How iLEAD is redefining creative leadership in Plymouth and beyond

Delivering a brighter, bolder and braver vision for the future
Plymouth overhead view

  • Created and delivered by international management consultancy Nous Group, the custom 12-month programme is designed to create and embed an ecosystem of leadership talent, challenging conventional wisdom to shape and grow economic prosperity.
  • The programme's challenge projects see the cohort working collaboratively to explore innovative ideas that respond to key challenges and opportunities in Plymouth and the surrounding area.

As Plymouth begins to re-open and the local economy reboots, iLEAD aims to encourage creative and cultural leaders to team up with partners from other sectors, forming a progressive leadership model to deliver a brighter, bolder and braver vision for the future.

The iMayflower programme focuses on pulling together the best of Plymouth’s creative talent and the excellent digital resources available, with a focus on the city’s existing areas of strength, such as health care, marine, manufacturing, and cultural tourism. The iLEAD programme, developing individual leadership and creating a network of collaborators across these sectors, is central to this.

With an unprecedented demand to participate, the programme brings together a diverse range of creative leaders including representatives from major industry employers like Babcock International, to cultural and educational institutions like the Barbican Theatre and Plymouth College of Art, and founders of innovative Plymouth-based businesses and organisations like Nudge Community Builders and Story Juice (view the complete cohort list).

iLEAD’s challenge projects are an important aspect of the programme, enabling the iLEAD cohort to explore in practice the experience of working collaboratively with cross-sector peers on innovative ideas that respond to key challenges and opportunities in Plymouth inspired by three key themes: creative place-making, immersive futures and sustainability.

Project ideas include an independent, cooperative, virtual and physical meeting place for interdisciplinary practitioners and ‘play testers’, a data visualisation project to connect the Plymouth community with existing initiatives across the city, a digital citizen forum app showcasing exciting and innovative ideas across the city, and a city-wide installation celebrating Plymouth’s heritage, innovation, creativity and industry. For the duration of the programme, the iLEAD cohort will seek to develop and test their ideas with stakeholders and the wider community while navigating the diverse perspectives and maximising the broad range of skills and expertise within their cross-sector project teams.

Photo by Riccardo Annandale on Unsplash

By creating a network to nurture the existing talent and tenacity at the heart of the cohort, iLead aims to build participants’ capability to support the regeneration and transformation of Plymouth and the local area. To realise this ambition, strong leadership and the ability to collaborate across sectors to maximise strengths and opportunities are crucial components, essential for future prosperity.

For more information on the programme and the cohort, visit the iLEAD page.

iLEAD is part of the iMayflower project and has been supported by The Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, who fund the Cultural Development Fund, which is administered by Arts Council England. iMayflower is led by Plymouth City Council and delivered in partnership with Creative England, Crowdfunder, Destination Plymouth, Plymouth College of Art, Real Ideas Organisation and University of Plymouth.