Accelerators is LCA’s new series designed to spark the conversations that matter.
We’ve designed these sessions to drive forward-thinking conversations about comms, culture, and communities- each session combining expert insight with open dialogue with our audience.
Next Event
All that stands between us: Everything communicates, not everyone connects
An Accelerators event co-hosted by LCA & NLA
Thursday 3 July 2025, 6:00 – 7:30pm
Join us on 3 July at The London Centre for a conversation about disconnection, perception and possibility.
Our built environments are shaped by boundaries: rivers, roads, railways, regeneration zones. But beyond bricks and borders lie deeper divisions: economic, cultural, digital, emotional.
Whether shaping perceptions of place, creating dialogue across difference, or giving voice to those often left out of planning and development, communications is not just a support act – it’s a catalyst.
In this Accelerators event, we explore how the stories we tell, the words we choose, and the platforms we use can break down barriers in our cities – or reinforce them. From Canary Wharf to the fractures between neighbourhoods and megaprojects, our speakers will reflect on how to connect people, places and purpose in more meaningful ways.
Panellists:
Jane Martinson, Author, Journalist, and Professor of Financial Journalism
Jane Martinson is an award-winning journalist, author, and academic with a distinguished career spanning over three decades in British media including for the Financial Times and The Guardian. Her work has consistently explored the intersections of media, power, and public life, with a particular focus on gender, finance, and urban inequality.
Raised on the Isle of Dogs in East London, Jane brings a deeply personal perspective to her writing on cities and regeneration. Her recent book, You May Never See Us Again, explores the rise and fall of the Barclays banking dynasty, blending investigative journalism with historical insight.
A regular commentator on the BBC, Jane produced BBC Radio 4 programme Dispatches that depicted life growing up in the shadow of Canary Wharf, the opportunities the creation of a new financial centre for the world brought those living next door, and whether any of these early mistakes have been learned from today.
Carlota Rebelo, Journalist and Executive Producer (Monocle, The Urbanist)
Carlota Rebelo is a journalist, editor, and executive audio producer based in London. She is currently a senior foreign correspondent at Monocle, where she contributes across print, digital, and audio platforms, including as a key voice on The Urbanist podcast.
With a career spanning over twenty countries, Carlota brings a global perspective to her reporting on urbanism, politics, diplomacy, and culture. Her storytelling is rooted in a deep curiosity about how cities function and how people shape – and are shaped by – the built environment. She has lived and worked in cities including Los Angeles, Brussels, Florence, and Lisbon, experiences that inform her nuanced take on urban life.
Tamsin Ace, Director, East Bank
Tamsin Ace is the inaugural Director of East Bank, London’s newest cultural and educational quarter located in the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park. Appointed in 2023, she leads the strategic collaboration between five world-renowned institutions – the BBC, Sadler’s Wells, the V&A, University College London, and London College of Fashion – to deliver a shared vision for inclusive cultural regeneration in east London.
With a background spanning roles at the Museum of the Home, Southbank Centre, and London College of Fashion, Tamsin brings a wealth of experience in curating public programmes that connect communities with culture. At East Bank, she is responsible for fostering meaningful partnerships between institutions and local residents, ensuring that the legacy of the 2012 Olympic Games continues to inspire, engage, and reflect the diverse voices of the surrounding boroughs.
Tamsin is passionate about place-making through creativity and collaboration, and is committed to making East Bank a vibrant, accessible hub for innovation, learning, and cultural exchange.
Date: Thursday 3 July
Time: 6:00 – 7:30pm
Location: The London Centre (view location)
The Accelerator
Expert insight, intelligence gathering and knowledge sharing is in LCA’s lifeblood and ensures that our clients receive the highest quality strategic advice and counsel.
With our passionate understanding of politics and public policy, together with the societal and economic trends that shape the built environment, we provide unparalleled advice to our clients.
Through regular and customised briefings and events, we help to navigate through what can be a confusing and fast-changing landscape.
Accelerator Insights
Neon Renaissance: How London nights are changing
London has never been a truly 24-hour city like New York or Barcelona, but it does know how to have a good night out. Or at least it did.
Rimmel reframes influence, stepping out of the beauty aisle and into the kitchen
In an age where unboxing videos are a dime a dozen, and influencers are saturated with swatches and send-outs, brands are having to ditch the cookie cutter approach to cut through.
Oxford Street welcomes IKEA: A sign of retail resurgence
The much-anticipated IKEA store has finally opened its doors on Oxford Street, marking a significant milestone for the iconic shopping destination.
The rebirth of Topshop
Millennials recently went into a frenzy after some mysterious Instagram posts from Topshop hinted at the possible revival of a physical store. The cryptic posts read: ‘we’ve been listening’ and ‘we missed you too’.
Accelerators: “Did Content Kill the Media Star?”
The media landscape is different today than it was yesterday, with the pace of change getting ever quicker.
Authentic brand partnerships reign supreme
Timothée Chalamet made headlines by arriving at his red carpet premiere on a Lime bike this week.
Past Events
