Jack Martin Leith

As an independent consultant specialising in co-creation, business innovation and organisational change, I work throughout Europe and beyond as a designer, organiser and facilitator of big collaborative meetings using Open Space Technology and other co-creation tools. I’ve been working with Open Space Technology since 1988 – just three years after it was invented by Harrison Owen. In addition to my consulting work, I run participative sessions at conferences, mentor novice Open Space facilitators, act as a thinking partner to senior managers and social entrepreneurs, write on a range of management and organisational topics, and invent all kinds of stuff including management tools (e.g. Stakeholder Value Matrix), business concepts (e.g. Organisational Conditions Model) and new terminology (e.g. Join-in). I am based in Bristol, in the west of England.

Employer:	Jack Martin Leith
Position:	Independent consultant
Time period:	January 2003 - December 2008
Description:	Worked throughout Europe and beyond as a designer, organiser and facilitator of big collaborative meetings based on Open Space Technology and other large-scale co-creation processes. Started doing this work in 1988 – just three years after Open Space Technology was invented by Harrison Owen. Past clients include some of the world’s largest corporations, and many organisations in the public and third sectors.

Employer:	The Innovation Agency Limited
Position:	Managing Director
Time period:	January 1999 - December 2003
Description:	Based in Brighton, United Kingdom, The Innovation Agency helped its clients (Shell, Powergen etc.) create new products, services, business strategies and work practices.

Employer:	The Centre for Large Group Interventions
Position:	Director
Time period:	January 1995 - December 1999
Description:	Relocated to Amsterdam and established The Centre for Large Group Interventions. CLGI taught business leaders about whole system change methods such as Future Search, Real Time Strategic Change and Open Space Technology, and helped them use these methods to address complex strategic issues. Clients included Boots, Dutch Railways, The Engineering Council, Guinness (now Diageo), KPMG, Petroleum Development Oman, Prudential, Shell, SmithKline Beecham (now GlaxoSmithKline) and United Distillers & Vintners (now Diageo).

Employer:	Innovatics
Position:	Partner
Time period:	January 1992 - December 1995
Description:	Co-founded Innovatics, a consultancy focusing on the human dimension of organisational change. Worked with clients such as London Borough of Enfield and ICI Melinex to help people embrace new ways of thinking and new ways of working. Services included: • Workshops for developing an organisation’s purpose, vision, objectives and strategy • Idea generation and realisation workshops • Programmes and events for building and developing high performance teams • Learning programmes in the areas of communication, relationships, leadership, self management, facilitation, coaching, problem solving, innovation and change • Executive coaching • Design and facilitation of meetings, awaydays and conferences

Employer:	Leith & Price (now integrated into Brad Insight, part of EMAP plc)
Position:	Director of Innovation and Development
Time period:	January 1983 - December 1992
Description:	Co-founded a business development consultancy serving the advertising and marketing industry. Invented The Leith & Price Database, a comprehensive online information management system providing corporate, personnel and brand information on the top 3,000 advertisers and their agencies. Developed long-term client relationships at a senior level with many large companies, including Saatchi & Saatchi, Royal Mail and IPC Magazines (now IPC Media). In addition to providing consultancy services to these clients, was responsible for business strategy, product development, organisational change, and the development of 35 managers and staff.

Employer:	Martin Leith Associates
Position:	Principal Consultant
Time period:	January 1980 - December 1983
Description:	Provided business development services to major advertising agencies and their clients.

Employer:	Londsdale Advertising
Position:	International Account Manager
Time period:	January 1979 - December 1980
Description:	Liaised with client marketing personnel and advertising agency colleagues to develop and implement pan-European advertising campaigns for clients including Pioneer Hi-Fi and Ever Ready batteries.

Employer:	Beavis, Shrimpling and Softly
Position:	Account Manager
Time period:	January 1978 - December 1979
Description:	Planned and co-ordinated advertising and marketing programmes for a wide range of clients operating in consumer and business-to-business markets. Employed all elements of the marketing mix including trade and consumer advertising, direct mail, sales promotion, public relations and packaging design.

Employer:	Centaur Communications
Position:	Advertisement Sales Executive
Time period:	January 1978 - December 1978
Description:	Was a member of the team that launched Marketing Week and established it as the leading weekly publication for marketing professionals in the face of fierce competition from the existing market leader, Campaign.

Employer:	IPC Magazines (now IPC Media)
Position:	Group Sales Executive
Time period:	January 1977 - December 1977
Description:	Developed advertising revenue for a large group of weekly and monthly women’s magazines including Woman and Woman’s Own. Made presentations to senior marketing executives and media planners and buyers in major advertising agencies.

Employer:	IPC Business Press (now Reed Business Information)
Position:	Advertisement Sales Executive
Time period:	January 1974 - December 1976
Description:	Contributed to the successful launch and development of Super Marketing, a new weekly journal for large food retailers.

Employer:	Debenhams and the UK-based department store group
Position:	Management trainee, department manager and merchandise secretary
Time period:	December 1974

Articles:	• Writings have been published in management journals such as Organisations & People
Books:	• Contributed a chapter, Creating Collaborative Gatherings using Large Group Interventions, to the Gower Handbook of Training and Development

Hobbies:	Inventing, travelling, listening to music, playing guitar, dancing, walking, enjoying life
Memberships:	Former council member of the Association for Management Education and Development