RWS Global, a leading producer of live experiences, has announced that Matt Conover has joined as divisional president, global production.
With over 37 years at The Walt Disney Company and extensive experience in producing large-scale live events globally, Conover brings valuable expertise to a team that creates over one million live moments daily in more than 50 countries.
This newly created role aims to enhance RWS Global’s operational leadership as the company expands across a diverse international production slate.
Conover will manage production strategy and planning, and oversee company-wide execution, collaborating closely with creative, business, and operational teams to support all projects from development to delivery.
Unique expertise
Conover started his Disney journey as a stage technician at Walt Disney World in 1989.
Over time, he moved into leadership positions at Walt Disney World, Disney Cruise Line, Disneyland Resort, and Walt Disney Imagineering. His career includes productions across the US, Asia, and Europe.
Most recently, he was vice president of Disney Live Entertainment at Disneyland Resort, managing a team of over 400 producers, directors, designers, and technical staff.
“Matt’s expertise offers something uniquely valuable—an understanding of how world-class experiences are maintained over decades, across teams, geographies, and changing audiences,” says Jake McCoy, RWS Global’s interim CEO.
“As RWS Global continues to expand the scale and complexity of the experiences we deliver, his leadership will help strengthen the systems, processes, and creative collaboration required to grow without compromising the guest experience.”
Conover’s executive production background extends beyond theme parks, resorts, and cruise lines. He has played a role in two Super Bowl halftime shows, the NBA All-Star Games, and more recently collaborated with the Savannah Bananas on live events nationwide.
In every context, his focus has been on developing strong teams and fostering an environment where people can excel.
“RWS Global is a major international player in live experiences across parks, sports, theater, cruise lines, destinations, brand activations, and more,” says Conover.
“After nearly four decades in this industry, it’s clear to me that the team is building a creative and operational powerhouse. Few organizations can deliver at this level of scale across so many sectors of the business. I’m excited to be part of this momentum and to help support the company’s continued growth and success.”
Beyond his role in production leadership, Conover has been the chairman of the Board of Trustees for the Educational Theatre Foundation since 2017 and was on the Educational Theatre Association’s board for nearly ten years.
He earned a BFA in Technical Theatre from SUNY Purchase and will operate from RWS Global’s New York City headquarters.
RWS Global also recently announced plans for a cutting-edge global production hub in Milton Keynes, in a milestone acceleration of its UK operations.
Charlotte Coates is blooloop's editor. She is from Brighton, UK and previously worked as a librarian. She has a strong interest in arts, culture and information and graduated from the University of Sussex with a degree in English Literature. Charlotte can usually be found either with her head in a book or planning her next travel adventure.
