The Featured Scholar

Mostafa is a Research Team Leader at the University of Manchester and a world-leading expert in aerodynamics—from harvesting energy in flags to designing robot bees that could one day pollinate trees and flowers.

Lou is Founder and CEO of magneticNorth, a digital design studio that has been leading the way for 20 years.

Jen is Co-founder at Manchester Gin — one of the most exciting businesses to emerge from the gin revival that’s currently taking place.

Andrew is a specialist in business communication. His mission is to help business leaders be more confident and persuasive when telling their story.

David Reid is CEO at Birtenshaw — a business that’s transforming the lives of children with special needs and disabilities

Sarah Storey DBE is one of our most successful athletes, winning more gold medals than most people can ever dream.

Today, Sarah's a role model for women’s sport, disability sport and a champion for working mums. This interview gives you a real insight into how elite athletes prepare for success and also failure. We talk about world championships, challenges and chimps.

Robert Hopkins is an Architect at one of Europe's oldest architecture practices. He has over 20 years experience in the design of award-winning buildings, working on a global stage and delivering large, complex projects.

From an early age, Rob was motivated by design and fascinated about how things work. Fast forward, and Rob is a specialist in his subject area, particularly passionate about how buildings and spaces can enhance the well-being of their occupants.

This interview gives you a real insight into how you should look at brutalist buildings and cultural cities.

We talk about Barcelona in 92, building boats at 85, and why bouncing ideas often leads to a better solution.

Susan Banister is Head of Business Development at Hope for Justice and the Slave Free Alliance — two international organisations that are working hard to bring an end to modern slavery.

For over twenty five years, Tom Bloxham MBE and his team at Urban Splash have been transforming some of the most iconic buildings in the country. And today, he’s reimagining new ways of building homes for the future. In this episode, we sit down with Tom to discuss how we can all be more visionary by leaving a better legacy.

Anthony Banks is a Theatre Director, who’s best known for putting on productions that truly captivate an audience.

Anthony has spent a lifetime studying the art of communication. He read English at Kings College London, trained as a director at RADA and was Associate Director for 10 years at The National Theatre.

In this episode, we sit with Anthony to discuss how we can all be more visionary by learning how to engage with our audience.

BONUS: We recorded the interview backstage at The Lowry, when one of Anthony's productions, The Girl on the Train went on tour (the cast starred Samantha Womack as Rachel).