Thurs 27 Apr 2023 11:00am UK time

• “You want someone who’s going to push a lot of barriers and think strategically – not just think in the moment,” says Jackie Blaker, Managing Director at Maxx Design.
In this session, we’ll hear from a panel of agency leaders who have found, or are trying to find, the future leader of their business.
Come along to find out what characteristics you should be looking for in your future leaders – and hear new perspectives from people who have been there and done it.

No agency leader plans to be in their business forever – but trying to find the right person to take your place is no walk in the park. 

There are so many things to consider:

  • Are they confident enough to lead a team and delegate?
  • Will they fit in with your agency’s culture?
  • Can they be strategic enough to work on the business, not just IN it?

In this session, we hear from a panel of agency leaders who have found – or are trying to find – the future leader(s) of their businesses. 

“You want someone who’s going to push a lot of barriers and think strategically – not just think in the moment,” says Jackie Blaker, managing director at Maxx Design. “For us, Will is definitely that person.”

“We wanted to find somebody who was better than us – because there’s no point in keeping the agency the same. You need someone who’s going to take it even further.”

Next up: Simon Bollon, founder and director at Boutique

“The experience of knowing the realities is hugely important,” he says.

“It takes an ability to lift yourself above it and see what’s going on in the landscape – and that requires a bit of experience.”

Liz Walker, commercial director at Distinctly, offers an extra layer of insight to this panel. Her agency works on a pods structure, so senior leadership looks a bit different.

“So much relies on cultural fit,” says Liz. “There can be 10 people who can think strategically, but it’s finding the person who can think strategically and really believes in your values.”

“If they don’t believe in your values, it’s probably not going to work.”

Come along to discover what you should be looking for in your future leaders – and hear new perspectives from our panellists who have been there and done it.