BrewDog, AO and Jaguar Land Rover to headline inaugural Spark Summit by Bruntwood Works

Influential speakers from some of the country’s biggest brands will come together to discuss the importance of sustainability, innovation and community in the world of business at an exclusive event hosted by Bruntwood Works.

The line-up for the Spark Summit, which will take place virtually on Thursday 25th March, has been curated to share inspirational stories from across Bruntwood Works’ network of customers and partners.

Business leaders from BrewDog, Jaguar Land Rover and AO are just a few of those who will share their experiences and discuss how their organisations are helping to shape an exciting new post-pandemic world.

David McDowall, President and COO of international craft beer company BrewDog, will discuss the organisation’s approach to innovation, and how they have built a culture that allows them to move and respond to opportunities with lightning speed. Brewdog has added more than 80 locations over the past five years, and are about to embark on a new hotel venture with Bruntwood Works. McDowall will discuss how this expansion has been led by a strong purpose and set of values, and how other organisations can increase their pace of change while staying true to their values.

John Roberts, Founder and CEO of Manchester-headquartered AO, will discuss how the Circular Economy is good for business. By using its ecosystem of retail, logistics and a state-of the art recycling plant, AO has bold plans to turn customers' old appliances into new ones which benefits the environment, the local community, and will drive customer loyalty.

The event, which is free to attend, will also feature representatives from Jaguar Land Rover, LoveRaw, PeakAI, Alliance Manchester Business School, Royal Exchange Theatre and Grand Union when it takes place on Thursday 25th March from 9am to 1pm.

Ciara Keeling, CEO of Bruntwood Works said: “Our customers have continued to demonstrate innovation and new thinking in response to the economic shock created by the pandemic, and in bringing our community together to share those experiences, we’re creating a network of support among our customers.

“Our inaugural Spark Summit will share stories and insights from a broad range of businesses, with the goal of providing actionable advice and inspiring change. We have a truly inspirational selection of speakers and can’t wait to hear what they have to say.”

The event forms part of Spark by Bruntwood Works, a customer support programme launched in early 2020. This event was brought forward in response to the challenges Bruntwood Works’ customers were facing throughout the pandemic. The Spark programme helps businesses evolve and grow through access to webinars, networking opportunities, and training, and offers essential guidance and support for their customers on everything from personal and leadership development to operational strategy.

To book your place at the Spark Summit please visit bruntwood.co.uk/spark/summit.

The full programme of speakers can be found below:

- Welcome Keynote - Ciara Keeling (CEO, Bruntwood Works)
- A New Breed of Business, The Five Dogmas of Brewdog - David McDowall (COO & President, BrewDog)
- Driving User Experience - Sajan Patel (UX/UI Designer, Jaguar Land Rover)
- Scaling a Business You Love - Rimi Thapar (Founder, LoveRaw)
- Everything Is Marketing: AI-Powered Customer Experience - Tom Summerfield (Retail Director, Peak AI)
- Rebuilding our Communities through Creativity - Roy Alexander Weise (Artistic Director, Royal Exchange)
- Building a Culture of Innovation - Chris Smith (Chief Sales Officer, Iris Software)
- A Ground-breaking Case Study: Growing an Inclusive Community - Jo Capper (Collaborative Programme Curator, Grand Union)
- White Goods Go Green - John Roberts (CEO, AO)
- Customer Centric Innovation - Jonatan Pinkse (Professor of Strategy, Innovation and Entrepreneurship. Alliance Business School, University of Manchester)