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Future London Academy

Listen to relaxed conversations with inspiring creatives and innovators from around the world. Hear their stories, mistakes they have made on the way and opinions on what's going on in the industry. Get inspired!

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  • 22 episodes
  • Avg 1 hr 17 min
  • English

Episodes 22

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  • Thursday · 1 hr 26 min

    Pentagram's Paula Scher on luck, power, partners, criticism

    We visited Paula Scher at Pentagram’s New York office and talked about luck, power, partners, criticism and why so many designers stop growing. In the episode, you’ll hear: 🟡 How a stranger on a train helped her meet her design hero Seymour Chwast 🟡 What she’d advise designers in their 40s and 50s 🟡 What’s the secret to her best work Ready to create a bigger impact with design? Learn more about our Executive Programme for Design Leaders at Future London Academy: https://fla.wiki/4BWUKU5 00:00 Meet Paula Scher, Pentagram Partner and One of the World's Most Influential Designers 01:34 Inside Pentagram's New York Studio 02:36 Story Behind Pentagram's In-House Kitchen 04:23 How Branding From Graphic Design Differs From Advertising 05:27 The Hidden Story Behind the Citi Logo 07:37 Inside Paula Scher's Typography Book Collection 09:24 Why Paula Scher Leads a Small Design Team 11:13 How Paula Met Her Hero Seymour Chwast 15:30 Typography Has Feeling 17:29 What Makes Some Designers More Successful Than Others 18:52 How a Lost Manuscript Became Paula Scher's Only Children's Book 22:25 How Paula Scher Broke Into the Record Industry 24:48 How One Poster Became the Brand Manual for The Public Theatre 29:10 Where a Creative Leader's Confidence Really Comes From 31:25 Cooking Is an Art 34:31 Is Design Career Success Luck or Hard Work 39:15 How to Win Clients When You Start Your Own Design Studio 43:16 Why Design Communities Are Weaker Than They Used to Be 46:28 Why Owning Your Own Studio Space Builds Confidence 50:04 How Big-Scale Pitches Changed the Design Industry 51:55 What Makes a Visual Identity Last for Decades 53:42 Designing the Iconic Windows Logo 55:31 The Swatch Poster Controversy 58:02 How Paula Scher Handled Public Criticism From Tibor Kalman 01:00:57 How Paula Scher Stays Hands-On as a Senior Creative Leader 01:02:19 The Three Types of Work That Keep Paula Scher Creative 01:04:17 Why Unpaid Projects Give Designers More Creative Control 01:07:04 Why Creative Leaders Need a Passion Outside Work 01:12:21 How Fashion Shapes the Way a Creative Leader Shows Up 01:14:21 Career Advice for Designers in Their 40s and 50s 01:18:11 How Paula Scher Turned Writing Into Design 01:22:05 The Designers You Should Learn From 01:23:34 The One Change Paula Scher Would Make to the World

  • August 19 · 1 hr 1 min

    Design for Good | Olio Co-Founder Tessa Clarke on food waste, female founders, and measuring social impact

    Most founders wait for the right idea. Tessa Clarke spent years doing exactly that before realising she'd been looking for the wrong thing, she should have been looking for a problem she cared about. Since co-founding Olio in 2015 with Saasha Celestial-One, Tessa has grown the food sharing app to more than 10 million users and an estimated £1.1 billion in social impact, alongside a B2B arm that now redistributes surplus for supermarkets, schools and production companies. Tessa is also a teacher at the Executive Programme at Future London Academy. Learn from her in-person: https://fla.wiki/4wZMcJ5 In this video, you'll learn: ▶ Why a two-week WhatsApp group proved the concept before a single line of code was written ▶ How Olio's most enthusiastic early users turned out to be the ones with nothing to give, and the third audience she built to close the gap ▶ Why Duolingo's streaks would never work for surplus food, and how to test a borrowed mechanic before you copy it ▶ How signing one supermarket outgrew everything the consumer app could achieve on its own ▶ How to answer a prevention-based question with a promotion-based response, and why female founders get asked them in the first place ▶ Why nobody cares about your solution, only whether you understand their problem Chapters: 00:00 Meet Tessa Clarke Co-Founder of Olio Solving Food Waste at Scale 04:56 Why Tessa Clarke Chose Business Over Charity 09:41 Why Purpose-Driven Business Attracts Gen Z Talent 14:05 How Olio Started as a WhatsApp Experiment 19:05 The Food Waste Heroes Programme That Solved Olio's Supply Problem 21:34 How B Corp Status Helped People Understand Olio's Business Model 28:37 Why Financial Incentives Backfired for Olio 34:44 How Tessa Clarke Raised $50 Million as a Female Founder 43:32 What Is Earth Overshoot Day 47:00 How Olio Measures Its Social Impact Beyond Profit 50:34 Why Olio Pivoted from B2C to B2B 56:30 How to Pitch Purpose to Corporate Buyers 1:00:25 Tessa Clarke Wants to Replace GDP as Our Success Metric #designforgood #sustainability #olio

