Josh Bolland, CEO of Bolland & Co has been appointed Chair of BIMA Manchester.
Having previously been recognised in the BIMA 100 for achievements in the digital industry in 2016 and 2017, and already sitting on the BIMA North West council, Josh will now be the focal point for BIMA’s growth in Manchester supported by the North West committee and a newly structured council.
Josh will be working alongside Ian Finch (Mando), North West Chair and Andy Kent (Angel Solutions), Liverpool Chair as well as Karl Barker (Cube3) and Joanna Hinchliffe (Amaze) to support the growth of BIMA in the region.
BIMA is Britain’s digital community. Its councils and think tanks drive innovation and excellence across the digital industry, informing thinking, promoting inclusiveness and preparing the industry for the future.
Josh has been the regular host of the BIMA Breakfast Briefings throughout 2018, bringing hundreds of Manchester’s digital scene together with a number of expert guest speakers. You can find out a bit more about the BIMA Breakfast Briefings and how you can come along in our round up blogs here.
Josh plans to use his new role as Chair of BIMA Manchester to create a collective of digital experts within the city, running key events and workshops focussed around digital technology and innovation as well as the state of play in the industry.
We sat down with Josh earlier this week to hear his thoughts on the new position and what he’s looking forward to, he said:
“BIMA has been a huge part of my personal journey and that of Bolland & Co too. I’ve been able to tap into their support from the beginnings of our agency eight years ago and have found their assistance and guidance invaluable in this time. “I’m proud to now be in this position where I can help drive BIMA forward in Manchester, support the North West’s digital sector and crucially give something back to the agencies and technology businesses in the city.”
“Manchester is brimming with digital talent and innovative businesses. It’s a huge honour for me to help steer the conversation of the industry in the city.” As part of my plan for 2019 I am looking to expand BIMA Manchester’s council and strategic partnerships. We already have some fantastic people lined up to be a part of the journey and our plan is to identify and appoint a number of other key roles alongside these throughout the year.”
Our ongoing relationship with BIMA and commitment to shaping the future of the digital sector, saw our Hertfordshire office recently involved in BIMA Digital Day, an initiative that sees digital professionals head back to school to inspire the next generation.
CTO, Ollie Bolland was on hand to give insight for 13 to 16 year olds into the depth and breadth of careers in the industry, as well as to offer practical employment advice and hands on experience.
Our commitment to training the digital stars of the future also saw our CTO Ollie travel to Oman in the first week of December, to deliver workshops to local enterprise business owners on how to boost exports through digital technology, which you can read more about here