Tony Foggett was last week named as one of four new members to the board of the Northwest Vision and Media (NWVM). Here he talks to The Drum about the need for his new role.

His appointment makes him the first creative services professional with a background in digital marketing services to join the board.

“That I’m from a digital background is as much about the convergence of some of the other sectors as it is about creative services," Foggett says. "Whether it’s TV, radio, film or publishing, all of those sectors are being hugely influenced by the shift towards a digital following and skills requirements for those organisations, along with the infrastructure changes that need to be made. I’ll be able to help with some of that.”

In April, following the loss of the Creative Industries Development Service (CIDS) in February, NWVM extended its remit to cover new sectors to include digital, ICT, TV, film, radio, games, music, publishing and creative services sectors. While Foggett is the first from the creative industries to be appointed, he doesn’t expect to be the last.

He says: “Northwest Vision and Media has a wide remit now and it has a real appetite to shift the focus of the organisation. People still see it as the old organisation which was very tied up in TV and film, but it is not that company any more. Even if you look at what it’s been doing in the last six months where, before I was appointed to the board, I was working in an advisory capacity for the Digital and Media Skills Programme – as part of that initiative they did produce some real quality training.”

Part of the training that resulted from Foggett's advice included a recent course to cater especially for bosses within the sector (by business education trainers Hyper Island) to help build leadership and business skills.

Explaining why he actively looked to join the board, Foggett says that his interest began with the loss of CIDS - the Creative Industries Development Service - which supported agencies in Greater Manchester.

“I was a big fan of CIDS. In the last couple of years they had started to deliver some real value and when I heard that their funding was being stopped it worried me because I though there was potential for a real drop in service and there would be a loss of some of the IP, equity and momentum that they were starting to build up.

"When I saw that the NWVM was to take up that remit I started to look to make sure that, when they did, it happened in the right way. I have circled around them while being involved with Manchester Digital and in working with the Universities and it was interesting to join some of those things up.”

Alice Morrison, CEO of NWVM, says the appointment of Foggett and the other board members is intended to represent the new sectors that the organisation has taken on. 

She says: "The digital industry is one of the fastest growing sectors in the country, and here in the North West we’re committed to helping digital companies to thrive by supporting, developing and promoting their key areas of activity in every way we can.

"Tony has a wealth of digital expertise and has established his company as one of the region’s leading digital marketing and communications agencies. He has a real understanding of the challenges facing the industry and is passionate about and committed to the development and growth of the sector in the region.

“Appointing someone of Tony’s calibre will help NWVM to deliver even more efficiently to the digital sector. I have no doubt that he will make a dynamic contribution to our projects, help guide our sector specialist teams and shape the future direction and strategy of NWVM."