Business Growth Conference 2023 (virtual)

Not a conference, a turning point

Join the Business Growth Conference 2023 to explore how you can grow as a practitioner, grow your client base and ultimately grow your business.

NB: If you are experiencing technical difficulties with your booking, please contact Chloe Harris

This year’s Business Growth Conference (a hybrid event) focuses on what it takes for agencies to thrive and prosper in the long term.

Agencies have had their challenges – COVID, a transformation of working practices and a talent crisis, to name a few - and the landscape continues to be very challenging, with the IPA’s Bellwether report showing that the UK advertising market is set to grow by only 0.5% in 2023, and 2024’s growth has been downgraded to 3.9%. But there are glimmers of hope with new business picking up, pitches being revolutionised and the 2022 IPA Agency Census revealing that overall staff numbers increased by a fifth year-on-year.

Our expert line-up of speakers will be highlighting new opportunities for growth and giving guidance on how to positively manage the ongoing change and disruption.

The event is relevant to anyone responsible for the commercial health and growth of their agency. CEOs, COOs, FDs, Chief Growth Officers, MDs, plus New Business and Client Service professionals.

Sign up for the in-person tickets

 

Agenda

8.30 Registration and refreshments

9.00 Welcome

  • Chris Byron, COO, OMD UK and Commercial Leadership Group Chair

9.10 Setting the context

What is the global economic forecast? What might our future landscape look like and where are the opportunities for future prosperity?

  • Dharshini David, author, economist and broadcaster

9.35 Growing our businesses from the inside out

How a strong agency culture and the positive mental health of agency talent leads to business success.

  • Josh Krichefski, CEO, EMEA & UK, GroupM and IPA President

9.50 The definitive guide to B2B digital transformation

How can agency leaders build the momentum and capabilities needed to transform their companies into agile, customer-centric digital organisations. Professor Joerg Niessing shares principles we need to take a technology-agnostic approach to tackling digital transformation.

  • Dr Joerg Niessing, INSEAD Professor, Author B2B Digital Transformation, Consultant and Strategic Advisor

10.20 Coffee Break

10.50 Shift happens: what the evolution of in-housing means for agencies

An in-depth look at how in-housing has evolved and where the opportunities lie for agencies

  • Rhona Glazebrook, Business Development Consultant

11.05 Shift happens: panel discussion

  • Jason Cobbold, CEO, BMB (moderator)
  • Katie Lee, Chief Growth Officer, Wavemaker
  • Mat O’Brien, Creative Director, Three UK
  • Nancy Croix, Senior Marketing Director, PepsiCO

11.40 ESG as a driver of growth. How agencies can get fit for a sustainable future – from intent to action

What’s the commercial imperative for agencies to do more than have good intentions when it comes to ESG. Are we as an industry doing enough, quickly enough? How should agency leaders navigate the risks and opportunities? What practical steps do agencies need to take in the short medium and long term?

  • Camilla Kemp, former CEO, M&C Saatchi (moderator)
  • Jake Dubbins, Managing Director, Media Bounty and Co-Founder and Co-Chair, Conscious Advertising Network
  • Tom Firth, Founding Partner, M&C Saatchi LIFE
  • Anna Lungley, Chief Sustainability Officer, Dentsu

12.10 The killer robots are onto us

AI has the potential to usher in a new wave of creative innovation, yet it also threatens jobs and the very agency model. Agencies that use AI effectively will have a competitive edge over those that don’t. But what actually is AI? What can and can’t it do? And how can agency leaders get started with AI?

  • Ben Guerin, Founding Partner, Topham Guerin
  • Ben Warner, Former Chief Adviser on Digital and Data to the Prime Minister
  • Alice Thwaite, Head of Ethics, OmniGOV at MG OMD
  • Morten Legarth, Creative Director, VCCP

12.55 Closing Remarks

  • Chris Byron, COO, OMD UK and Commercial Leadership Group Chair

13.00 Lunch and Networking

14.30 Close

Agenda subject to change.

Loading...
Last updated 01 May 2024