  • July 27 · 1 hr 15 min

    Design for Good | Ivo Gormley, GoodGym's Founder on how to design for contribution, not consumption

    Acts of kindness feel good, but they are rarely profitable. Ivo Gormley has spent nearly twenty years proving it's possible while creating an incredible community around helping people.We sat down with him to find out how. Since starting GoodGym in 2007 with a single newspaper run, Ivo has built it into a movement of 25,000+ volunteers across 60+ cities. He's been awarded an OBE and made GoodGym the first-ever charity to win the Sky Zero Footprint Fund Grand Prix. Ivo is also a teacher at the Executive Programme at Future London Academy. Learn from him in-person: https://fla.wiki/3TdVYZlIn this video, you'll learn: ▶ How an £8 suggestion made over a pint became a reliable, recurring source of income ▶ Why he chose to become a charity, not a business, and doesn't regret it ▶ How he built what he needed because no one else did ▶ Why a genuine, acknowledged role in delivering something beats a frictionless experience of receiving it ▶ Why designing for contribution creates more winners than competition 0:00 - Who is Ivo Gormley? GoodGym founder introduction 1:41 - Anthropology, comedy & service design: Ivo's career path 6:03 - The story behind GoodGym: why Ivo started it 9:05 - Quitting his job to go full-time on GoodGym (2013) 12:14 - Group runs & community volunteering: the GoodGym model 14:34 - GoodGym's donation-based business model explained 19:29 - How GoodGym got local councils to invest 24:55 - GoodGym during COVID: volunteering through the pandemic 35:25 - Charity vs social enterprise: why GoodGym chose nonprofit status 44:55 - Design, loneliness & human connection 52:45 - How AI is eroding human identity (the Stack Overflow effect) 1:04:20 - Building a business with AI without losing human connectionSubscribe to our social media channels: Instagram: @futurelondonacademy LinkedIn: Future London Academy futurelondonacademy.co.uk #socialimpact #designforgood #socialimpact #design

  • July 16 · 1 hr 16 min

    Design for Good | Chief Design Officer, Cat Drew, on Turning £1 into £20 Through Design

    How can design create impact at a systems level, across business, government and the planet? Cat Drew has spent a large part of her career answering exactly that question. Chief Design Officer at Design Council, the UK's design body, set up nearly 80 years ago to help rebuild the post-war economy. Cat works at the intersection of design, business, policy and sustainability. Cat is also faculty member of our Executive Programme for Design Leaders: https://fla.wiki/4vsrYWRAs In our conversation, we explored how designers can better communicate their value, why sustainability belongs in every designer's toolkit, and what it takes to influence entire systems. What you'll learn: ► How to build design's influence inside a large organisation, and make the business case for it, from Decathlon to Impossible Foods ► Why sustainability and "skills for the planet" now belong in every designer's toolkit ► How design can shape government policy, not just products 👤 Who this episode is for: Chief Design Officers · Design Leaders · Heads of Design · Policy Makers · Sustainability Leads · and anyone curious about design's role in business, government and the planet 00:00 Meet Cat Drew, Chief Design Officer at Design Council 2:04 80 Years of Design Council: From Post-War Product Awards to Design for Planet 6:45 Why Governments and Businesses Still Misunderstand the Word Design 9:39 Design Speaks a Different Language Than Business 12:10 How to Build Design Influence Inside a Large Organisation 14:33 Five Business Arguments for Design, With Case Studies From Decathlon to Impossible Foods 19:04 What Governments Actually Care About: Design Economy vs Design for Policy 23:54 Measuring Impact in the Public Sector From Vulnerable Families to Mental Health Access 29:54 Salford Wetlands: A Design Solution That Solves Five Problems at Once 32:34 Should Designers Even Use the Word "Design"?36:44 Introducing Skills for the Planet and the Weight of Design's Responsibility 45:58 How Can Designers Advocate for the Planet 49:31 Judging FLA's Executive Programme & What Design Leaders Are Building Next 52:03 Q&A: B Corp Certification vs Measurable Regenerative Impact 53:42 Q&A: Why Designers Need Hands in Soil and Feet in Rivers 56:49 Q&A: Fixing Design Education for the Next Generation 01:03:45 Q&A: Designing for Systems When Work Is Project-Based 01:06:08 Q&A: Building a Business Case for Retainer-Based Sustainability Work 01:10:35 Q&A: Who Kat Thinks We Should Invite Next to the Podcast & Why 01:12:21 Q&A: Bridging a Career Into Purpose-Led Work More about our Executive Programme at Future London Academy: https://fla.wiki/4vsrYWR #design #designcouncil #valueofdesign

