The VIP network for agency leaders
6 Feb / 20 May / 11 September - all in 2025
The MRS Leaders Forum is a unique network for insight agency business leaders (CEOs and MDs) to discuss the critical strategic, operational and financial challenges and opportunities in running and growing an insight agency.
This intimate and exclusive network provides a focussed space for senior leaders to extend their understanding and skills whilst being frank about their current challenges. It’s the perfect forum to explore new sector-specific ideas, and connect with like-minded entrepreneurs and leaders.
Why join?
What makes the MRS Leaders Forum different to other leadership programmes?
Not only will you connect and collaborate with other leaders, you’ll also be able to discuss the very specific challenges and business dynamics of the insight sector. We know that it’s harder than ever to retain client value; we know that disrupters in the broader insight ecosystem are making winning new business challenging; we know that recruitment and retention has never been tougher; we know that business leaders are facing a hurricane of new strategic decisions. That’s why we’ve designed a programme of events that will support leaders to power through these challenges and continue to grow through changing times.
08.30 09.00 |
Registration & coffee
|
09.00-09.10 |
Introduction from the Chair Alison Bainbridge, Founder, Kokoro Global
|
9.10-9.40 |
Setting your agency growth & financial strategy · Translating your commercial strategy into plans, scenarios, budgets and targets · How to balance growth, cashflow and risk · Knowing when to grow organically versus when to consider investment Ben Leet, Founder & Lead Consultant, Stratify Consulting
|
9.40-10.10 |
Surviving and thriving in tough times · How to preserve the bottom line during rapid transitions · Streamlining your operations while still managing growth · Developing new approaches to product and clients · Maintaining focus and morale through setbacks Jan Shury, Joint Owner & Managing Director, IFF Research
|
10.10-10.40 |
Round table: Innovation mindsets to unlock growth opportunities · Developing innovation processes across your agency · Evaluating gaps and generating new ideas · Considering and prioritising new routes to market and new products · Fostering a culture of curiosity and innovation Steve Phillips, Founder & Chief Innovation Officer, Zappi
|
10.40-11.10 |
break |
11.10-12.10 |
Peer advisory round table discussion Come to the forum with a growth or innovation challenge you’d like help solving. Working in small groups, delegates will select two challenges to tackle. Share ideas, hear alternative approaches and find out what’s worked for others.
|
12.10-12.20 |
wrap-up |
12.30 |
Lunch |
08.30 09.00 |
Registration & coffee |
09.00-09.10 |
Introduction from the Chair |
9.10-9.40 |
Client development strategies: winning more work from existing clients
|
9.40-10.10 |
Building and communicating your agency brand
|
10.10-10.40 |
Round table: Addressing key customer challenges across the Insight sector
|
10.40-11.10 |
Break |
11.10-12.10 session 3 |
Peer advisory round table discussion
|
12.10-12.20 |
Wrap-up |
12.30 |
Lunch |
08.30 09.00 |
Registration & coffee |
09.00-09.10 |
Introduction from the Chair |
09.10-09.40 |
Panel: Doing recruitment differently
|
09.40-10.10 |
Young researcher panel: Retaining your best new talent
|
10.10-10.40 |
Round table: being a great culture leader
|
10.40-11.10 |
break |
11.10-12.10 |
Peer advisory round table discussion
|
12.10-12.20 |
Wrap-up |
12.30 |
Lunch |
All events are separately bookable, however individuals booking for the year-long programme will be given preference. We strongly encourage you to book the whole programme of events to fully benefit from networking with your peers over the course of the year.
Book your place and you’ll never be lonely at the top again!
Who should attend?
Agency owners, CEOs, Managing Directors, Managing Partners and other C level executives responsible for agency growth and strategy should join these intimate meetings that follow the Chatham House rule. Delegates will be gathered in small groups of 8-10 leaders with similar sized or focussed businesses to ensure peer-to-peer discussions are relevant to your interests.
The forums will combine expert presentations, panel sessions and round table discussions. Every forum will include a peer advisory discussion session.
Peer advisory discussion
An important element of the Leaders Forum is the open format we reserve for the final roundtable session of each event. Come to each forum armed with a specific business challenge you’d like help with solving. After briefly sharing the business challenge with your peers the table will vote on which two problems they will collectively aim to solve. Share ideas, hear alternative approaches, find out what’s worked for others. This collective brainstorming session is guaranteed to stretch leaders’ mindsets and open you up to new ideas.
The MRS Leaders Forum promotes a shared learning journey which will accelerate your personal leadership development.
There are only limited places on all our leaders’ events.
All network members will be entitled to promote their involvement in this exclusive leaders forum for the duration of the year using MRS branding.
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