Rise AV Announces 2026 Leadership Cohort
The six-week programme helps audiovisual firms address management gaps by training 23 women from 20 organizations.
Updated on Oct. 28, 2026 in People
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Rise AV has announced its 2026 cohort for the Elevate leadership development programme, selecting 23 women from 20 different organizations. The six-week initiative aims to support professional growth for women across the UK, Ireland, Germany, and France.
Why it matters
This initiative targets the audiovisual industry's ongoing skills shortage by focusing on the retention and advancement of experienced female talent. By addressing the underrepresentation of women in leadership, the programme helps organizations build more robust management pipelines.
The 2026 Elevate cohort includes 23 participants from 20 organizations across four European nations. The six-week development programme is currently in its second year of operation.
The players
Rise AV
An audiovisual industry entity that provides professional development and training services.
Martine Dodwell-Bennett
A coach for the 2026 Elevate leadership development programme.
Wayne Mason
A coach for the 2026 Elevate leadership development programme.
Gary Keene
A coach for the 2026 Elevate leadership development programme.
Danielle Myburgh
A coach for the 2026 Elevate leadership development programme.
The details
The Elevate programme utilizes a Jedi coaching model, pairing participants with mentors Martine Dodwell-Bennett, Wayne Mason, Gary Keene, and Danielle Myburgh. The curriculum focuses on operational leadership skills, including team motivation, commercial decision-making, and managing organizational change through a mix of interactive and practical learning.
Timeline
The 2026 leadership development cohort was announced on October 28, 2026.
Market Landscape
This programme follows a documented industry trend of using targeted leadership development to address the persistent AV industry skills shortage. It serves as a strategic response to the structural underrepresentation of women in senior management roles.
Operators facing persistent talent turnover should evaluate whether internal leadership programmes can improve retention among experienced staff. Reviewing similar industry-specific development models may provide a benchmark for addressing internal management gaps.
The takeaway
Developing internal leadership pipelines is a practical hedge against the broad skills shortage impacting the AV sector. Managers should track the career progression and retention rates of programme participants to measure the return on investment for similar professional development training.
Further reading
For additional context on talent management and industry professional development, see People.
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Do you believe companies should provide structured leadership training to help retain their experienced staff?
