Wednesday, July 1, 2009
Hyper Island is coming to the UK to do a leadership course for leaders in the creative industry; Accidental Leader Programme UK. There will be a mix of companies with expertise within many different areas: interactive, animation, radio, TV production and video production among others. They will go through a total of six days of very intense training, the first session being in July and the last one in November.
The first session is getting closer. On July 14th - 16th, 20 leaders will get together at the Imperial War Museum in Manchester to experience and learn through the Accidental Leader Programme.
We asked one of the participants - Tony Foggett, CEO & Founder at Code Computerlove a couple of questions:
Tell us a bit about yourself and your company?
We are a Digital marketing agency based in Manchester - there are 55 of us at the moment, but we are growing so on the look out for new talent. Code look after brands like Matalan, Waterstones, Butlins and the NUS, we do their consumer experience planning across the channel and online promotional activity.
What are your expectations on the Accidental Leader Programme?
I hoping for leadership training that deals with the particular challenges that come with running a creative and digital agency.
How, would you say, should the ideal leadership programme be like?
Not sure I understand the question. But for me it would be a combination of inspiration with practical tools I can take away and apply back in the agency. I'm really looking forward to spending some time with some of the other agency folks from Manchester. We all know one another pretty well so I'm hoping outside of the training this might actually be a chance for us to discuss the digital scene within the city and what we can do to collectively improve it.
What do you know about Hyper Island?
You're Swedes who understand creativity. And there was something about a walnut?
It seems to be a buzz about Manchester, what are your thoughts about Manchester right now?
There is no buzz about Manchester, it's all a big lie, shushhh now you crazy Swedish people. (The longer we can perpetuate the myth that London is really where its at the longer they will leave us alone) Unfortunately with the BBC moving up here and Media City around the corner it's getting harder to hide the scene that is developing here.
Thank you, Tony!