Marketing Academy opens third round of learning program for next-gen CMOs

The Marketing Academy has opened nominations for the third year of its marketing learning and mentoring program aimed at creating the next generation of CMOs.

The annual program, which has been rebranded from the Australia Leaders Programme to the Scholarship Programme, provides 30 professionals from the marketing, advertising, media and communications industries the opportunity to build up their leadership capabilities via a nine-month peer-to-peer program. Key elements of the program include one-to-one mentoring from high-profile Australian CEOs, CMOs, marketing experts and agency presidents, a three-day learning bootcamp, regular lectures delivered by global experts, and the chance to work with an executive coach.

The Academy said it has redefined the four ‘Ps’ of marketing into four key learning modules: Personal development; professional development; people development; and purpose.

Scholars need to be nominated by their leaders by 16 December 2016 in order to be considered for the next month, then will undergo a three-stage selection process to secure a place. The next program commences in March 2017.

Scholars must have at least 10 years’ experience in their field, and the Academy said several scholarship places are to be granted to entrepreneurs.

Fifty mentors have lined up to provide their expertise next year, including GroupM CEO, Mark Lollback, Suncorp chief customer experience officer, Mark Reinke, Professor Mark Ritson, PesiCo CEO, Robbert Rietbroeke, and Johnson & Johnson MD, Phillip Lynch.

“Our aim is simple: We want to equip marketing leaders to take their rightful place in the board rooms of the future,” The Marketing Academy’s founder, Sherilyn Shackell, said. “We will enable them to develop the values, beliefs, behaviours and skills to not only be outstanding, but to help change the world we live in.”

During the latest showcase lecture series last week, attendees heard from the 30 emerging leaders of this year’s program about how they are approaching culture, harnessing passion and driving energy to become the leaders of tomorrow.

The Marketing Academy was founded in the UK in 2010 and launched in Australia in 2015. Local sponsors include Google, Commonwealth Bank, News Corp Australia and Microsoft.

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