Learning Hub

Thomas Kolster – Founder & Creative Director, Goodvertising Agency

Kolster is a frontrunner and one of the most recognised thinkers globally where marketing, business and sustainability meet. He continuously challenges the status-quo with his vocal, and often provocative, views on values, purpose, and leadership. In an over-crowded do-good market, people don’t buy your values or your “why”, but rather who you can help them become.

He’s an international keynote speaker who has featured in over 70 countries for companies like Facebook, P&G, and IKEA, to conferences like TEDx. As the founder of the Goodvertising Agency, he advises Fortune 500 companies, start-ups, non-profits and governments on more creative strategic approaches to brand and business impact.

His pen rarely rests and besides his seminal books Goodvertising (2012) and The Hero Trap (2020), he writes for the likes of The Guardian, Ad Age, and Adweek. Thomas continues to drive industry change through his active participation in leading forums, such as The International Advertising Association’s Sustainability Council and D&AD’s Impact Council. He helps to promote best practice as go-to judge of top award shows such as D&AD and Cannes Lions.

Thomas is also an eager entrepreneur and has launched impact platforms such as Projector, WhereGoodGrows and ImpactPimp because his belief is simple: Change begins with you!

Gerson Barnett – Executive Director, Right Thing Media

Gerson combines 20 years’ in senior management commercial digital media advertising positions at Telegraph Media Group, Future Plc, and CBS/Viacom Corporation with five years’ social impact experience working in East Africa. Here he campaigned for “Trade not Aid” strategies and pioneered the sustainable, ethical fashion supply chain, partnering with global fashion brands and retailers including LVMH, Urban Outfitters, John Lewis, Sainsbury’s and ASOS.

As Executive Director of Right Thing Media, Gerson heads up a dynamic team with a diverse skillset who share his commitment to doing the Right Thing.

Right Thing Media is a B Corp for-profit business that empowers brands, advertising agencies, and media partners to deliver on their corporate social and environmental responsibilities through advertising to deliver a responsible media supply chain.

In partnership, Right Thing harness the power of advertising, redirecting ad budgets to generate meaningful, tangible environmental and social-economic impacts using ESG rated brand insights.

Right Thing clients range from Heineken, HSBC, Nike, Hitachi, PHD, Essence, Mindshare, Azerion, Acast, GumGum, Teads and VICE Media Group to name a few, redirecting funding to non-profits such as Water Aid, Groundwork, Comic Relief and the Trussell Trust.

Sukhi Sindhu – Co-Founder, NOBL Thirst Ltd

With over 13 years’ experience in the food and drinks industry Sukhi has launched and operated businesses that have supported health and sustainability focused brands launch and grow exponentially. From here he was able to identify the need for the need for a drinks brand that considers the environmental impact of its entire supply chain which is what led him to launch NOBL with his cousin and co-founder Rav Sandhu. Launched in November 2021 NOBL is on a mission to become the UK’s lowest carbon footprint drinks brand.

Samira Brophy – Senior Director, Creative Excellence, Ipsos UK

Samira is an Ipsos expert on brand and communication work, with 20 years of experience spanning creative and research roles. She leads the early-stage campaign development offer, is a thought leader on ad effectiveness and works with Ipsos clients to adopt a misfit mindset and make bolder, highly creative campaigns that audiences value. 
She has led the global brand and communication research programmes for some of Ipsos’s largest partnering clients and previously ran the CSR network. Prior to life in the UK, she ran a content & advertising production business in India.

Gemma Hitchens – Content Partnerships Director, Financial Times.

Prior to the FT, Gemma worked at Signal Noise – part of the Economist Group – where she focussed on partnerships. She has organised five exhibitions as part of London Design Festival, focussing on using data visualisation to explore topics including algorithmic processes, the future of privacy and predictive analytics.

She has run workshops with the Science Museum and Somerset House, appeared on Radio 4’s show ‘The Fix’ and is now looking at the best ways to create compelling content using FT’s unique data and editorial expertise.

You can find her on Twitter at @gmhitchens.

Rob Alexander – Partner, Headland

He’s a strategic communications specialist who develops campaigns to build reputation, create value for businesses and even help win elections. Over 20 years in advertising as a global planning director at TBWA\ and J Walter Thompson he helped create award winning global campaigns for HSBC, Shell, Vodafone and Apple and advised the Labour Party on the 2001 general election. Since moving into communications at Brunswick he specialises in strategic planning and campaigns across all sectors. At Headland he leads the planning capability and the integration of paid media with earned to amplify and accelerate change. Current and past clients include: Barclays, BHP, Amadeus, Costain, Iberdrola and Be the Business.

Michala Chatel – Managing Partner, Ultima Collection

Michala Chatel is Managing Partner of Ultima Collection, a portfolio of ultra-luxury branded suites and residences based in the heart of the Alps and Mediterranean, overseeing the global operations, communications and management of the collection.

Michala’s role as Managing Partner follows on from her prominent contribution as Global Head of Sales for the brand for nearly three years. With a career spanning over a decade, Michala joined Ultima after managing Global Marketing at The Travel Corporation in Geneva, and has worked across communications and management for IATA, Clarins Fragrance Group and IBM Software Group.

 A refreshing new addition to the scene of luxury branded residences, Ultima properties provide the perfect combination of the exemplary service of a five-star hotel, with the discretion and seclusion of a private residence. Boasting sought-after locations in some of Europe’s most high-profile ski and sun destinations, Gstaad, Megève, Crans-Montana, Geneva, Corfu and most recently, Courchevel.

Nothing is an impossible request at Ultima, as a team of private chefs, house managers, spa therapists and housekeepers make every guest experience as unique and idyllic as possible.

Thomas Nagy – Consumer Insights Lead, Volvo

Consumer Insights and Foresights specialist. Previously Tesco (dunnhumby), Unilever (Ben & Jerry’s), Ehrenberg Bass Institute.