Leading Questions with Simon Redican – Media Mind
Leading Questions
Media Mind founder Simon Redican is in the hot seat for our probing and quick-fire Leading Questions.
The quarter-finals of Media Mind 2026 take place at Odeon Luxe West End on 24 September and 22 October, with the Final on 12 November. Ahead of next week’s first knock-out round, we put our own quiz questions to Media Mind’s founder, Simon Redican.
Here, he discusses how growing up Catholic shaped his leadership approach, what Frank Sinatra advice lives rent-free in his head, and four pieces of advice for aspiring media leaders.
Leadership
What principles guide your leadership approach?
I was brought up as a practising Catholic, so principles and moral codes loomed large in my upbringing. There’s a tendency to dismiss religion in the modern world, but many of those teachings have survived for millennia for a reason. At their heart, the most important principles are remarkably universal.
Treat people as you would like to be treated yourself.
Be honest. Own your mistakes and learn from them.
And remember that life is short, so try to enjoy it while you can. (I’ve always assumed that’s what Confession was really for.)
How do you personally stay ahead of industry disruption?
Running your own business is a great cure for complacency. Nothing sharpens your interest in change quite like knowing your livelihood depends on keeping pace with it.
I’ve always been an avid reader of the trade press (a shameless plug here for The Media Leader), and conferences and industry events remain invaluable for getting out of your own bubble, meeting new people and hearing fresh perspectives.
I’m still a huge consumer of newsbrands, television and radio news. LinkedIn is also a brilliant way to connect and stay informed, although I’ll admit that some of the content leaves me feeling slightly queasy. Social media has a unique ability to make you feel insecure and terrified of missing out at the same time. Those algorithms know exactly what they’re doing.
Still, regularly consuming quality industry content remains one of the simplest ways to build knowledge and stay relevant. Coincidentally, it’s also a pretty good way to do well at Media Mind.
People and Culture
How do you handle failure personally and within your team?
My former Radiocentre colleague Mark Barber once described working with me as being like a rollercoaster ride. My glass was either full or empty, never half of anything.
By the time you reach my age, you’ve experienced plenty of both success and failure, professionally and personally. I’ve learned from both, but if I’m honest, the most valuable lessons usually came from the failures.
When things don’t go your way, I can’t improve on Frank Sinatra’s advice: “Pick yourself up, dust yourself off and start all over again.”
It’s a simple sentiment, perhaps even a trite one, but it remains true. The important thing is not avoiding failure altogether. It’s how quickly you learn from it and move forward.
How do you inspire your teams when uncertainty is the norm?
The truth is that uncertainty isn’t the exception; it’s the default setting.
The best way to navigate it is by providing clarity. Set out a clear vision of what you’re trying to achieve, be honest about what success looks like, and explain what it’ll take to get there.
People can deal with difficult circumstances remarkably well if they understand the destination and trust the people leading them. And if you’re going to spend a large proportion of your life working towards something, you might as well have fun doing it.
AI, Innovation and Skills
What skills will define successful media leaders in the next decade?
To be slightly provocative, I think many of the most important skills will be the same as in previous decades.
Vision: Can you explain where the organisation is going in a way that people actually understand?
Communication: Can you articulate that vision clearly to colleagues, customers and stakeholders?
Good manners: Hugely underrated and rarer than they should be.
One quality that consistently distinguishes the best industry leaders is responsiveness. They answer calls. They reply to emails. They get back to people.
They also understand that saying “no” is often the next best thing to saying “yes”. Most people would rather have a quick, honest answer than be left waiting indefinitely.
Make time for people, even if it’s only five minutes.
The beauty of all this advice is that it costs nothing to implement. No expensive courses. No management jargon. No overthinking required.
What’s your advice for aspiring media leaders?
I’m about to commit a small act of heresy against one of communication’s golden rules. Three-point lists are supposed to be the sweet spot, but in this case I have four pieces of advice for aspiring media leaders.
Develop craft skills: A solid framework of industry knowledge remains essential. AI is a fantastic addition to our armoury, but unless you know what questions to ask, how to interpret the answers and when to challenge them, it’s arguably more dangerous than useful. Media Mind was created to help develop that understanding and provide a fun way to build industry knowledge.
Remember it’s a people business. Build your network early and build it well: In an AI-driven world, the value of genuine human relationships only increases. The UK media industry is enjoying a resurgence of networking and social events, from Mail Metro’s Padel Fest and NABS Ad London Calling to Off Grid Sessions, Media Mind and The Media Business Course.
Countless opportunities exist to meet people outside your immediate circle. Take them.
Support the wider industry: One of the UK media industry’s great strengths is the quality of its institutions. Organisations such as ISBA, the IPA, the Advertising Association, WACL, the Joint Industry Currencies and the freshly launched Media Planning Group play an enormous role in maintaining standards and promoting best practice.
The UK punches above its weight on the global stage, and those organisations are part of the reason why.
Get involved if you can: Join committees. Volunteer your time. Contribute to the conversations that shape the industry. Not only will you learn a huge amount, but you’ll also help ensure that future generations benefit from the same ecosystem that helped us.
The Quick-fire Round
Which book would you make required reading for all media leaders?
Capital in the Twenty-First Century by Thomas Piketty. It’s a compelling explanation of why many modern democracies are facing increasing social and economic strain. When wealth accumulation becomes more rewarding than work itself, history suggests tensions eventually follow.
Which leader from TV, film, or literature most inspires you?
Filmmaker, Emeric Pressburger. He was a Hungarian Jewish immigrant who fled Nazi persecution, embraced Britain and went on to create timeless works that celebrated the very best of the country that welcomed him.
What’s your go-to source for inspiration when you need it — work or otherwise?
At the risk of sounding hopelessly sentimental, my wife. She possesses annoyingly good judgement, a relentlessly positive outlook and an almost zen-like calmness, all of which largely elude me.
Media lunch or media breakfast meeting and why?
A media lunch, of course. It’s difficult to imagine a better environment for building relationships, many of which ultimately become lifelong friendships. It may be unfashionable to say so, but like cricket, the traditional long form remains more satisfying than the shortened version.
Which media leader would you like to answer Leading Questions next?
Linda Smith, chair of UKOM.
Leading Questions is published by The Media Leader every Friday.