The American Express Leadership Academy Champions Leadership in the Non-for-Profit Sector

This week, Common Purpose in partnership with American Express , will hold its seventh American Express Leadership Academy in the UK. The programme is designed to give not-for-profit leaders from diverse specialities and organisations a unique opportunity to learn from each other’s experiences, address current and future challenges within the sector, as well as gain insight from key leaders in social, public and private sectors.

The American Express Leadership Academy is tailored for participants who hold management-level positions and have dedicated themselves to a career in the not-for-profit sector. Organisations are invited to nominate high potential emerging leaders to take part in the Academy This year’s four-day programme gathers 45 delegates from organisations across the UK that work in areas such as cancer support, homelessness, marginalised young people, substance misuse and learning disability.

The programme will cover topics such as: how not-for-profit organisations can work effectively with private enterprise, how to market not-for-profit businesses, how partnerships are developed, fundraising and how delegates can build their profiles as influential business leaders. Speakers include leaders from Royal Opera House, Sightsavers, Barnardo’s, HSBC, TfL, Royal Mail, BBC and the Met Police. By engaging with other leaders within a diverse group, participants are able to consider new perspectives and develop fresh insights for their organisation.

Charlotte Duerden, General Manager, UK Consumer Cards , American Express  said, “We appreciate the impact that talented leaders can have on business and society as a whole and at American Express we dedicate significant resource to attracting, developing and nurturing talented employees. Through the Leadership Academy, we are working with not-for-profitorganisations to foster this ethos and harness the personal and business skills needed to run a successful non-profit organisation.”

Tom Brind, Senior Programme Director, Common Purpose added: “There is a real need to provide skills and development opportunities to not-for-profit organisations and their leaders, particularly when these challenging economic conditions can mean that training budgets are often one of the first areas to be cut. The American Express Leadership Academy is invaluable in helping delegates from across the UK to come together with UK business leaders to develop and hone core skills, and provide crucial support networks and inspiration to the sectors emerging leaders.”