How to Truly Unlock the Power of Innovation Within your Business

Thursday 16th June 14:45 - 15:45

Thought Leaders Conference

As the pace of change and disruption accelerates, the ability to innovate and respond becomes critical, ensuring organisations continue to thrive through volatility, political uncertainty and technological change. This panel discussion will focus on:

- What steps can organisations take to encourage innovation and create the right mindsets, behaviours and cultures within their teams? How can the right environments be created to deliver new ideas, business models, products and services?

- Innovation lies at the heart of any market growth strategy so how can the health and fitness sector respond to and embrace disruption? How can we start to create our own ‘innovation ecosystem’, that opens up new markets and wealth creation for both incumbents and new entrants, whilst getting more people active?

Chaired by David Stalker.

Speakers

David Stalker

President

Europe Active

Prior to joining Myzone as the CEO of Myzone EMEA David was CEO of Oxygen Freejumping, the UK largest and leading operator of world-class trampolining. Prior to that he was CEO at UKactive, wherein he oversaw the operations and administration of the organization. While at UKactive, he chaired and delivered a 5-year strategy, set out the future plans for the Fitness industry, created relationships between the industry & its key delivery partners. David has also held roles as a Director at Bladerunner Ltd, at the time UK’s largest Corporate Fitness Facility Management Company where he contributed to all aspects of the company's aggressive growth strategy, reviewing the business development division, assisting in the implementation of the marketing strategy. The business sold to Nuffield Health. Managing Director at WWH Corporation Ltd, Managing Director Harpers Fitness Clubs Ltd and Group Brand Director at Leisure Connections PLC. As a non-executive Director, He served as a member of the board of Directors of Europe Active, was Chairman of CIMSPA and is a Chartered Fellow of the Institute, he was also previously Chairman of Fit For Sport Ltd. He is currently Chairman of Marwell Zoo and a trustee of the Kenya Wildlife Trust.David has a reputation as a straight talker who has huge passion for the fitness industry, he has strong views to why and where the industry may still be going wrong, the vicious circle of selling, service, and looking after 'people' he believes is still a fundamental challenge. He believes that future success for the sector will be all about impending itself in the community which will literally save lives and be the key factor in saving the National Health Service.David was born and raised in Kenya, is a passionate Conservationist. He moved to the UK 30 years ago and has worked in the Leisure industry ever since. He is married with two grown up children.

Phil Coxon

Managing Director EMEA

Mindbody

A globally recognised business leader with broad P&L operating experience and over 25 years in corporates and start-ups, Phil has worked in the US, APAC and Europe and played an integral part in structuring and scaling Criteo (NASDAQ:CRTO) to IPO and revenue growth from $50m to $2.3B. He has managed multiple departments across the world, motivated large teams, played a key role in international expansion, 1 funding round and 3 major acquisitions.

Currently, Phil is Managing Director of EMEA at Mindbody, the global leading studio management software for the wellness industry. Phil is responsible for all aspects of Mindbody’s business in EMEA, including Sales and Customer Support.

Previously Phil was Chief Revenue Officer at MotorK, one of the world’s leading digital automation companies for the Automotive sector and prior to this was VP of Central Sales and Sales Ops at Criteo, a global leader in commerce marketing, looking after the global Sales Strategy and Sales Analytics teams.

In 2016 Phil was recognised as one of the world’s top 100 Sales Enablement and Operations executives in Hot Topics Magazine.

Charlton Clarke

National Customer Experience Manager

Les Mills

Charlton Clarke, National Customer Experience Manager for Les Mills UK has over 18 years’ experience working across Health and Fitness. With experience as an Instructor, Trainer, operator and supplier before joining Les Mills 7 years ago, Charlton brings a wide scope of insight and knowledge to help drive engagement within the industry. At Les Mills, where he now leads Customer Experience across the UK, Charlton collaborates with many operators across the UK and is dedicated to help business partners achieve their goals by building long term partnerships that get more people active.

Steve Ward

Digital and Technology Director

GLL

As a Director of charitable leisure social enterprise GLL, Steve has overall responsibility for company-wide digital and technology programmes. This exciting role involves developing and executing the short, medium and long term strategies that aim to improve the customer and staff journey through the use of technology platforms to provide a first class experience ensuring GLL become leaders in the digital space.

More recently, Steve has led GLL’s development of a brand new leisure management software solution which, coupled with extensive use of the Better UK app, has made a significant improvement in the customer experience and digital offering.

Alex Zurita

Head of Sport Tech Hub

London Sport

Alex Zurita is London Sport’s Head of Sport Tech Hub, with responsibility for shaping its strategic commitments to supporting technology, data and digital initiatives designed to raise levels of participation in physical activity and sport in the capital and beyond.

Alex has led Sport Tech Hub’s delivery since its inception, supporting over 45 tech ventures which, between them, have reached more than 130,000 Londoners and raised over £5.5m of investment.

Alex joined London Sport in 2011 with brief stints as Great Britain Women’s Football Team Manager, and a secondment to the London Legacy Development Corporation as Programme Manager for the post-London 2012 legacy and multimillion-pound project - Active People, Active Park.

Having used technology and data while coaching football with grassroots and international players, Alex is a committed technophile, a widely-recognised advocate for the role of technology and open data in boosting participation in physical activity and sport, and a champion of the importance of sport for the future health of London and its residents.