Events

Three of the most influential agency figures in the North have also agreed to share their experiences and expertise:

• Intermarketing co-founder, Steve Sowden
• BJL founder, Nicky Unsworth
• former Hangar Seven Managing Director, Mark Mallinder

Sowden will be expanding on the recent Prolific North exclusive interview, discussing how he was part of the MBO that took over a stagnating Leeds agency and helped to grow its revenue four-fold inside eight years. He will also talk about Intermarketing's 2017 acquisition and its expansion plans in Manchester and forthcoming rebrand.

As CEO of creative agency BJL, Unsworth built it into one of the UK's leading independent agencies ahead of its recent acquisition by Dentsu Aegis. Skilled in business growth, brand building and communications, she retains a hands-on role at BJL and will be sharing her experiences of growing her agency, integrating it into Dentsu Aegis and what the future holds.

The final special guest, Mallinder, has worked client-side, agency-side and as a business owner. At DFS, he was head of marketing in charge of an £85m budget and led its sponsorship of Team GB for the 2016 Olympics in Rio. He then joined Hangar Seven as managing director, achieving revenues of over £15m and employing 165 people across four offices before leading its eight-figure sale to the Hut Group in 2017. Mallinder successfully exited a year later and is now working with owner-directors of established independent marketing and production agencies across the UK.

The exclusive evening will include a drink on arrival, three-course meal, half bottle of wine with dinner and the opportunity to network with senior business executives and key industry stakeholders.