Jenny Dannstedt discusses building empathetic feedback cultures and using strategic foresight inside design consultancies. She explains how Antrop runs internal horizon scanning to prepare for industry changes, test new service offerings, and address shifting recruitment needs.
Rachel Donnat discusses her transition from agency design lead to design educator and program manager at Gobelins school of design. She details the changing expectations for junior hires, criticisms of standard hiring tests, and the value of bringing apprentices into design teams.
Elena O'Donnell discusses her career progression from software developer to executive delivery leader in digital advertising agencies. She explains how agency leaders can develop talent, transition technical experts into management and foster transparent communication.
Daria Ryazanova discusses her career transition from internal communications at McKinsey to UX design and product management consulting in France. She compares working inside an agency design studio with client consulting, highlighting evolving designer roles, structured employee management, and AI integration.
Callum Healey discusses how agencies can safely and effectively embed artificial intelligence into their operations. He explains the necessity of centralising context, establishing strict data governance, and automating manual workflows.
Karn Malhotra shares his career journey from running a B2B branding agency to founding Humanly Brands. He explains how agency leaders can build structured personal narratives to attract clients and align company culture.
Stefan Moritz shares his career trajectory from studying service design across Europe to leading practices at Ergonomy Design and McKinsey. He discusses founding the Doodle Time Institute, strategies for building agency culture, and how leaders can navigate technological disruption.
Pauline Bertry interviews Denis Frolov, a former colleague whose broader career journey she wants to learn more about. The conversation opens with greetings and a reflection on their past professional connection.
Olesia Skibinska discusses how learning and professional development are evolving within boutique consultancies as generative artificial intelligence and market volatility alter required skills. She outlines practical approaches to staff retention, internal growth frameworks, and personal responsibility in seeking workplace feedback.
Gareth Healey discusses his experience scaling a marketing agency from a family-run business to 175 employees and his current work advising agency leaders. The conversation focuses on transitioning leadership styles, building systems to support growth, and integrating AI while developing junior talent.
Todd Zerger discusses how creative leaders can integrate artificial intelligence into agency workflows without sacrificing human collaboration. He outlines strategies for managing remote design teams, encouraging generalist problem solving, and allowing team culture to emerge through intentional rituals.
Pedro Tolipan discusses his transition from design leadership roles in London and Madrid to running FutureLab, an internal innovation engine in Baku, Azerbaijan. He details the practical challenges of building local team capabilities, aligning corporate partners, and using AI agents to drive human-centric design across a large holding company.
At The Den — a show by Polar Bear.