UK Creative Festival Announces Host of Guest Speakers

Jul. 04, 2024

The UK Creative Festival (UKCF) is fast approaching, and with it comes a stellar lineup of guests set to appear at the two-day festival taking place on July 10th and 11th 2024. 

This year, the festival welcomes a record number of brands to the stage, platforming the marketers and creatives that have been instrumental in bringing some of the most recognisable campaigns of the previous year to life. Celebrating creativity in all of its forms, the festival aspires to be a welcome and accessible antidote to the corporate nature of many other industry events. 

The agenda this year revolves around three key themes: culture and community, purpose for the future, and action and policy, spearheaded by panellists from leading brands and agencies such as VCCP, Meta, Mother, McCann and Spotify, among others. 

A selection of speakers confirmed to be taking part at this year’s event are: 

• Joel Midgley, head of marketing, The Guardian
• Rory Sutherland, vice chairman, Ogilvy UK
• Emma Houlston, creative director, VCCP
• Russell Tovey, actor 
• Damian Bradfield, founder, WeTransfer
• Kat Hahn, international creative director, Meta
• Antonietta Chioccarelli, creative director, outdoor, Global
• Calypso Newman, founder, Rock Badger Agency
• Charlene Chandrasekaran, ECD, THE OR
• Lucy Hart, executive director of strategy and insight, formerly VCCP and Mischief
• Susie Braun, group director of social purpose and sustainability, ITV
• Boris Nihom, CEO, Dentsu Creative Amsterdam
• Rania Robinson, CEO, Quiet Storm
• Lucy Jameson, co-founder, Uncommon Creative Studio
• Tom Skinner, ECD
• Jonathan Reid, founder, Reidentify
• Mathieu Desbrandes, category marketing manager Nurofen, Reckitt
• Tom Ellis, director of ad creative, Yahoo
• Megan Wastell, global creative director, Merlin Entertainments
• Orlando Wood, CIO System1 and creator of advertising.principles.explained (a.p.e), System1 Group
• Angela Jobson, global brand commercial director - new brands development, Merlin Entertainments
• Laura Jordan Bambach, founder and CCO, Uncharted
• Ruth Boulter, creative director, McCann London
• Priya Ahluwalia, creative and film director, Ahluwalia
• Will Butler-Adams, CEO, Brompton Bicycle Limited
• Megan Taylor, head of creative, Lucky Saint
• Christopher Taylor, CEO and co-founder, Young Creators UK (YCUK)
• Gabriela Scardaccione, president of UK Creative Circle
• Mae Yip, co-founder 
• Nhu Huynh, company director, Young Creators UK
• Alaina Crystal, feminist strategist and coach, Alaina Crystal LTD
• Tom Ghiden, managing director, JOAN London
• Clemmie Telford, creative director, ITV Creative
• Hugh Todd, co-founder, Behind the Billboard
• Dan Shipton, creative director and co-founder, Black Skull Creative Ltd
• Lee Smithurst, executive producer, BBC Studios
• Lewis Allen, music manager, Fifteen04
• Tanja Grubner, global marketing director, Essity
• Steve Davies, chief executive, Advertising Producers Association
• Emma Castle, founder and creative director, Bright Island Creative Agency
• Rob Wood, head of communications, WWF
• Phoebe Boateng, head of content opportunities, ERIC
• Debbie Tembo, inclusion partner, Creative Equals 
• Jazz Gandhi, co-founder and director, Duet London

The full agenda and list of speakers can be found here.

Jeremy Green, CEO, Creative Circle commented: 

“I am humbled and thrilled at the calibre of guests that have agreed to join us in Margate this year. The UK Creative Festival is growing year on year, and I’m so excited to see our incredible creative community unite by the seaside soon!”

 

The Creative Careers Fair, led by the Creative Foundation returns to the Creative Festival once again this year, hosting students and young people looking for advice, inspiration and guidance on accessing the creative industries. 

Buying a ticket for the festival directly supports the next generation of talent and helps to fund the Creative Careers Fair, the Creative Futures Mentorship Programme, and regular practical skills sessions. So far, there have been 44 success stories from mentees, who have either secured internships, book crits, work placements or job opportunities since attending. 

The UKCF is the home of the Creative Circle Awards, the longest running creative awards in Europe. Founded in 1945, the evening is a showcase of great ideas, fresh thinking and craft, closing the UKCF on July 11th.