The Marketing Leaders Programme 2025: A Q&A

The New Year is often a time for a fresh start, a refresh of our thinking and a setting (or resetting) of our hopes, intentions and ambitions. It is an opportunity to consider our leadership ambitions and think about what support we need to to help us realise our career goals.

I interviewed leadership coach Anni Townend about The Marketing Leaders Programme 2025 and how it can help ambitious marketers become the leaders of tomorrow.

MLP celebrates 21 years this year. Can you tell me what changes have been made to the programme to refresh it for the 2025 cohort and outline how the course runs? 

We have a wonderful new venue set in the beautiful Hertfordshire countryside, Modules One and Two are residential each over 2.5 days in late April, and early July respectively with Module Three in late November. The timing and the spacing of the modules gives delegates an opportunity to truly step back from their day to day, in order to step forward and to think strategically about their next level of leadership.  They will be challenged and supported by fellow delegates and through the experiences of the amazing speakers who share their stories openly and willingly, responding generously to questions.

Why is the new venue so important?

One of the key benefits of the programme is that delegates will be able to relax, reflect on their life and leadership experiences and think about how they can truly fast forward their leadership into the future, through creating their purpose linked to their values, beliefs, their passions and commitment to have an even greater impact.  The careful choice of venue - Tewinbury Farm Hotel - is ideal for spending time outdoors on your own, engaged in side by side conversation, and in walk and talk conversations.

In addition to enjoying time and space to reflect on their own, an integral part of the programme is being part of a community of marketing leaders, learning from each other through paired walk and talk conversations, small group working and sharing of experiences in the whole group.  One of the biggest takeaways from the programme are the life long relationships that are forged and being a member of the wider The Marketing Society community of leaders.

Can you explain more about the FED framework and what sets it apart from other leaderships programmes?

The leadership framework that we draw upon throughout the programme is Future-Engage-Deliver (FED). Developed by Steve Radcliffe, executive coach, thought leader, marketer, and author of Leadership Plain and Simple. We combine FED with the latest thinking, and developments that as senior marketing leaders we need to be paying attention to, including Generative AI, global life trends, brand growth and financial markets.

The FED approach is based on the premise that leadership starts in the future, that leadership is a future based activity. As leaders we need to think from the future, be guided by the future that we are leading for - connected to what we truly care about, our values, beliefs, passion and purpose. We then need to engage others, to be ‘up to something together’ and therefore being engaging, managing our impact and building relationships big enough to get the job done - with and through others - is key. Do a great job of Future and Engage, and Deliver follows, together we have a bigger impact, and make a bigger difference leading to great results.

What will delegates gain from the MLP experience?

They will leave the programme with:

• an even greater confidence in their marketing leadership and in their impact
• clarity about their purpose and how to live that through their marketing leadership
• a stronger business network of peers, mentors and senior leaders
• a deeper understanding of the business challenges that marketing leaders face and how to lean into these
• an energy and focus that will sustain them in their current role, and support them in reaching for the next role.

Here’s a quick look at the details for the 2025 Marketing Leaders Programme:

• This is for brand-side members
• Applicants must have at least seven years’ marketing experience, or can demonstrate leading change in a marketing role
• There are only 28 places available 
• Max 4 delegates per brand
• Price £9,995 plus vat
• Includes 4 overnight stays at our Hertfordshire retreat followed by 1 x full day module in London
• Personal industry mentor to support application in practice
• Feedback and advice on leadership in practice from an expert industry panel at the full day module in London
• Applications are to be made via the website - by Friday 14 February 2025

Dates:

Module 1: 23 - 25 April
Module 2: 9 - 11 July
Module 3: 20 November

The Location:

Tewinbury - A riverside farm & hotel in Hertfordshire 

For more information and to apply head here.

Published 29 January 2025
 

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