Live events and
business communications agency TFI Lodestar has joined forces with
Coventry University’s School of Management, laying the foundations for a long-term relationship in memory of Phil Watton, TFI
Lodestar’s co-founder and an alumnus of the university.
The announcement, which comes
on the first anniversary of Phil’s passing, will give Coventry University’s event management and marketing students access
to TFI Lodestar’s people, projects and programmes, ranging from one-to-one mentoring
and shadowing to on-site working placements, practical training in creative processes
and event management software, and participation in some of TFI Lodestar’s own
internal learning and development modules.
Watton, who was raised in Lichfield, studied design at Lanchester Polytechnic (now Coventry
University). Although based for much of his career in London, where he
co-founded TFI Lodestar, Phil remained a Coventrian at heart, often speaking
proudly of his involvement in the city’s thriving music and art scene on the
late 1970s and early 1980s. The newly announced collaboration with Coventry
University creates a legacy in Phil’s name, for the city and academic
institution he loved.
Jason Worsley, co-founder and director of TFI Lodestar, said: “I’m thrilled that we have
been able to establish this relationship with the team at Coventry University. Phil
was a man of passion and integrity, and he’d be delighted to know that his life’s
work had come full circle, and that the fruits of what he achieved in business –
particularly his wealth of knowledge, skills and expertise – will now be shared
amongst future generations entering the live events industry, in the place
where it all began: Coventry.”
Sarah
Horton-Walsh, Head of School of Management, Coventry University, said: “We’re
excited to collaborate with TFI Lodestar in offering our students concrete,
hands-on, real-life experiences in live events. The agency’s background in both
corporate and associations events, and its willingness to share its knowledge
and projects with us, will add enormous value to the curriculum.”
TFI Lodestar is
an experience-led live events and business communications agency, and one of
the UK’s leading accredited PCOs (professional conference organiser). Its
offices are in Battersea, London.
Coventry
University’s School of Management offers events management and marketing courses
at both undergraduate and postgraduate level. Building on the school’s strong
industry connections, these courses offer a rich curriculum that blends
theoretical knowledge with hands-on experience.
