Aardman founders to share employee ownership journey at flagship conference

Aardman Co-founders Peter Lord and David Sproxton have agreed to share their journey to securing their creative legacy in the UK at the EOA Conference 2019.

The duo will reflect on their employee ownership transition in 2018 and the year that has followed when they are interviewed by compere Martine Croxall at the event in Birmingham on 18 and 19 November 2019

Both the EOA and Aardman are celebrating key milestones in 2019 – Aardman which is 42 year old will celebrate the 30^th anniversary of Academy Award®-winning Wallace & Gromit while the EOA celebrates 40 years of better business together. Aardman will also release its new film Shaun the Sheep Movie: Farmageddon in Autumn 2019.

The two-day EOA Conference, which is in its 14^th year, and takes place on 18 and 19 November at the Birmingham Hilton Metropole, has seen its audience grow to almost 700 delegates over the past few years.

The event which is the flagship event for employee ownership offers opportunities for those exploring employee ownership, established employee owned businesses (EOBs) and those who provide advice and services to EOBs the chance to network, to learn through a series of workshops and seminars and hear thinking from our keynote speakers.

Aardman is the first of three key speakers to be announced on the run up to tickets going on sale in May.

Peter Lord, Co-founder and Creative Director, Aardman said: “In past years, while attending the EOA conference we’ve heard words of inspiration, education and – just occasionally – warning from those who’ve gone on the journey before us. In return this year we look forward to sharing our ‘one year on’ experience with the EO community.

“The last thing we wanted was for Aardman ever to be treated just as a commodity to be bought and sold.  To avoid that outcome, our solution was to create an employee trust; it seems to us the best way to retain our independence, to keep in place the people that we trust and value and to preserve as far as possible the special creative culture of which we’re very proud. And of course it’s fundamental to us that those that create value in the company will continue to benefit directly from the value they create.”

Deb Oxley OBE, CEO of the EOA, said: “We are delighted that Aardman has agreed to share their story as a keynote interview at our conference – the place where employee ownership meets to learn and share best practice.

“As a great British brand; born, raised and now rooted in the Bristol and the UK economies for the longer term, Aardman have a great story to tell on how they have protected their creative legacy meaning their iconic productions will continue to bring joy to fans new and old for many more years to come.”

Tickets to the conference will go on sale in May.