pro-manchester Creative Conference 2024

James Cooper was Sky’s man in Manchester for almost 2 decades and is a well known face and voice across the North West. A journalist, broadcaster and highly skilled communicator –  what makes James tick is getting people to tell their own stories. He has worked with some of the biggest names in sport on some of the biggest stories.

James is also a highly experienced events host and presenter.

Creativity has always been at the heart of what he has done professionally and James is  looking forward to showcasing the best of what Manchester has to offer.

For the past 17 years, I’ve been deeply immersed in the world of education: I’ve had a true 360 view having worked in both secondary state and independent sectors, and deeply understand the journey that young people travel at each transition stage. Leadership experience was shaped over the last 7 years at a large 6th Form college where I held 3 cross college roles, College EDI Coordinator, Head of Programmes, Head of GCSE English as well as being an A Level English Literature lecturer. My career pivot to the world of business was inspired by my current MBA studies at Oxford Brookes University where I realised how I could transfer my skills and passions into other spaces.

As the Head of Programmes at Agent Academy, an award-winning social enterprise, my role involves developing and overseeing high-quality programmes that help emerging talent identify, understand, and achieve their potential. I work in a small but incredibly mighty team where we work in partnership with various North West businesses to ensure our offerings are not only industry-relevant but transformative. My main job involves strategic curriculum development, continuous learning, and fostering collaborative partnerships to create impactful learning experiences and career opportunities for our participants.

Professor Andy Miah, PhD is Chair of Science Communication & Future Media at the University of Salford, Manchester, where he is also Principal Investigator for the MediaCity Immersive Technologies Innovation Hub, an Innovate UK project led by The Landing, delivered in partnership with Salford City Council and Greater Manchester Combined Authority. He is also the university’s Academic Lead for the Metaverse Special Interest Group, AI Ethics Champion, and. Author of 10 books and over 150 academic articles, he is also a frequent media commentator and has written for the Washington Post, Vogue, BBC, Wired, and many other outlets.

After a decade at the BBC, Guy Kilty founded specialist podcast consultancy Dap Dip in 2019. Since then Dap Dip has created the hit original shows The Price of Football and The Price of Music, and helped companies like TalkTalk, Interactive Investor, Bestinvest and Cadent Gas make their own branded podcasts.

Effa Ettah is a speaker, trainer and project manager with decades of experience in various sectors. His passion for research and how it translates innovation into solving contemporary challenges informs his interest and participation in Cybersecurity and Artificial Intelligence initiatives across the Greater Manchester.
Effa is Ecosystem Engagement Lead at the Turing Innovation Catalyst as well Project Manager at the Centre for Digital Innovation at the University of Manchester.

Jo comes from a global advertising agency background.She understands the importance of strategic campaign work and its placement in equal measure. Jo has worked across a multitude of both B2C and B2B client sectors, delivering through-the-line campaigns for the likes of: Britannia Building Society, Magnet Kitchens, DAF Trucks, Thomson Reuters and smaller SME businesses. At Truth, Jo has worked across a diverse range of industries to support TTL campaign work, including but not limited to: The Authentic Food Company, M247, Newcastle University London, University Academy 92, Shaws of Darwen and GC Aesthetics. Jo is adept at understanding the wider strategic business objectives,ensuring an integrated campaign supported by research, insight and media planning can maximise its effectiveness and ROI.

Rob Sethna has worked in the creative sector for over 40 years, across roles including art direction, design, creative director, managing director and Business Mentor. He has also owned and run a variety of creative and tech businesses . Rob is passionate about sharing his wealth of knowledge to further the sector and individuals alike.

Aaron Saxton has been disruptive education leader at UA92 since 2021. His leadership has solidified UA92’s position as a trailblazer for incorporating advanced technologies such as Artificial Intelligence, Web 3.0, and the Metaverse into higher education.

Sax has been instrumental in shaping UA92’s forward-thinking curriculum, launching apprenticeships, and spearheading digital bootcamps that prioritise vital tech-centric skills. Under his stewardship, UA92 celebrated the opening of the Digital Academy in September 2022, made possible by a significant £2 million grant from the Office for Students.

This innovative academy serves as a hub for digital excellence, featuring a Metaverse for virtual experiential learning, a VR/AR lab for immersive technologies, and a 360-degree Igloo learning space for interactive study. It provides a broad spectrum of students with an employer-responsive, industry-collaborated curriculum designed to prime them for the digital economy. The Digital Academy offers an array of certified short courses, including in-demand fields like DevOps, Cloud computing, Linux, web development, data science, cyber security, and augmented and virtual reality, all underpinned by a strong foundation in artificial intelligence.

