Growth to Gold: scaling & selling your agency

Our popular event returns to Leeds to help ambitious agencies scale their businesses effectively. Join us for some incredible speakers and the chance to meet peers from across the industry!

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This half day conference is for owners and senior managers of ambitious agencies and digital/tech companies that are planning to scale their operations and/or seek to create new revenue streams and reimagine their core operations. 

Nine outstanding speakers will be sharing their expertise and experiences from the likes of IDHL, Summit, The Data City, Rise at Seven, Ride Shotgun, ramarketing, Kinesso, McCann World, plus Richard Gregory, founder of AgencyNXD, as conference chair.

If you’re reviewing your commercial model or are keen to explore additional ways of driving existing and new sales, considering how to maximise your employee engagement, exploring a possible acquisition, or would like to understand more about the path to a potential investment into/sale of your agency or if you’re simply in need of a bit of some added inspiration on your journey to grow your agency – this is the event for you.

Agencies and digital/tech companies now operate in an increasingly mature market and there is a perpetuating myth that agencies, particularly digital ones, are easy to sell and scale. The reality is quite different and it takes imagination, radical strategic thinking and serious planning to realise these ambitions!

Join us for this special and hugely popular Prolific North conference with a packed agenda featuring nine outstanding speakers with great pedigree in scaling, buying and selling agencies.

Secure your tickets here!

Agenda

13:30
Arrival & networking
14:00
Welcome from your event hosts

- David Prior, Editor at Prolific North
- Richard Gregory, Founder at AgencyNXD

14:05
Fireside chat with Mark Mallinder, CEO at Ride Shotgun

Is your agency's business model built for tomorrow's challenges? In a rapidly evolving industry, standing still is simply not an option. Join Mark Mallinder, CEO of Ride Shotgun, for a provocative session on challenging, appraising, and reinventing your agency's core. Mark, a 30-year veteran with experience across client-side, agency, and business ownership, knows what it takes to adapt and thrive. He'll share his journey of building Ride Shotgun into one of the UK's fastest-growing independent agencies, fuelled by strategic mergers and acquisitions. Expect invaluable insights into how to critically evaluate your existing model, identify areas for improvement, and embracing new growth opportunities.

Speaker: Mark Mallinder, CEO at Ride Shotgun
Hosted by Richard Gregory, Founder at AgencyNXD

14:35
Attracting, retaining and incentivising the best talent

In the fiercely competitive agency world, your people are your ultimate differentiator. But how do you attract and retain the best, especially when budgets are tight?

Join us for a candid conversation with two industry leaders who've cracked the code. Ben Turner, IDHL's first People Director, knows a thing or two about scaling teams. He's spearheaded the company's growth from 260 to over 400 employees, navigating acquisitions and rebranding along the way. He'll share invaluable insights gleaned from his 20 years of HR experience, revealing how to build a magnetic employer brand that attracts top talent.

Then, Martin Corcoran, CEO of Summit Media and Productcaster, brings his entrepreneurial perspective to the table. Having worked with giants like Tesco and Aldi, Martin understands the power of a motivated team. He'll share practical strategies for incentivising employees, fostering loyalty, and creating a culture that fuels both individual and organisational growth. This is a session you won't want to miss.

Speakers:
- Ben Turner, People Director at IDHL
- Martin Corcoran, CEO at Summit Group
- Chaired by Richard Gregory, Founder at AgencyNXD

13:10
Mergers, acquisitions and investment takes time and planning. What buyers and investors are looking for

- Fergus Baillie, CEO at The Baillie Group
- Dean Lovett, CEO at McCann Central & Chairman at McCann Manchester

15:45
Networking break
16:10
Planning ahead, managing risk and realising opportunity

Ever wondered how some agencies seem to effortlessly scale new heights? Join Carrie Rose, the founder of Rise at Seven, as she pulls back the curtain on her agency's incredible growth journey. From spotting a gap in the market to building a transatlantic powerhouse, Carrie will share the secrets to strategic planning and seizing opportunities. But growth isn't without its challenges. That's why Maia Olesen, Client Director at Verlingue, joins the stage to provide expert insight into navigating potential risks and leveraging insurance as a growth enabler.
This session is a must-attend for ambitious agency leaders ready to write their own success story.

Speakers:
- Chaired by: Richard Gregory, Co-Founder at AgencyNXD
- Carrie Rose, CEO at Rise at Seven
- Maia Olesen, Client Director at Verlingue

16:40
Panel Discussion

Ready for a dose of unfiltered wisdom from the agency trenches? This session brings together three industry titans who've seen it all, done it all, and lived to tell the tale.

Join Stu Lunn, Group Managing Director at Kinesso UK&I, Alex Craven, CEO at The Data City, and Emma Banks, CEO at ramarketing for an intimate conversation packed with hard-won insights and invaluable lessons. Emma, a life sciences veteran, knows how to scale businesses through turbulent times. Under her leadership, ramarketing has achieved a staggering 400% growth, proving her mastery of navigating change and fostering talent. Alex, a serial entrepreneur who founded his first digital agency back in 1999, brings a wealth of experience in driving innovation. His latest venture, The Data City, is revolutionising how we understand the global economy, anticipate and adapt to market shifts. Don't miss this rare opportunity to hear their stories, learn from their scars, and get your burning questions answered. This session is a masterclass in agency leadership, straight from those who've walked the walk.