  • June 10 · 1 hr 17 min

    Why self-limiting beliefs about leadership are the hidden barrier for most design leaders | Julia Whitney, Executive Coach

    How design leaders build influence, navigate conflict, and lead across cultures. In this episode, Ekaterina sits down with Julia Whitney, executive coach and former General Manager and Executive Creative Director at the BBC, where she led a 150-person UX and design team.Julia spent over 20 years as a design leader across the UK and US before turning her experience into a coaching practice that helps design leaders at companies like Condé Nast, AWS, the Financial Times, and IDEO perform at their best.Julia is also a teacher at our Executive programme for Design Leaders: https://fla.wiki/4fDlOirWhat you'll learn: ► Why self-limiting beliefs about leadership are the hidden barrier for most design leaders ► How to build sponsorship at the next level up — and why empathy is the first step ► How cultural differences shape communication, hierarchy, and trust — and what to do about it ► The four types of workplace conflict and why identifying them early changes everything 👤 Who this episode is for: Design Leaders · Heads of Design · Creative Directors · UX Leaders · People Managers · Anyone going for a senior or C-level role · Anyone who's been passed over for promotion and wants to understand why 00:00:00 Welcome, Julia Whitney, Executive Coach and former Executive Creative Director at BBC 00:02:05 What design leaders most commonly struggle with 00:04:20 Self-limiting beliefs and the leader you think you have to be 00:07:25 How introverts can build influence without performing extroversion 00:12:00 Levels of zoom: how leadership shifts at every career stage 00:17:25 Why candidates get rejected for senior roles — and what to do instead 00:20:00 How to build sponsorship at C-level using empathy 00:27:25 Generational differences at work: what the research actually says 00:36:20 Multi-hyphenate careers and the future of work 00:40:25 Remote vs in-office: why it's more nuanced than you think 00:46:55 The SCARF Model and why people resist change 00:49:30 Leading multicultural teams and the Culture Map by Erin Meyer 00:54:35 High-context vs low-context cultures and remote communication 00:59:30 How to handle conflict: the broken record technique and four conflict types 01:07:05 Centralising design in a broadcaster organisation 01:13:45 Final thoughts and who Julia recommends we speak to next

  • June 9 · 49 min

    Ivy Ross, Google's Chief Design Officer on why designers are the most strategic people in the room

    By 26, Ivy Ross had jewellery in the permanent collections of 12 international museums, including the Smithsonian and V&A. She went on to hold executive roles at Calvin Klein, Swatch, Mattel, Gap, and Disney before arriving at Google, where her hardware design team has since won over 240 global design awards and helped Fast Company name Google the most important design company in the world in 2018. Her book Your Brain on Art, co-authored with neuroscientist Susan Magsamen, became a New York Times bestseller. She is one of the most creatively accomplished people working in business today. Future London Academy spent a day with her in London, during which Ivy has shared And if you are curious about our Executive Programme for Design Leader that Ivy teaches on, you can find more information here: https://fla.wiki/4evyOFI

  • June 1 · 1 hr 16 min

    What it really takes to lead a global creative team | Tim Greenhalgh, Like a Moth, ex Landor & Fitch

    How can designers reach the executive level, and what are their responsibilities and the impact they get to create?To find out, join our Design Executives Series with Tim Greenhalgh, Founder and Creative Director at Like a Moth and former Chief Creative Officer at Landor & Fitch, one of the most iconic creative agencies in the world.Tim is also faculty member of our Executive Programme for Design Leaders: https://fla.wiki/3RTKnxH Over more than 30 years, Tim has led a team of over 1,200 curious minds across 20 countries, creating award-winning brand experiences for clients including Apple, LEGO, and Adidas. During our live interview, Tim will share his mistakes and learnings, along with insights into leading at executive level. What you'll learn ► How to create and maintain high-quality design standards, and motivate the team to "destroy the ordinary" ► The value of design and creativity for business performance ► Tim's journey from creative director to chief creative officer 00:00 Meet Tim Greenhalgh — 40 years leading global creative at Fitch and Landor, now founder of Like a Moth 02:00 What Tim learned from Rodney Fitch about the value of design 05:15 How to justify the value of design to clients 13:00 How to present bold creative ideas so clients say yes 19:25 Why most creative briefs are just agendas and how to fix them 23:35 What nobody tells you about being a chief creative officer 33:10 Dealing with underperformers in creative teams without burning the culture 35:30 Why there's no such thing as a bad project 45:20 How Tim uses sight, insight, foresight to start every creative project 52:40 Destroy Ordinary: the creative framework that united 26 global studios 57:45 The future of craft, ideas and creative leadership 01:06:00 How to sell the value of an idea (not just the design) to business leaders 01:08:45 Has hybrid working destroyed studio culture? 01:12:20 If you could change one thing in the world 👤 Who this episode is for: Design Leaders · Creative Directors · Heads of Design · Agency Founders · Brand Strategists · Innovation Leads · and anyone curious about creativity, leadership, and business Tim is also faculty member of our Executive Programme for Design Leaders: https://fla.wiki/3RTKnxH

