Creative Business Mentor Network

The Creative Business Mentor Network was set up to nurture creative media businesses with an appetite for growth.

Now in its second year of running the NESTA Creative Business Mentor Network was set up with help from PACT, the trade association for independent media companies. The programme gives creative companies the benefit of one-to-one mentoring from successful business people from within the creative sector. The companies receive practical advice on overcoming the challenges of growing a creative business.

Companies on the programme:

• Bold Creative
• Dene Films
• Formosa Films
• Gas Street Works
• Television Junction
• ISO Design
• Nutopia
• Ostmodern
• Outline Productions Ltd
• PIXELearning Ltd
• Plug-in Media
• Public Zone
• Raw Design Studio
• Refine
• Skyworks Ltd
• Society Media
• Studio Six
• The CharacterShop Ltd

The NESTA mentors are all creative professionals with tried and tested experience in the industry. 

• Alex Connock, CEO - Ten Alps
• Andrew Newman, Chief Creative Officer, Objective Productions
• Charles Wace, Chief Executive - Two Four
• Jon Kingsbury, Head of External Supply, BBC Online, BBC Future Media & Technology
• John Varney, Managing Director - Maximum Clarity
• Mark Beilby, Co-founder, Director - Apollo Mobile
• Mike Kelly, MD - Northern Alliance Limited
• Mike Jefferies, International Business Development Director, Razorfish
• Nigel Maile, former Chief Financial Officer for BBH
• Patrick McKenna, Chief Executive - Ingenious
• Paul Sandler, Managing Director - Objective Productions
• Peter Bazalgette, Non Executive Director - New Baz Limited
• Peter Cowley
• Andrew De Groose, Managing Director, TBWA
• Simeen Kadi, Group Head of Marketing - Carbon Trust
• Steve Taylor, Founding Partner, Hub Industries
• Steve Macallister, Managing Director Sales & Distribution - BBC Worldwide
• Tim Bonnet, CEO - Tequila UK
• Tim Gatland, Chief Executive - Fund4Games

Year Two programme schedule

• One-to-one mentoring for 2 hours per month for one year.
• One induction workshop at the start of the programme to provide the appropriate tools to get the most out of the mentoring sessions.
• Three programme workshops designed to share experiences and learn from other mentees/mentors on the programme.
• Coaching support, in addition to mentoring support mentees with have access to an executive coach

Applications for the programme have closed.  More information about the programme and this year's companies will be available shortly.