After Dinner Chats

These conversations started over dinners where I get to introduce everyone at the table in a way that interests me. Dinners are always fun. And sometimes useful, but the end of the day doesn’t really matter if it’s fun or useful it’s just the fact that we are all there connecting and making sure that we can all see what’s coming round the corner. And the next thing we’ve got to do is to stay in touch with each other.Yes, we have ended up having dinner parties where people have made new jobs, got new contacts for work . For me, it’s been just a way over the last 17 years to get to know the fabulous people who are always a little bit senior and a little bit fun and a little bit smarter, brighter, shinier than most!

After Dinner Chats is a business podcast hosted by James Welch, with 19 episodes on record and a Required Pod Score of 80. PitchCentric scores this show on Booking Probability, Listen Score, and live audience signals refreshed every 24 hours.

James Welch hosts After Dinner Chats, a business show with 19 episodes published.

Our AI reads these to draft pitches. Use them as grounding for a pitch that cites a real guest and a specific topic.

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  Episode #13

  Chasing the AI Gold: The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly of AI Adoption

  May 18, 202614 minS2

  What is the true state of AI adoption in business today? In this unscripted keynote from the Mediaspace.global Leadership Club & Mixer, James Welch (Growth Lead at WPP Choreograph Tech & AI Consulting) breaks down the realities of artificial intelligence using a classic cinematic lens: Sergio Leone’s The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly . From the dangers of AI hallucinations and the impending "slopocalypse," to the financial traps of legacy "celery tech," James shares candid, behind-the-scenes insights on how companies are actually using machine learning. Discover why true AI success requires more than just buying off-the-shelf tools—it demands prior preparation, solid guardrails, and a privacy-first approach to data. Recorded live in London at an exclusive roundtable of top marketers, media lawyers, and business innovators. 🎧 Listen to the full conversation on the "After Dinner Chats" podcast wherever you get your pods! 📌 Chapters / Key Moments: 0:00 - Introduction & The Sergio Leone AI Analogy 03:45 - The Good: Prior Preparation & Privacy-First Workflows 06:45 - The Bad: Bad Actors, Hallucinations & The AI "Slopocalypse" 13:05 - The Ugly: Legacy Systems & The Danger of "Celery Tech" 15:15 - Conclusion: Chasing the AI Gold 🔗 Links & Mentions: Mediaspace Global: https://mediaspace.global/ Video Production: Baked Bean Media Special thanks to our hosts & sponsors: Hamish Sandison, Kinga Incze, and Cornelia Reitinger (SAS). #AIAdoption #ArtificialIntelligence #JamesWelch #WPP #TechConsulting #GenerativeAI #MachineLearning #BusinessStrategy #MediaspaceGlobal #AfterDinnerChats

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  Episode #12

  Adam Morgan on the Challenger Mindset, Eating the Big Fish & Joyful Defiance | Ep 27

  Apr 7, 202619 minS2

  Adam Morgan is the founder of consultancy Eat Big Fish and author of the landmark marketing book Eating the Big Fish . In this episode, host James Welch sits down with Adam to explore why the challenger brand concept is widely known yet deeply misunderstood — and why a challenger mindset is just as powerful inside Uber as it is inside a startup. Adam shares the origin story of his consultancy (born from anger after TBWA rejected his book), the Apple stock he regrets never buying, his role in the new collective the Illuminari, and a surprising new chapter: writing children's picture books rooted in what he calls "joyful defiance." Stick around for the High Five rapid-fire round featuring Tim Harford, Rory Sutherland, and a £350 offer to learn the principles of his own book.

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  Episode #11

  Rigour, Standards & Truth Over Harmony: Rob Campbell on What Actually Sets Creative Work Apart

  Mar 23, 202629 minS2

  Rigour and standards are the only real competitive advantage left in creative strategy. So why is the industry sprinting away from both? Rob Campbell is a global creative strategist who has deliberately spent his career moving across countries and cultures — from the UK to the US, China, New Zealand, and beyond — to escape the industry bubble and understand what truly makes people and brands tick. He works with musicians, street culture designers, and major sports brands, and he brings an uncompromising commitment to truth, originality, and depth to every project. In this episode of Signals & Sparks: → [00:52] Why AI is a "corporate truth serum" that reveals what companies actually value — not what they say they value → [04:41] The difference between AI as an efficiency tool and AI as a liberator of human potential → [08:18] Paranoia, curiosity & rigour: Rob's real process — not a framework in sight → [11:37] "Tough love is still love" — why high standards make you a better creative partner → [14:24] Truth over harmony: honesty as a creative practice, not a personality trait → [16:15] The case against sprint culture — and why going into a company's founding vault matters more than reacting to current data → [19:22] Why constantly moving overseas was the best decision Rob ever made → [23:05] The Remembrance Sunday church visitors' book story Key quote: "Rigour and standards — at the end of the day, that's the only thing you've got that will set you apart." Guest: Rob Campbell — Global Creative Strategist Host: James Welch Series: Signals & Sparks — After Dinner Chats #26 If this episode resonated, leave a rating on Apple Podcasts or Spotify — it genuinely helps new listeners find the show.

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  Episode #10

  How AI is Disrupting Agencies - James Welch with Jules Love (Ep. 25)

  Mar 10, 202619 minS2

  Are AI tools signalling the death of creative agencies as we know them today? On the second anniversary of his consulting business, Spark AI , the regular guest lecturer on the Advanced Diploma for AI in Business at Saïd Business School, University of Oxford , Jules Love joins me to discuss how the agency landscape is shifting fast. He even wrote the book on the subject, SHIFT. Yes, our host James Welch chats with Jules to break down exactly how Generative AI is upending the agency model. And what he's helping agencies do about it In this session, we’ll explore a bunch of topics, in the usual format. What's caught your eye, what are you up to then the quick fire 'high five' round that is never as quick as that as it's so interesting to find out what makes people tick. Key Takeaways: The End of Project Pricing: Why agencies are shifting towards monthly subscriptions by selling AI-powered capabilities rather than human time. The Bottleneck Shift: How speeding up asset creation with AI forces structural bottlenecks further down the pipeline into governance and quality control. Future-Proofing Talent: Why forward-thinking companies are overhauling graduate programmes to focus less on technical skills and more on client relationship building.

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  Episode #9

  Is your brand's default promotion strategy actually turning customers away?

  Mar 1, 202626 minS2

  In this episode, we dive deep into B2B marketing strategy and the latest consumer behaviour trends with Annabel Venner, former Global Brand Director at Coca-Cola and Hiscox. If you want global marketing insights that challenge the status quo and reveal how to pivot your campaigns for modern audiences, this is a must-listen. Key Takeaways: The New Consumer Thoughtfulness: Why buyers are ditching generic expensive gifts for hyper-personalised, practical gestures—and how brands must adapt. Career Agility: How Annabel successfully transitioned from consumer goods (Coca-Cola) to complex B2B financial services (Hiscox), and why continuous learning is non-negotiable. The Myth of "Asia": Why treating the Asian market as a single homogeneous entity is a costly mistake, with on-the-ground lessons from Singapore, Hong Kong, and Thailand.

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