Tess Alps, currently serving as a Non-Executive Director of Channel 4, boasts over 40 years of profound experience in the dynamic realm of advertising. Notably, she held the positions of Founding CEO and Chair at Thinkbox, the influential marketing body for commercial TV in the UK, representing a staggering 99% of TV advertising revenue. Establishing this company in 2006, Tess embarked on a mission to underscore TV's enduring effectiveness, articulate its dynamic future across all technologies, and fervently advocate for creativity.
Before her pivotal role at Thinkbox, Tess Alps served as the Chairman of the PHD Group in the UK. During her impressive 13-year tenure with PHD, she assumed various roles, including a notable six-year stint leading Drum, the content division of the group, where she pioneered the revolutionary concept of brand content.
In Episode 45, Tess shares invaluable insights, addressing challenges faced by women in the workplace, navigating the emotional terrain of miscarriages and grief, and emphasising the empowering mantra, "It's Never Too Late."
We Discuss:
- Embracing a distinctive upbringing that shaped your perspective
- Nurturing aspirations of becoming an actress
- Initiating your professional journey in the dynamic fields of advertising and sales
- Navigating the challenges of being a woman in a predominantly male-dominated career
- Coping with the profound loss of your mother
- Confronting the emotional hurdles of dealing with miscarriages
- Unveiling the pathway to becoming a chairperson in your career journey
- Emphasising the significance of perpetual learning in personal and professional growth
- Pioneering the establishment of Thinkbox
- Discovering the empowering truth that it's never too late to pursue your dreams
Chapters:
(00:00:00) The Power of Women in Leadership
(00:04:12) Lessons on Running Businesses and Organizations
(00:08:13) TV Series and Mantras
(00:12:33) Channel 4's Ownership of IP and Rise of On-Demand Viewing
(00:16:39) The Influence of Drama in My Life
(00:20:43) Navigating a Male-Dominated Environment
(00:24:52) The Power of Listening in Sales
(00:28:46) Making a Career Change
(00:33:11) Grieving and Regrets
(00:37:32) Grief and Loss in Pregnancy
(00:41:57) Professional Counseling and Recovery
(00:46:24) The Role of a Media Agency
(00:50:51) The Importance of Valuing Differences and Teamwork in Leadership
(00:55:05) Nurturing Talent for Success
(00:59:29) Learning from Failures and Long-Term Goals
(01:03:45) Expanding the Chairperson's role in external organizations
(01:08:22) Reflections on Career and Future Plans
(01:12:42) The Origins of Thinkbox
(01:16:49) The Importance of Independent Research in Advertising Effectiveness
(01:21:10) Appointment Process and Privatization of Channel 4
(01:25:16) Ensuring the Future of Channel 4
(01:29:26) Channel 4 Board Meetings and Decision Making
(01:33:57) The Power of Data in Media Advertising
(01:38:14) What Makes a Great CEO
(01:42:36) The Catholic guilt of confessing sins
(01:46:43) Never Too Late
(01:50:49) Magic Skills and TV Show Appearances
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Unity & Motion - A London based production company specialising in commercials and branded content Email: info@weunify.co.uk This is a UNIFY Podcast. Produced by Unity & Motion Credits: Director: Charles Parkinson Poet & VO Artist: Ashley Samuels-McKenzie Sound Recordist: Stuart Aitken Camera Operator: Stuart Aitken Editor: Catherine Singh