- Stu Lunn, Group Managing Director at Kinesso UK&I
- Alex Craven, CEO at The Data City
- Emma Banks, CEO at ramarketing
- Chaired by: Richard Gregory, Co-Founder at AgencyNXD

17:30
Final conclusions and key takeaways
17:40
Networking & drinks reception

Speakers

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Richard Gregory
Co-Founder
AgencyNXD
Richard is co-founder of AgencyNXD as well as an advisor and NXD to multiple tech firms and agencies, including Clicktech, Fluid Commerce and Ruler Analytics. Heralding from “Silicon Ramsbottom” he is an ardent supporter of the digital and tech industry in the North of England Previously, Richard was the managing director of digital agency Latitude, director of Tech North and co-founder of SAScon.
Emma Banks
Emma Banks
CEO
ramarketing
Having worked in life sciences throughout her professional career, Emma has scaled businesses through change, navigated organisations through difficult times, and mentored and coached young people who are now key leaders within their own professions. Under Emma’s leadership, ramarketing has grown 400% to more than 80 people in the last five years and helped the agency to secure a private equity partnership with NorthEdge in 2022.
Mark Mallinder
Mark Mallinder
CEO
Ride Shotgun
Mark has over 30 years’ experience working client-side, agency and as a business owner. Ride Shotgun is now one of the fastest growing independent agencies in the UK, having initially been formed in 2021 by a merger of Cry Havoc and Born+Raised and subsequently completing 3 further acquisitions, with annual revenues currently tracking £15m with 9 locations in 5 different countries. Mark is passionate about alignment of business strategy, values and behaviours to improve effectiveness.
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Alex Craven
Co-Founder & CEO
The Data City
Alex Craven has been at the forefront of digital innovation since founding a digital agency in 1999 and exited in 2018. Now, as Co-Founder and CEO of The Data City, he continues to drive change, using machine learning to map the global economy for both government and the private sector. Under Alex’s leadership, The Data City is revolutionising industrial classification, liberating businesses from outdated systems like SIC codes.
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Fergus Bailie
CEO
The Bailie Group
Having achieved growth in each year as CDS MD, Fergus took responsibility for all Group activities as Bailie Group CEO in 2017, having restructured the Group to put independent MDs and Operating Boards in place. Under his leadership the Group has grown from £15m to £60m turnover and employs 450 people across the UK.
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Dean Lovett
CEO at McCann Central & Chairman at McCann Manchester
McCann
In addition to his role as CEO at McCann Central, Dean was recently appointed Chairman at McCann Manchester to focus on growth, collaboration and operational excellence. He is responsible for six offices across the UK specialising in integrated comms and award-winning creative, providing a range of best-in-class services including: strategy, research and planning, design, creative and Craft, broadcast, digital, PR, social, influencer, employee engagement and media.
Ben Turner Headshot (1)
Ben Turner
People Director
IDHL
Ben joined IDHL as their first People Director back in 2021, just a few months after IDHL’s acquisition by Bridgepoint Development Capital and is responsible for all areas of the HR agenda. During his tenure the business has grown from 260 colleagues to over 400, including two acquisitions and this year has rebranded from 9 agencies into 1 under the IDHL brand. Ben has over 20 years HR experience, the last 15 in senior roles across 3 different sectors.
Maibritt Olesen
Maia Olesen
Client Director
Verlingue
Maia has been with Verlingue for 25 years and has specialised in the Marketing and Media sector since 2001. She has been a Chartered Insurance Broker since 2016. She heads up the Verlingue Media practice and has strong technical experience dealing with the complexities of mainly advertising production and promotional event management insurance for a wide range of organisations who work in Marketing and Media or contribute to this sector.
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Carrie Rose
Founder & CEO
Rise at Seven
Carrie Rose, is founder and CEO of one of the fastest growing agencies in the UK & US - search-first creative agency Rise at Seven. After working 11 years at Branded3, one of the leading SEO agencies at the time, Carrie saw a gap in the industry for brand advertising and SEO to collide. She founded Rise at Seven to push the boundaries in both creative and technical SEO because that’s what is needed to own the most competitive search results.
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Martin Corcoran
CEO
Summit Media
Martin is CEO and owner of Summit Media and Productcaster. He’s worked in marketing and media for the last 15 years helping clients such as Tesco, Argos and Aldi drive sales, improve ROI and deliver more profits. More recently he has joined the EU's Digital Markets Commission to develop the digital industry and regulate big tech as well as completing the INSEAD Executive Education Program. Martin’s ambition is to make Hull a digital powerhouse to compete with Leeds and Manchester.
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Nick Tomlinson
Managing Director & Founder of Paprika Software
Paprika Software
Starting his business at 24, Nick is now, four decades on, fulfilling his vision to deliver agency software worldwide. As Paprika’s strategic lead, he’s dedicated to solving challenges in creative communications. With offices in New York, Milan, Madrid, Singapore, Australia, Hong Kong, and a recent launch in France, Nick also champions Paprika as a social enterprise—focused on reducing carbon footprint and supporting volunteering and fundraising initiatives.
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Stu Lunn
Group Managing Director
Kinesso UK & Ireland
Stu is Group Managing Director at KINESSO UK & Ireland, IPG Mediabrands' tech-focused performance marketing agency. Since joining in October 2023, he has led KINESSO's client relationships, Experience and Content teams, and oversees 200 staff in Leeds. With experience at Google, Meta, Manchester Airport Group, and as MD at Havas Manchester, Stu brings extensive knowledge from media, client-side, and agency roles. He has also led multiple acquisitions and served on Havas' M&A committee.

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Sponsored By

KPMG
Headline partner - KPMG
Company Logo AgencyNXD
Event co host - AgencyNXD
Main Logo (JPG) (2)
Session sponsor - Verlingue
Paprika Logo
Session sponsor - Paprika
Start: November 13, 2024 1:30 pm
End: November 13, 2024 7:00 pm

Hosted at

KPMG Leeds

KPMG Leeds, Sovereign Street, Leeds, UK

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