D&AD launches intensive creative leadership residency in New York

D&AD has partnered with transformation firm SYPartners, to launch Creative Leaders: The NY Residency — an intensive five-day creative leadership residency in New York, bringing twenty CMOs, CCOs, Chief Design Officers and founders together around one rigorous curriculum.

Creative Leaders: The NY Residency is designed exclusively for those at the top of the creative industry, combining a structured curriculum and expert speakers, with the opportunity to learn directly from peers facing similar leadership challenges.

The NY Residency builds on D&AD’s sold-out UK programme, bringing a rigorous curriculum and peer-led format to New York for the first time, co-created with SYPartners and hosted at the firm’s offices in the city.

At the top of the creative industry, opportunities for structured peer-to-peer learning are limited. Senior creative leaders carry responsibility for creative direction, commercial performance and organisational culture, yet most leadership development is designed for people progressing into leadership rather than those already operating at that level. Built on the belief that better creative work starts with better creative leadership, Creative Leaders: The NY Residency creates space for candid conversation, trusted relationships and learning between peers operating at the same level.

The programme explores six areas shaping creative leadership today: Values, Culture, Influence, Commerciality, Resilience and Creativity. Sessions are delivered by SYPartners and D&AD, led by senior figures from D&AD’s global network and grounded in real business and industry challenges.

Speakers include current D&AD President and Global Chief Design Officer, Uncommon Creative Studio, Lisa Smith and former D&AD President and Co-Founder of Kin, Kwame Taylor-Hayford, with additional names to be announced.

For 64 years, D&AD has helped define creative excellence globally through its Awards, learning programmes and creative community. Drawing on that network of creative leaders and D&AD Pencil-winning talent, participants learn directly from people actively leading organisations, producing world-class work and shaping the future of the industry.

David Patton, CEO of D&AD, said:

“There’s no shortage of leadership development out there. The gap is development designed for people already operating at the highest level of creative leadership, with the opportunity to learn directly from peers facing similar challenges. That’s what we’ve been building in the UK, and bringing it to New York is the natural next step.”

Registration is now open and the programme begins on 9 November 2026. The programme fee is $10,000 per participant.