The London creative community came together last week at the offices of Not Just Any to celebrate the recently announced 2026 jury for the Gerety Awards. The evening cocktail event brought together agency leaders, creatives and industry partners for conversation and networking, followed by a panel discussion exploring how agencies can drive sustainable growth in an increasingly competitive market.
The discussion, New Biz is Everyone’s Business, the was moderated by Nicola Kemp, editorial director at Creativebrief. The panel featured:
- Prudence Beecroft, Managing Director, Not Just Any
- Robin Bonn, CEO, CO:DEFINERY
- Pippa Bhatt, Founder, Coterie Consulting
- Siân Blackman, New Business Lead, Mother London
- Darren Smith, CCO, House of Oddities
Kemp opened the discussion by asking the audience who was responsible for new business within their organisations and how many actually had “new business” in their job title. The response illustrated a familiar reality across the industry: while new business is critical to agency growth, responsibility for it is often shared across teams rather than confined to a single role. The evening was part of the global series of events hosted by the Gerety Awards, bringing together the creative community to discuss the future of the industry while celebrating the perspective of its international jury.
The panel then explored the evolving role of creativity in winning and sustaining new business. Blackman highlighted the importance of bringing humanity, surprise, delight and magic into the process, reflecting the approach taken at Mother London.
Bhatt emphasised the value of recognising gaps in expertise and bringing in collaborators with complementary skills. “Understanding when to bring in others with skills you don’t have adds enormous value,” she noted.
The importance of agency positioning and reputation was also discussed. Bonn challenged the industry to rethink how it views itself in the market. “Clients are not talking about agencies as much as agencies like to think,” he stated, encouraging agencies to focus less on perception and more on solving real client problems.
Smith reinforced the need to keep the human dimension front and centre when building client relationships. Finding the right client at the right moment, he suggested, can be just as important as the work itself.
Beecroft highlighted the importance of consistency in messaging and visibility, advising agencies to ensure their work and positioning are communicated on the platforms that matter — including the awards they choose to enter.
The conversation also touched on broader shifts affecting the industry, including shrinking budgets, increased competition and the growing role of AI in agency workflows. While AI can help address production constraints, the panel agreed that craft, storytelling and strong relationships remain central to long-term growth.
A recurring theme throughout the discussion was the idea that new business should be seen as a shared responsibility across an agency, not just a function of a single team. As Beecroft commented, every person in an agency contributes to the quality of the work and the strength of the client relationship.
Bhatt concluded by emphasising that sustainable growth is built over time. “The key to real growth is quality, integrity, trust and consistency. Relationships take time to build – and that investment is what creates lasting partnerships.”
Entries for the 2026 Gerety Awards are currently open, with the next deadline on April 17.