  • May 12 · 1 hr 22 min

    How to use Play as your Business Strategy | Michelle Lee, IDEO Partner

    How IDEO uses play to solve real business problems. In this interview, Ekaterina sits down with Michelle Lee, IDEO Partner and Executive Managing Director of IDEO San Francisco. Michelle Lee began her career as an aerospace engineer, working on satellites, wondering why it took so long to launch one. A friend's room full of toys changed everything. What followed was a winding path through the toy industry: an internship at IDEO in 2004, a startup she spun out and left, and a return to lead the Play Lab. Over two decades, she brought over 250 products to market with Hasbro, Mattel, and Sesame Workshop, and today, she is Partner and Executive Managing Director of IDEO's San Francisco studio.In a recent conversation with Future London Academy, Michelle shared what she's learned about creativity, leadership, ambiguity, and why play is one of the most underestimated tools in business. What you'll learn: ► Why play is a serious business tool, not a frivolous one ► How to design a non-linear career by following curiosity rather than chasing titles ► How to move from individual contributor into leadership without losing the craft ► Why clients are partners, not customers, and how generosity builds trust ► How to prove the ROI of design, play, and creativity using IDEO's POWER framework ► How to use AI as a sparring partner without losing your creativity 👤 Who this episode is for: Design Leaders · Product Designers · Heads of Design · Service Designers · Experience Designers · Creative Directors · Agency Founders · Innovation Leads · and anyone curious about creativity, leadership, and business Chapters: 00:00 Welcome and why play matters in business 05:30 How to design a non-linear career by following curiosity 10:30 From individual contributor to leader without losing the craft 17:00 Heart vs dollar sign: balancing creativity and business as a senior professional 20:30 Why clients are partners, not customers 24:30 How to step into senior leadership without going it alone 29:30 The IDEO IQ framework and the ROI of play 41:30 How to sit in ambiguity and why good friction matters 48:30 How to convince business leaders that play drives results 53:30 Cultivating IDEO's culture: concrete floors and rough prototypes 01:01:30 AI at IDEO: rough, rapid, right prototyping in the AI era 01:10:30 Earning design a seat at the table and more curiosity in the world

  • April 22 · 1 hr 6 min

    AKQA Co-Founder on the Lessons Behind a $550 Million Agency | James Hilton

    Nearly 30 years ago, James Hilton answered an ad in Creative Review, met a stranger named Ajaz Ahmed, and they signed Virgin as their first client. That was the beginning of AKQA. AKQA went on to win Grand Prix Cannes Lions, James was named the UK's number one digital creative director three times, and they were acquired by WPP for around $550 million. He also made the Creativity 50 alongside Jonathan Ive and Lady Gaga. What followed was a design studio, a custom motorcycle brand featured by Netflix and Top Gear, a Chief Creative Officer role at Native, and now a position inside Abbott, helping a 100,000-person healthcare company grow. James invited Future London Academy to his home outside London to chat about his journey. And if you are curious about our Executive Programme for Design Leader that James teaches on, you can find more information here: https://fla.wiki/42jCun4 00:00:00 — Meet James Hilton — The Design Leader Who Built AKQA Into a 6,000-Person Agency 00:01:00 — Selling AKQA for £340M 00:04:00 — What made AKQA succeed: obsession, craft & hiring people smarter than you 00:09:00 — The founder's paradox: staying in the work vs. scaling a creative business 00:11:00 — Building a Culture of Honest Feedback as a Creative Leadership Strategy 00:16:00 — Over-delivering as a growth strategy: how AKQA became a trusted advisor 00:28:00 — Life after AKQA: leaving, fear, and starting over from scratch 00:37:00 — Imposter syndrome, catastrophic thinking & using data to fight anxiety 00:44:00 — Stoicism as a leadership practice: the philosophy that changed everything 00:49:00 — Design with a capital D: transforming organisations at scale (Abbott case study) 00:53:00 — Why design leaders are a business value lever, not a visual service 01:00:00 — AI as a design tool, post-scarcity futures & final advice for design leaders #designleadership #agencyfounder

  • March 19 · 1 hr 24 min

    Sam Bompass, Co-Founder of Bompass & Parr, on Creative Risks, Inspiration and the Business of Wonder

