Arcade, the management company behind The Sidemen, has announced the appointment of Pete Cory as chairman. The company said Cory’s arrival marks “the beginning of an exciting new phase following investment from Lumina”.
Most recently, Cory served as managing director for YouTube’s EMEA Partner Development division. He started his career in the ad world, working for global agencies including Dentsu and Universal McCann, before joining Google for an 18-year stint where he led agency and advertiser sales teams. He then worked with YouTubers in Europe to help them earn a living on the platform.
In his new role, Cory will lead Arcade in expanding the depth and breadth of its agency and brand partnerships, working alongside its existing leadership team of Jordan Schwarzenberger and Sam Uwins. Together they will “accelerate the company’s efforts to become the leading creator-first platform across content, community, and consumer, helping brands maximise opportunities in the UK creator economy”.
Cory will also spearhead efforts to scale the opportunity presented by The Sidemen, now one of the world’s most successful creator collectives with more than 130 million YouTube subscribers and 40 billion views. As Arcade’s flagship partnership, The Sidemen have already expanded into television, music, sponsorships, consumer products and the direct-to-fan membership platform Side+.
Speaking on Cory’s appointment, Jordan Schwarzenberger, co-founder of Arcade, said: “Pete’s appointment is a major milestone for 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: “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.”
Cory’s appointment follows a seven-figure investment from Lumina Media, the media and entertainment company founded by producer and entrepreneur Thomas Benski.
Founded in London in 2021, Arcade’s flagship partnership with the Sidemen has successfully developed the group’s global entertainment and brand ecosystem spanning content, commerce and live events. In 2025, Arcade launched Arcade Creative – a creator-led agency built to help brands co-create culturally resonating campaigns with the Sidemen that reach and engage Gen Z and millennial audiences.
