Independent leaders are crafting culture on their own terms, challenging conventions and redefining what’s possible. This conversation explores how independent leaders bring their values to their work, and how these values shape those collaborating with them at the forefront of change.

With David Lan, Writer, Director and The Walk and The Herds Producer; Professor Emma Smith, Professor of Shakespeare Studies at Hertford College, University of Oxford; Tobi Kyeremateng, BAFTA-winning independent producer. Live from Oxford Playhouse. Chaired by Kate McGrath.

What does it mean to lead a national institution today? Join prominent cultural leaders for a candid conversation about balancing history with innovation and holding the tension between tradition and change. How do personal values sit in relationship with the responsibilities of institutional leadership? With John McGrath, Factory International Artistic Director & Chief Executive; Devyani Saltzman, Barbican Director of Arts and Participation; Professor Michael Smets, Senior Research Fellow of Green Templeton College and Professor of Management at Saïd Business School, University of Oxford. Chaired by Kate McGrath.

What role do values play in setting the course towards a new vision and ensuring it resonates over time? In this episode, we explore how principles can map a path for enduring organisations, exploring how pioneering leadership breaks new ground whilst staying true to core values. Guests include Deborah Frances-White, stand-up comedian, screenwriter and The Guilty Feminist podcast host; Farooq Chaudhry OBE, Akram Khan Company Producing Director; Eero Vaara, Professor in Organisations and Impact, Saïd Business School, University of Oxford. Chaired by Kate McGrath.