Industry Experts Line Up To Mentor UK's Brightest Creative Businesses
Nesta, the UK's innovation foundation, in partnership with PACT, IPA, UKIE and Skillset, today announces the launch of its Creative Business Mentor Network (CBMN), spearheaded by 30 of the creative industry's most successful senior executives.
- (1888PressRelease) July 11, 2012 - Respected industry figures such as Patrick McKenna, CEO at Ingenious Media; Charles Wace, CEO, Twofour Group; Tim Bevan, CEO, Working Title Films; Louise Pedersen, Managing Director, All3Media International and Andy Payne, CEO, Appynation are amongst the mentors involved in the CBMN initiative which invites creative businesses to apply to be selected to work with one of the mentors.
The CBMN is designed to help the UK's most exciting creative businesses to realise their potential by matchmaking an expert industry mentor to businesses selected to take part in the programme. It also aims to help creative businesses understand how adopting mentoring can make an impact on their future success.
A pilot project run by Nesta in 2010 found a strong link between business mentoring and future business success with 95% of businesses in the pilot scheme reporting increased confidence. 85% had improved networks and contacts, and profitability was improved for 53% of companies. A strong positive impact was also evident in employment effectiveness, with mentored businesses taking action to make strategic hires, manage workforce performance, balance the mix of permanent and freelance employees and invest in making longer term commitments to key workers.
Jon Kingsbury, Director of Creative Economy Programmes at Nesta said: "Access to the experience and expertise of the industry's top performers on a personal basis is a fantastic catalyst in the development of creative businesses. We believe that mentoring is one of the best ways for creative businesses to acquire the skills and confidence they need to thrive and our aim through this programme is for business mentoring to be adopted more widely across our industry."
Patrick McKenna, CEO, Ingenious Media commented: "The UK has a world-leading cultural and creative industry and the volunteer mentors involved with this programme are very keen to play their part in ensuring the next generation of world-beaters is able to succeed. I am pleased to be involved with the CBMN and alongside my mentoring peers, we look forward to working with the future stars of our industry."
Established creative businesses in the film, TV, advertising, digital media and gaming sectors are invited to apply online for a place on the Nesta scheme at www.nesta.org.uk/cbmn. Thirty 'mentee' businesses will be selected from across the UK to work with one of the CBMN mentors. Over a six to twelve month period the volunteer mentors will work with their mentee business leaders in ten, two-hour sessions with the aim of helping the business to resolve current challenges and set a course towards achieving its aspirations. The closing date for applications is 13th September 2012 at 11:00. The mentors and companies will be matched in September and mentoring will begin in October.
• The mentoring scheme will be running for two years (with a possibility to extend)
• The mentoring will involve ten, two hour sessions over the course of 6 - 12 months as well as networking and in-house support from Nesta.
• Applications must be made via our website including a two minute video describing who you are, what you do and why you are interested in mentoring.
• Applicants must be available for interviews from the 27th Sept - 5th October 2012.
• Applications must be from an established company working within one or more of these sectors:
o Advertising
o Digital Media
o Film
o Games
o TV
• PLEASE NOTE: If successful, companies will be required to pay a fee of £200 to cover administrative costs.
• Best practice for mentoring will be generated from the insights and experiences of the CBNM and published for the benefit of the creative sector
The criteria for companies to enter are:
• Established/Registered UK Company
• Sector appropriate
• Drive/Ambition
The mentors taking part are (subject to change):
• Alex Connock, Director of new Business, Shine UK
• Alex Graham, CEO, Wall to Wall
• Alistair Duncan, Founder, Spark44
• Andrew Newman, CCO, Objective Productions
• Andy De Groose, TBWA
• Andy Payne, Founder, Appynation
• Ben McOwen Wilson, Director, Youtube
• Charles Wace, CEO, Two Four
• Debbie Manners, MD, KEO Films
• Eleanor Ford, Founder, Likecube
• Heather Wright, Executive Producer, Head of Commercials, Aardman
• Howard Kiedaisch, CEO, Arts Alliance
• Jane Turton, COO, All3Media
• Jeremy Silver , Executive Chairman, Semetric
• John Varney, MD, Maximum Clarity
• Jon Hare, Founder, Sensible Software
• Louise Pedersen, MD, ALL3Media International
• Mike Hayes , CEO, Sega Europe
• Mike Kelly, MD, Northern Alliance Limited
• Miles Jacobson , CEO, Sports Interactive & Football Manager
• Neil Morris, Endure
• Patrick McKenna, CEO, Ingenious Media
• Paul Sandler, MD, Objective Productions
• Peter Cowley, CEO, Spirit Digital Media
• Rob Woodward, CEO, STV
• Sarah du Heaume, Founder, Just Media
• Steve Macallister, MD, BBC Worldwide
• Steve Taylor, CEO, The Neighbourhood
• Tim Bevan, Producer, Working Title Films
• Tim Bonnet, Chairman, Creston
About Nesta
Nesta is the UK's innovation foundation. We help people and organisations bring great ideas to life. We do this by providing investments and grants and mobilising research, networks and skills. We are an independent charity and our work is enabled by an endowment from the National Lottery.
Nesta Operating Company is a registered charity in England and Wales with a company number 7706036 and charity number 1144091. Registered as a charity in Scotland number SC042833. Registered office: 1 Plough Place, London, EC4A 1DE
www.nesta.org.uk
For media information, please contact:
Champion Communications
nesta ( @ ) championcomms dot com / 020 7637 2587
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