    How Bompas & Parr built a creative agency that stands out.In this interview, Ekaterina sits down Sam Bompass. Nearly 20 years ago, Sam Bompas quit his job in property PR to make jelly. Since then, as co-founder of Bompas & Parr, Sam has cooked on molten lava, built a breathable cloud of gin and tonic, and founded the British Museum of Food. His studio works with governments, global brands like Coca-Cola, Johnnie Walker, and Mercedes, and major cultural institutions including the V&A, the Design Museum, and The Met. In a recent conversation with Future London Academy, he shared his remarkable hard-won wisdom about creativity, leadership, and what it really takes to build something lasting.What you’ll learn► How to turn a creative experiment into a scalable experiential agency► Why systemising ideas strengthens creativity rather than limiting it► How to pitch bold concepts while protecting budgets, feasibility, and client trust► What it takes to lead multidisciplinary teams across food, design, strategy, and making► How to use history and culture as a source of commercially powerful innovation► Why AI will not replace human creativity, and what founders should focus on instead👤 Who this episode is for:Design Leaders · Product Designers · Head of Design · Service Designers · Experience Designers · Brand Designers · Agency founders · Creatives · Creative Directors · and anyone interested in creativity and business Chapters: 00:00 Welcome introduction and the origin of Bompas and Parr06:37 From jelly experiments to building a global experiential agency13:01 Creative risk safety lessons and scaling ambitious ideas18:48 Finding inspiration in London and using history as creative fuel30:22 Systematising ideas from studio archives to client-ready concepts35:43 What makes a strong idea clarity impact, feasibility and business value42:32 Pitching bold work, presenting multiple routes, and winning client trust49:43 Leading multidisciplinary teams culture rituals and hybrid working56:41 Co-founder dynamics long-term partnership, and complementary strengths01:03:51 PR visibility and rescuing projects under pressure01:09:54 Food, drink, design inspiration and the power of service01:13:57 AI: The future of creativity and discovering new cultural possibilities

  • Dec 8, 2025 · 1 hr 26 min

    Cal Thompson, VP of Design on how they use AI at Headspace and why they hire interns

    With so many AI tools flying around, it’s easy for creative teams to feel overwhelmed. Which tools actually matter? And more importantly, what stays uniquely human in design leadership as technology evolves? In this episode of Design Leadership in the Boardroom,Ekaterina sits down with Cal Thompson, VP Design at Headspace and curator of Future London Academy’s Product Design Strategy course. Cal shares how AI is changing the strategic power of design (not replacing it), where these tools genuinely help guiding roadmaps, measuring product signals, prototyping visions, and where they don’t belong at all, especially when it comes to anchoring human stories. Joining as a special guest, Rachel Arredondo , Senior Product Designer at Headspace, offers a practical, grounded view of AI as a thought collaborator. She shows how she uses Claude to expand her reach without outsourcing judgment, and why designers must shape tools just as much as tools shape us. Expect a conversation rooted in empathy, culture, and creative responsibility, plus a clear, usable framework for deciding where AI fits in your design process. What you’ll learn Why design’s strategic influence can grow in an AI-enabled world Where AI helps most across the process of guiding roadmap, synthesising measurement signals, prototyping future visions, navigating crowded markets Why human observation and interviews can’t be replaced by synthesis tools How to build a design culture that fuels collaboration, trust, and imagination What AI means for junior talent, and how leaders should rethink career pathways Why the next “design movement” will be collective, not solo-AI driven Who this episode is for Design Leaders · Product Designers · Head of Design · Head of UX / UX Director · Product Design Lead · UX Design Lead / Design Lead · Design Managers & Senior ICs navigating AI adoption · Solo/In-house designers · Creatives and cross-functional partners (PMs, researchers, engineers) shaping AI-enabled products

  • Dec 1, 2025 · 1 hr 24 min

    Apple’s former design executive on tools, purpose of design and creativity in the age of AI | Charles Migos, intangible.ai

    With so many AI tools flying around, it feels overwhelming for any creative team to choose the ones that will make a difference. This is why last week, we decided to have a conversation with Charles Migos, Chief Product Officer, Founder of Intangible.ai, Design Leaders faculty member and one of the most exciting voices in design today. He is a design executive who has spent 30 years building tools for creatives, working alongside the industry’s brightest minds like Steve Jobs and in companies like Apple, Microsoft, and Unity. What we got is a powerful conversation with Charles about how designers play an important role in the age of AI, from problem-solving and aligning teams to improving collaboration. Timecodes:00:00 Introduction to design and AI with Charles Moberly (ex Apple, Microsoft, Unity)03:04 How the AI shift compares to the internet, Photoshop, and touchscreens06:12 The fundamentals of design that stay the same in the AI era08:23 How to choose AI tools for designers without feeling overwhelmed14:07 How to test and adopt AI tools in a design team16:36 Why creativity still works best as a team sport19:49 What design leaders should focus on in the AI era25:51 Balancing design and engineering cultures at scale32:20 Building Intangible AI and rethinking generative 3D workflows38:46 Copyright, IP, and ethical risks in generative AI45:08 Trust, privacy, and data choices when using AI tools45:26 A realistic look at the future of AI for creatives46:42 How designers can actively shape the future with AI50:19 New opportunities for designers using AI tools well54:09 Practical Figma Make tips for faster high fidelity prototyping01:02:04 Gender bias in AI and what design leaders can do01:22:22 Empathy and pragmatism as core design leadership skills54:09 Practical Figma Make tips Prototyping faster in high fidelity01:02:04 Gender bias in AI How design leaders respond01:22:22 Empathy and pragmatism in design leadership

