Richard recently went on a tour of media organisations with IPT and the Advertising Association.
Speaking after the visits, Richard said:
"Great to join the Advertising Association for a fascinating visit exploring the UK’s world-leading advertising industry – a vital sector that contributes hugely to our economy and creative output.
It gave an insight into the full advertising supply chain and the increasingly important role Artificial Intelligence is playing in shaping the future of advertising.
We kicked off at dentsu – a global leader in media and marketing – where I visited their London Lab, an R&D hub using cutting-edge technology to drive innovation for big-name brands like British Airways and Santander. It was brilliant to hear from their UK & Ireland leadership team about how AI is transforming the way we connect with audiences.
Next stop: Bauer Media, home to some of the UK’s most iconic media brands including Absolute Radio, Magic, KISS, and Grazia. Their commitment to reaching millions of people through high-quality, engaging content is incredibly impressive and unlike the BBC, it all needs to be funded through advertising.
And yes – it was a real treat to meet the legendary Ken Bruce while visiting Bauer! A true icon of UK radio.
Huge thanks to the Advertising Association and everyone involved in the visit for such an engaging and informative time. We need to ensure that the U.K. retains a world leading position right across all our sectors from high end manufacturing to first class services from banking and insurance to media and advertising.
Britain is great at so many things and there are massive opportunities here for the next generation, but we mustn’t stifle ourselves through red tape and burdens that mean businesses are more likely to grow and create jobs elsewhere."