Sax’s ethos revolves around the conviction that investing in emerging talent is paramount for advancing the digital skills market. His bold, innovative approach not only prepares students for the digital future but also redefines the standard and delivery of digital education.

Lee is a Chartered Trade Mark Attorney at Manchester based IP law firm HGF and has 30 years’ experience of the trade mark and design law in the UK and overseas. He advises and manages the design and trade mark portfolios of some of the leading brands in the United Kingdom and across the globe and is very experienced in contentious proceedings before the UKIPO and other IP Offices.

Lee has been widely quoted and has spoken on IP matters in the press and on radio and TV, notably in the Wall Street Journal, the Washington Post, the Financial Times, The Times, The Sunday Times, BBC Radio 4 and BBC1. He has also written and spoken widely on the impact of AI on trade mark and design law and practice, notably being part of a panel of speakers at the United States Patent and Trademark Office in Alexandria, Virginia in January 2019 which included the heads of trade marks of both Amazon and Microsoft. Lee also contributed and spoke at the World Intellectual Property Office’s ‘Conversation on Intellectual Property (IP) and Artificial Intelligence (AI)’ hosted in Geneva in November 2020.

With over nine years’ experience in digital PR and content creation, as Business Director, Rosa oversees connective3’s Manchester office, managing a large team of creative professionals. In her career, Rosa has worked across a variety of different projects, from stand-alone campaigns to long-term strategic roadmaps, for brands including Nike, Manchester Metropolitan University, Stena Line, and Ann Summers. She combines her analytical skills with her love of creativity to create concepts that work for many industries, including e-commerce, finance, law, and travel.

Alice Oakford is a social media OG with over 12 years of experience, having led incredible brands like PrettyLittleThing, MUD/WTR, and NHS Blood and Transplant. As the founder of Social Honey—a dynamic, female-founded agency based in Manchester—Alice has transformed a solo venture into a powerhouse known for its agility, creativity, and audience-first approach. Under her leadership, Social Honey became one of the first 15 UK agencies to partner with TikTok Shop in 2022. Alice’s mission is simple: to create strategies that truly resonate, engage, and convert.

Sali has 20 years+ marketing and communications experience starting out in sales and advertising before specialising in customer relationship marketing; working in higher and further education as well as finance and the world of football, with the likes of Burnley FC, Wembley Stadium and The FA.

Her experience spans strategy development and implementation, organisational communications (including transformational change projects) to lead generation and conversion marketing campaigns, training and development and brand management.

Sali is a chartered marketer and accredited PR and communications professional and current Chair of the CIPR NW Group and Vice Chair on the CIM NW Board, where she proudly represents, promotes and champions emerging talent and diversity amongst the professions and its members.

Peter Dickinson is the Founder of KUB and Co-Founder of Vyzion International. He is also a long established business coach and digital marketer and has worked with over 600 businesses from a wide range of sectors over the last 22+ years. Peter has worked with technology for the last 40+ years and holds several degrees including an MBA from the Open University.

Peter and the team launched Vision2Success to help ambitious business owners grow their businesses, disrupt their sectors, and develop a vision that delivers on their goals. Vision2Success offers a range of services, including free workshops, a comprehensive guide to digital marketing in the form of an eBook, free and more in-depth paid online learning, marketing support, and support as outsourced marketing support through our 90-day marketing accelerator programme.

Rachel Chesters is an experienced Marketing and Communications Director with a proven track-record in B2B marketing strategy. Rachel is the Founder of Start Communication Ltd, a boutique B2B marketing consultancy, established in 2016, working with SMEs, large corporates and non-profits across the UK and internationally.

Rachel has over 15 years’ experience in corporate marketing, backed by a strong academic foundation, having obtained Chartered Marketer status and completed the High Impact Leadership Program at UC Berkeley, Haas School of Business. Rachel is also a Member of the Chartered Institute of Marketing (MCIM) and a Fellow of the Institute of Direct and Digital Marketing (FIDM). Rachel is also an Ambassador for the Greater Manchester Mayor’s Charity.

Rachel lives in Chorlton with her husband and two children and when she’s not working, she can be found inhabiting the parks and cafes of South Manchester.