  • Nov 20, 2025 · 1 hr 24 min

    Jim Prior on Protecting Creativity in Business | Chair at Design Bridge & Partners

    What does it really take to protect creativity inside large organisations, and why do some CEOs champion design while others struggle to? In this episode of Design Leadership in the Boardroom, Jim Prior, former Global CEO at WPP and Chair at Design Bridge & Partners, Superunion shares 25 years of experience leading some of the world’s most influential creative companies. Hosted by Future London Academy, this warm, honest conversation explores how creativity drives business performance, and what every designer should know to influence decision-makers at the highest level. 🎙️ About the guest Jim Prior is a global brand leader and creative business strategist who has spent over two decades as CEO of The Partners, Superunion and Design Bridge & Partners (WPP). He has advised executive boards worldwide on brand transformation, creativity in leadership, and building future-ready organisations. 🟡 If you want to become a better design leader, learn more about our Executive Programme for Design Leaders: https://fla.wiki/3LNPYCM 💡 You’ll learn: ► How CEOs think about creativity and business value ► How to pitch creative ideas to leadership teams ► How agencies can help clients sell creativity internally ► Leadership habits, decision-making frameworks & lessons from a CEO ► How AI and automation change the creative landscape — and what designers should do now ⏱ Chapters 00:00 Welcome – Ekaterina & Jim Prior 02:36 How CEOs value creativity and design 07:00 Why big companies struggle with innovation 10:22 How to pitch creative ideas to CEOs and boards 14:40 Selling creativity in the boardroom – tips from a CEO 19:42 Creativity in leadership teams vs the boardroom 22:07 How agencies help clients sell ideas internally 26:25 What makes a creative agency truly valuable 28:30 From knowledge economy → creative economy 31:29 Inside the CEO mindset – decision making 36:32 Making smart decisions with imperfect data 43:25 Time management for creative leaders 47:45 Why CEOs prefer talking over email 51:52 Leading through hard times & crises 55:30 Reconnecting with your company vision 57:00 The evolving role of design in leadership 1:03:00 Tech hype vs real change for design leaders 1:07:00 AI & creativity – how designers can adapt 1:12:30 Running creative workshops with leaders 1:17:00 Balancing creativity and business 1:21:00 If Jim Prior could change one thing in the world Ideal for: Design leaders • Creative directors • Senior designers • Strategists • CEOs who value design • Anyone aiming to grow their influence in business and boardrooms. 🟡 If you want to become a better design leader, learn more about our Executive Programme for Design Leaders: https://fla.wiki/3LNPYCM

  • Nov 8, 2025 · 1 hr 17 min

    Christophe Egret on Leading Studio Egret West, Architecture with Soul and Building with Purpose

    In the second episode of Design Leadership in the Boardroom, we’re joined by Christophe Egret — visionary architect, artist, and co-founder of Studio Egret West, to explore how creativity, spirituality, and leadership come together to shape cities and the people who build them. 🎙 Hosted by Future London Academy, this episode dives into architecture with soul, exploring what it means to build meaningful spaces, lead with empathy, and balance creative vision with commercial success. 🟡 If you want to become a better design leader, learn more about our Executive Programme for Design Leaders: https://fla.wiki/4a3iU3E 💡 What you’ll learn: ► How to keep creativity alive while running a thriving design business ► Ways to lead teams with empathy, purpose, and sou, not just strategy ► Why sketching, storytelling, and intuition still matter in the age of AI ► How to design spaces (and studio cultures) that connect people and purpose ✨ A conversation about imagination, courage, and what it means to build a better world, one soulful design at a time. About Christoph Egret: Christoph is one of the UK’s most respected architects and urban thinkers. As co-founder of Studio Egret West, he has helped redefine placemaking through landmark projects such as Mayfield Park in Manchester, Clapham Library, and the Earl’s Court Masterplan. Known for blending architecture, landscape, and urban design into a seamless practice, Christoph brings a deep sense of spirituality and purpose to his work. Today, through his new platform Soul in the City, he explores how the emotional and spiritual dimensions of urban life can inspire more connected, human-centered cities. 🟡 If you want to become a better design leader, learn more about our Executive Programme for Design Leaders: https://fla.wiki/4a3iU3E

