When Gough Bailey Wright Managing Director, Michelle Wright, was appointed IPA Chair for England & Wales last November she placed training & professional development at the top of her agenda.
Little did Michelle know what the next 12 months would bring, as the country plunged into lockdown, taking many attractions, hospitality businesses and other organisations into temporary closure, special measures or even worse. Although running a business throughout the pandemic was more than enough for a business owner to manage, Michelle found a way to put the time saved from her now redundant social life to good use.
Michelle has decades of experience in the marketing sector, but as a champion of industry learning she had made a committment to getting her own MIPA qualification during her acceptance speech at the annual IPA event in Birmingham last November. During lockdown IPA offered free training for all member agencies, so Michelle decided to take the bull by the horns and lead by example by achieving her very own MIPA and challenging the GBW staff (and those in fellow IPA member agencies) to follow in her footsteps and take up the challenge. Michelle has achieved her MIPA status by maintaining a programme of continual professional development and by studying subjects such as legal advertising regulation, commercial, digital performance and marketing effectiveness.
Michelle commented: "At the point where our level of business had dropped, we put our time to good use. Ensuring that all of our team continued with their CPD and IPA training in a bid to strengthen our offering which will bring huge added value to our clients, while helping to ensure that GBW rides the pandemic storm and is here for years to come.
Becoming a MIPA is the advertising industry’s most visible, robust badge of professionalism. It puts our practitioners on the same footing as architects, accountants and lawyers and is a qualification that is recognised industry-wide and respected by clients and employers. I’m delighted to have earned my place among the 402 MIPA accredited practitioners in England and Wales.
"2020 has shown us that literally anything can happen and as a company that is extremely experienced in crisis communications, we know how important it is to be ready for all outcomes. Having MIPA accredited practitioners in our agency puts us in the perfect position to support and guide our clients to the highest of standards throughout this very challenging time."
Says Patrick Mills, Director of Membership & Professional Development, IPA: "Huge congratulations to Michelle on achieving her MIPA accreditation. It is something that takes significant dedication and commitment to your continuous personal development, and I’m delighted that Michelle is leading from the front in her role as IPA Chair for England & Wales. Our industry is one of constantly change and it is vital that we all, no matter our years in the business, continue to develop and grow. Michelle has set a fantastic example to us all, and I expect many more industry leaders to follow in the near future."
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Last updated 01 May 2024