IPA Business & Agency Leadership

LEAD LIKE YOU MEAN IT

Confidence is a critical trait in leadership. Clarity, focus and a tone of certainty all build belief inside and outside of an organisation and importantly, in our ideas. It’s also fundamental to creativity, acting as the courage to explore and experiment. Without it challenging assumptions and trying new things is at risk.  

That’s a risk no agency can afford. The industry relies on confident leadership to evolve a business, its practices and inspire a culture to change. In this course we’ll help leaders see the opportunity in uncertainty and unlock their creativity to lead through any change with confidence.  

Read more about this year’s focus here.

DAY 1: LEADING WITH CONFIDENCE 

Find your authentic leadership style and unlock the power to communicate it.  

• Welcome and introductions
• Creating high-performance teams: Mike Read
• Understanding learning and communication preferences: Mike Read
• Confident communication in leadership: Mike Jenner
• Reflection session
• Dinner

DAY 2: CONFIDENCE IN CREATIVITY

Learn more about how to shape an agency that has human empathy and machine capability.

• The future of networks: Nick Garrett 
• How remuneration can be more appealing to clients: Josh Grace
• It’s all about talent & management strategies: Lea Walker
• Psychosocial hazards & your HR and legal responsibilities: Clinton Parr
• Working with AI: A case study: Jessica Coulson
• Reflection session
• Q&A Dinner

DAY 3: PERSPECTIVES 

Learn from the experience of others as part of fireside chats with industry experts & local and global leaders of agencies and brands. 

• View of industry: Brittney Rigby
• Exploring an agency’s social responsibility: Rob Galluzzo
• Panel discussion: Better understanding retail media: Justin Paps & Paul Brooks
  
• Lego Game: Ashley Ringrose
• The effectiveness of creativity: Brent Smart
• Reflection session: Chris Howatson & Kirsty Muddle, Course Chairs
• Waking the giant: Sir John Hegarty

Please note: Topics and sessions are subject to change as we finalise speakers and content.

This three-day residential course includes two nights accommodation and meals (breakfast, lunch and dinner). The course has been designed to be residential so that delegates can remove themselves from their daily routine (even if they are based in the same city) and enjoy the opportunity to learn from course chairs, speakers and fellow delegates.

The residential nature also helps with the group and individual work. Participants will:

• Reside with other course delegates, allowing for evening networking and group work, building close working connections with industry peers
• Participate in absorption sessions, exercises and discussions
• Benefit from small group sessions and presentations from a range of industry leaders
• Undertake one-on-one guidance throughout the experience from the course chairs.

Likely GMs, GADs, Client Partners – but could also include Founders, Creatives, Strategists, Operations. It’s designed to supercharge business leadership skills.

Kirsty Muddle and Chris Howatson return to lead 2025 IPA Business & Agency Leadership
From manager to leader: Navigating your new role with heart and smarts by Clinton Parr, Founder, A Lion and the Vibes
2024 Chairs announced – Kirsty Muddle and Chris Howatson to chair 2024 IPA
2023 delegate Sara Stevenson shares leadership, its an abstract notion
Cognitive diversity: get the best out of your team by Mike Read, Pigs Can Fly Too
The blueprint for becoming a dynamic leader by Clare Robinson, Clarety
Speakers announced for 2023 IPA Business and Agency Leadership residential
Laura Aldington and Lindsey Evans to chair 2023 IPA Business & Agency Leadership