  • Nov 2, 2025 · 1 hr 16 min

    Neurodiversity coach on ADHD, Autism, Dyslexia & Inclusive Leadership at Work | Emma Wee

    Join us for the first episode of our Design Leadership in the Boardroom series, where we speak with executive leaders across architecture, product, AI, branding and psychology to unpack the strategies, practices and frameworks that help them succeed at the highest level. This time we’re joined by neurodiversity coach Emma Wee to learn how to create environments where neurodivergent talent thrives, and how to lead authentically with your own neurodivergent identity. From ADHD and Autism to Dyslexia and Dyspraxia, Emma shares practical, humane tactics leaders can use today to help every brain do its best work.What you’ll learn how to: ► Navigate ADHD at work ► Leverage dyslexia strengths ► Dismantle autism myths ► Build inclusive teams ► Implement meeting hygiene ► Handle tricky moments 🟡 If you want to become a better design leader, learn more about our Executive Programme for Design Leaders: https://fla.wiki/4oRvYhj Timecodes: 00:00:00 – Intro & why neurodiversity matters in creative leadership 00:01:06 – Meet Emma Wee, Neurodiversity Coach 00:03:50 – Emma’s journey: from theatre design to Neurodiversity coaching 00:06:22 – Masking explained (code-switching, cost, and relief in naming it) 00:16:19 – ADHD 101: attention selection, hyperfocus arcs, RSD, boom-and-bust 00:21:28 – Finishing & focus: define “done,” emotional tags, pick tasks by brain-state 00:31:25 – Dyslexia strengths & tools: pattern spotting, dictation, read-aloud, color contrast 00:40:32 – Autism realities: sensory seesaw, clarity over small talk, change vs. variables 00:45:11 – Leading Neurodiverse teams: briefs, check-ins, inclusive defaults, “Manual of Me” 01:00:12 – Disclosure & safety: when to share (or not), alternatives to get support 01:06:11 – Rapid-fire coaching: brainstorms, missed deadlines, interruptions, feedback clashes 01:15:40 – Closing & big question: one change Emma would make in the world About Guest Emma Wee — Neurodiversity Coach working with organisations from Universal Music Group to the UK FCDO, EY and PwC, helping teams adapt working practices for neurodivergent professionals. Emma is faculty member at Executive programme for Design Leaders. 🟡 If you want to become a better design leader, learn more about our Executive Programme for Design Leaders: https://fla.wiki/4oRvYhj

  • Jul 17, 2025 · 1 hr 24 min

    Philips' Chief Design Officer on how a design prototype became an $800M business opportunity

    Join us for the fifth episode of our Chief Design Officer Series, where we talk to Chief Design Officers from the most forward-thinking companies. This time, we are joined by Sean Carney, former CDO of Philips. At Philips, Sean led a team of 700+ designers and helped generate over $800 million in sales pull-through.Sean shared a powerful case study of how design contributed directly to business transformation and aided a positive change in the world.Watch to learn how to:- Drive real business impact with design- Calculate and communicate ROI on design- Balance creativity with business strategy at the C-level- Build a design team that influences revenue and strategy 00:00 — Welcome to the CDO Series: Why Design Belongs in the Boardroom 00:49 — Meet Sean Carney: Former Chief Design Officer at Philips 02:55 — Sean’s Unplanned Path to Becoming a Chief Design Officer 04:42 — From Solo Creator to Strategic Leader: The Power of Diverse Teams 07:43 — Why Today’s User Research Isn’t Enough: Designing for the Future 10:24 — Philips' Visionary Design Approach 13:24 — 📍 Case Study: How Philips Built the NICU of the Future 20:05 — 📍 Case Study: Embedding Strategic Design into Business Strategy at Philips 35:00 — Tracking the ROI of Design: From Vision to Measurable Business Impact 43:11 — Using Real-Time Data and Predictive Modelling in Hospital Design 44:35 — Designing Capabilities for the Future: Strategic Foresight in Action 45:01 — 📍 Case Study: Smart Toothbrushes and the Rise of Connected Health 48:00 — How Philips Prioritised Innovation Opportunities Across 30+ Units 48:48 — Turning Design Ideas into Strategic Investments with Cross-Functional Teams 53:26 — 📍 Case Study: The Vacuum That Failed — and What It Taught the Business 55:34 — What It Takes to Design in Healthcare: Compliance, Innovation & Risk 55:53 — Building the Case for Prototypes: Value Beyond the Aesthetic 01:01:40 — Bridging Creative Vision and P&L: Design at the Executive Table 01:03:55 — How Design Drove Business Transformation at Philips01:10:31 — Empathy Across Departments: The Secret to Influencing at C-Level 01:11:18 — Budgeting for Innovation: Where to Find (and Protect) Funds 01:14:46 — The Future of Design Leadership: From Systems to Strategy 01:21:48 — Design for Good: Applying Creative Leadership to Global Impact 01:23:28 — Final Reflections: Building a More Joyful, Impactful World with Design Learn about our Design Leaders programme: https://fla.wiki/4kDuFPT #ChiefDesignOfficer #DesignLeadership #ROIonDesign