Clare is a digital marketing and lead generation expert with 25 years’ experience in SEO, Content Marketing, and B2B lead generation.

She has worked in-house as Marketing Director for large corporates and for one of the top B2B marketing agencies in the UK before setting up her own Digital Agency, Moorhouse Digital, in 2016.

Whether you’re looking to generate more leads from your website, build a scalable and predictable sales funnel, or create content that converts, Clare has the experience and know-how to adapt the right digital strategy to suit your current situation, budget, and objectives.

Joel sits on the Pro-Manchester Digital and Creative Committee. He has worked within commercial roles for the last 15 years. Most recently leading the growth of a digital agency in the Northwest. Joel has a proven track record of providing solutions for businesses and working with them to grow sustainably and profitably.

In his current role, Joel is responsible for expanding BIG partnerships digital offerings. With experience across the retail and consumer, finance, medical and education sector. His experience in delivering effective solutions and driving growth makes him the perfect fit to lead our Social Media Mastery panel.

Hannah heads up PHA’s northern offices in Manchester and Leeds, leading a team based across the region to support thriving businesses and communities based in the north. Hannah’s experience includes developing compelling creative campaigns that assist high profile brands to develop and execute strategic consumer PR, influencer and social media activations. Working on several household names for companies including, Johnson & Johnson, Proctor & Gamble and Essity.

Mohammed has spent 11 years teaching digital marketing at university and has been a key figure in the Google’s Digital Garage programme. He’s helped over 500 businesses grow with his guidance through the one-to-one business mentoring programme. Not just an academic, Mohammed also delivers digital skills training, both online and in person. He’s passionate about using artificial intelligence and digital marketing strategies to help businesses get bigger and better.

Paul heads-up creative strategy at BIG Partnership, one of the UK’s fastest growing independent integrated comms agencies, leading the ‘BIG thinking’ behind integrated brand campaigns for supermarkets, airlines and drinks brands, to healthcare, house builders and deodorant brands.
Previously creative director at Havas UK, his experience includes award-winning work for clients including AO.com, Brewdog, Asda, Kellogg’s, Pringles, TUI and the creative concept behind the launch of the Greggs vegan sausage roll, amongst other campaigns.

Katy is the Co-founder of The Reporters’ Academy. A youth media production company based at MediaCity. Katy founded The Reporters’ Academy 12 years ago and has an impressive track record of changing the lives of young people from across Greater Manchester. Katy established the unique business model that sees businesses commissioning media content from the not-for-profit, that funding is then reinvested into training for the next generation. There’s always something exciting in the pipeline so be sure to ask her about reporting at the Olympic Games, training overseas, podcasting with VIPs!

Founder of Manchester’s digital, creative and technology networking event, digitalThursday, Craig has an enviable 25+ years working in digital, tech and creative sectors. Having built and exited his own digital agency in the 2000s, Craig has spent the last 15 years delivering a range of digital products, training and consultancy. Working with brands including Vodafone, GE Baker Hughes, Lookers and The Coop, in the UK, US and Middle East, he is also now Founder of Q&A-based video content marketing platform, Orakly.com

Harriet is the Head of Paid Social at Embryo, and has built a skilled team who specialise in scaling brands, taking unprofitable ad accounts and turning them into a crucial revenue, lead generation and brand-building channel.Over her 8+ years of working in marketing, she’s gained a wealth of experience with a variety of brands and industries, and has navigated the huge changes that have taken place in the paid social world over that time. This expertise has enabled Harriet to lead her team to think beyond their specialism in social, and take a consultative approach that considers our clients businesses holistically, as well as understanding how paid social can contribute to the wider marketing mix.

Having held leadership roles such as Head of Digital and Strategy Consultant, working across marketing agencies and brands with household names, Sophie now Head’s up Embryo’s Delivery Team. She uses her deep understanding of the digital industry and a track record of managing high-performing marketing campaigns for B2B and B2C clients to lead Embryo’s award winning performance marketing teams who transform businesses by making their brands more visible online and bettering their digital performance.

Dr Magda Marchowska-Raza is a Lecturer in Digital Marketing at the University of Salford, UK. She has practical experience as a freelancer in social media marketing and combines it with advanced academic research. Her current work focuses on social media brand communities, consumer engagement, and value creation. Additionally, she is actively involved in the industry by judging professional awards and contributes to the academic community by presenting at conferences.