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The Marketing Society, together with Accenture Song, has developed the Marketing Leaders Programme (MLP) to help shape the great global marketing leaders of tomorrow . This unique development experience has been designed for high-potential marketers who are preparing for senior leadership roles.

This residential experience combines both marketing and people leadership skill development and is delivered in a nurturing, rural retreat by leading industry figures and leadership experts. 

The strength of the programme lies in the way it brings together today’s marketing leaders with those of tomorrow, in a safe, open environment, enabling honest conversations between delegates and globally renowned speakers.

We have coached hundreds of promising senior marketers over the last 20 years from Aviva, Bacardi, Barclays, Costa Coffee, Weetabix, British Gas, Tesco, McDonald's, Heineken, Unilever and so many more.

Modules

2025 dates 

Future
Module 1
23rd – 25th April: 2.5 days, 2 nights

You’ll meet your cohort over lunch at our venue in the Hertfordshire countryside. This is the start of relationships that can endure for years to come. Whilst connecting for the first time with one another, you’ll connect personally with who you are and why you’re here - the future you’re leading for as a marketing leader. You’ll be challenged to be bold, ambitious and unapologetically you in your thinking. You’ll be stretched to make your future part of their future as you turn your marketing leadership into a team sport where everyone wins.
Engage
Module 2
9th – 11th July: 2.5 days, 2 nights

We continue our focus on bringing others with us, creating movements for change through bigger relationships that deliver bigger results; how you can gain deep insight into others and leverage the power of networks to help deliver on the future you’re leading for. As you seek to build bigger relationships that are capable of delivering bigger results, we’ll explore the context in which this happens through the biggest drivers of change in the world: tech, society, what it means to be human in the age of AI and how this impacts the way we manage and grow our brands. Getting the best out of others, starts with getting the best out of ourselves – you’ll connect with what can empower you from your core, enabling you to be at your best more of the time.

Module 3
14th November: 1 day

The MLP journey culminates in our final full day together where you’ll have the opportunity to demonstrate how you've applied the programme's learnings to deliver impact in your organisation. This showcase is your opportunity to receive feedback from peers, mentors and other industry leaders, to celebrate your growth as a marketing leader and the growth of others – marketing leaders who can not only envision the future but create a movement across the organisation for the impact you want to make and deliver results that matter.

The Experience

To coincide with its 21st anniversary The 2025 Marketing Leaders Programme has undergone a fresh and vital transformation to enable delegates to engage in a purposeful journey of self-discovery. Our new venue nestled deep in the Hertfordshire countryside radiates rural/rustic charm and provides a peaceful, safe retreat utilising the energy of outdoors to open attendees’ minds to new possibilities and ways of thinking.  Renowned industry leaders and speakers will provide stimulating interruptions from the daily flow helping delegates craft their personal leadership story, while the intimate nature of the experience gives participants the security to reveal their true selves – and this is when the magic happens. 

The inspiring roll call of senior marketers who have or currently speak on the programme reads like a who's who of the industry, with an alumni which includes industry giant Keith Weed, the BBC's Kerris Bright, McDonald's Alistair Macrow, Nandos’ Sarah Warby, Mony Group’s Peter Duffy and many more.

Criteria

Applicants must have at least seven years’ marketing experience, or can demonstrate leading change in a marketing role.

Dates:

Module One: April 23-25
Module Two: July 9-11
Module Three: November 14

Application Deadline

Applications are now open for 2025 click here to apply.

Price

£9,995 + VAT

What's included?

3 modules: 2 x 2.5 day residential modules including 4 x overnight stays at our Hertfordshire retreat followed by 1 x full day module in London

Personal industry mentor to support application in practice

Feedback and advice on leadership in practice from an expert industry panel at the full day module in London

 

2024 speakers

2025 speakers to be announced soon

Giles Rhys-Jones

Giles Rhys Jones, Chief Marketing Officer what3words / Co-Founder Gymnasium / Board Member Obu

Jonathan Guy Lewis

Jonathan Guy Lewis, RADA Business Practitioner

Mark Curtis Headshot

Mark Curtis, Head of Sustainability and Thought Leadership, Accenture Song

Ellie Norman

Ellie Norman, Chief Communications Officer, Manchester United

Trevor Johnson

Trevor Johnson, Head of Global Business Marketing, EUI, TikTok

Emma Harris

Emma Harris, Finance Director – Food, Retail and Property, Marks & Spencer

Kerris Bright, CCP - BBC

Kerris Bright, Chief Customer Officer, BBC

Naomi Walkland

Carolyn Youdell, Group Marketing Director – Specsavers

Carolyn Youdell, Group Marketing Director – Specsavers

Ian Cranna

Ian Cranna, General Manager, Taco Bell UK & Europe

Moses Tai, Founder & CEO of African Development Choices | Author of There is Shade

Moses Tai, Founder & CEO of African Development Choices | Author of There is Shade

Karen Wilkinson, Marketing Director, Evergreen Garden Care UK & Ireland

Karen Wilkinson, Marketing Director, Evergreen Garden Care UK & Ireland

Apply or nominate

Submit your application or nominate someone in your team to attend our programme