  • May 16, 2025 · 1 hr 3 min

    CEO EMEA of Ogilvy on How to Justify Investment to a CEO | Patou Nuytemans

    Learn about our Design Leaders programme 👉 https://fla.wiki/4dm4cVcPatou Nuytemans, CEO EMEA of Ogilvy, one of the world's most iconic creative agencies. Discover how she went from being an "unlikely candidate" from Belgium and rose through the ranks by embracing diverse roles across three continents, pioneering digital transformation, and turning around challenging regions.In this interview, Patou shares her unexpected journey to becoming a CEO, her leadership philosophy, how she drives creative excellence across a global organisation. and how to talk your CEO to justify investment in design. 00:00 – Welcome Patou Nuytemans03:17 – The brave career moves that turned her into a leader 07:53 – Why Patou never chased titles—and what she chased instead 12:31 – “If you don’t communicate your wins, they don’t exist” 18:06 – How creatives should talk to their CEO (and be taken seriously) 22:41 – The structure that keeps 50+ teams aligned (you need this) 30:20 – What actually builds team culture (it’s not what you think) 35:44 – The 5 business metrics Ogilvy tracks 42:54 – “Creativity is a shortcut to big business impact—here’s how to prove it” 50:03 – Want a bigger budget? Say this to your CEO 55:29 – Why junior talent is more valuable than ever (even with AI) 57:49 – “Growth is my religion”: Patou’s personal philosophy on success 1:00:50 – Her wish for the world? More curiosity, more connection Learn about our Design Leaders programme 👉 https://fla.wiki/4dm4cVc#CreativeLeadership #OgilvyCEO #BusinessOfCreativity #DesignLeadership #GlobalTeams #BorderlessCreativity #FutureLondonAcademy #PatouThains #CreativeAgency #LeadershipJourney #WomenInLeadership #AIAndCreativity #TeamCulture #CommunicationSkills #CreativeROI #BrandDifferentiation #ContinuousLearning #GlobalExperience #AwardRecognition #InternationalBusiness

  • Feb 6, 2025 · 1 hr 25 min

    Why Being Wrong Made Me Successful ┃Don Norman

    Don Norman, the legendary designer who coined the term "User Experience" and served as Apple's VP, shares insights from his remarkable career. At 89, he reveals why most designers fail to reach the C-suite, how AI will reshape design (not replace it), and his mission to revolutionise design education. Grab a cup of tea and settle in, this conversation might change everything you do from now on. For more leadership insights check our Design Leaders Programme. Learn more here👉 https://fla.wiki/4hKKZxs #DonNorman #Design #UserExperience #Innovation #FutureLondonAcademy

  • Jan 23, 2025 · 1 hr 24 min

    A Design Leader's Guide to Business Impact at JP Morgan Chase | Chief Design Officer Series

    Janaki Kumar is Chief Design Officer at JPMorgan Chase & Co., a thought leader, innovator, and author who was named a Women of Influence by the Silicon Valley Business Journal in 2016. Janaki is a proven leader in building, coaching and inspiring high performance design teams, leveraging design-thinking, customer empathy, and co-innovation. She is the co-author of Gamification at Work – Designing Engaging Business Software. She was a co-instructor at Stanford’s Graduate School Business LEAD course and inventor on over 20 patents. During our interview, she shared how she became CDO, how to prove your value to C-suite executives and what skills to develop to become CDO. For more leadership insights check our Design Leaders Programme. Learn more 👉 https://fla.wiki/3EaHsKf #leadership #cdo #mba #designleadership#leadership #cdo #mba #designleadership

  • Dec 18, 2024 · 1 hr 29 min

    From School Dropout to Silicon Valley Gaming Legend | Jeri Ellsworth

    Jeri Ellsworth is an inventor, entrepreneur and founder of Tilt Five, the world’s first augmented reality gaming system. During our interview, she shared where her passion brought her to an amazing career plot twists: from building race cars and running computer stores to creating aerospace navigation systems and leading hardware innovation at Valve Corporation. When her first AR startup failed, an unexpected call from Atari's founder helped her bounce back to create Tilt5, launching the largest AR Kickstarter in history. Check out our courses: https://fla.wiki/4giVnw5

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