Leading a team you didn't hire

A talk by Fergo (James Ferguson), Director of Experience Design at Ovo

When stepping into a new leadership role, you rarely get to build your team from scratch. More often, you inherit one—complete with its own history, dynamics, and ways of working. So how do you set the tone, gain trust, and steer the team towards high performance without missing a beat?

In this talk, Fergo will explore practical strategies to help you confidently lead a team you didn’t hire. From accelerating relationship-building and establishing the culture you want, to reshaping team norms and driving meaningful impact, this session will give you the tools to lead with clarity and intent—right from day one.

Fergo (James Ferguson)

Director of Experience Design at Ovo

Fergo is a design leader and advisor with over 20 years' experience spanning multiple industries. In his varied career, he's built design teams, products, and brands for companies such as Skyscanner and Atlassian, and is currently Head of Experience Design at OVO where he leads design, content and research to deliver the company's ambitious sustainability strategy.

He lives in Brighton with his partner John and his extensive Lego collection!