seating, better food and drink, immersive formats and alternative programming all have a part to play. The aim should never be luxury for its own
- This always makes me laugh! 😂 It captures how easily two people can hear the same words and understand something completely different. Communicating clearly also means checking what was understood.
- For those of you looking for quality roles in the Cinema industry across Europe please follow Guillaume Branders for his regular updates .
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