emPOWERMENt: Breaking the Silence on Men's Mental Health in the Creative Industry
April 2nd 2025 saw the inaugural emPOWERMENt event launch in spectacular fashion, as the new Men’s series for the successful emPOWER Breakfast made a profound impact with speaker Barny Wright, CEO and partner of No.8 London. The audience watched as Wright shared his personal journey through addiction, recovery, and professional success. Held at Venue Host Ogilvy’s Sea Containers House, the event brought together over 170 industry professionals in a rare moment of authentic connection and vulnerability.
emPOWERMENt creates a dedicated platform for men in the creative and advertising sectors to share their experiences with mental health challenges, addiction, and personal growth in a culture that has often left individuals struggling in silence.
"In a world where men aren't encouraged to speak openly about their struggles, it was inspiring to hear Barny Wright tell his story," said Mike Oughton, copywriter and screenwriter, reflecting the sentiment of many attendees.
The format featured emPOWER Founder and host Athene Parker skilfully interviewing Wright in what Keith Bayley, senior producer and composer at The Futz Butler, described as "a quiet and searching one-on-one conversation" that had the audience 'spellbound' while overlooking the Thames.
Wright spoke candidly about his experiences with substance abuse, the pressures of the industry, grief from family loss, and his unwavering commitment to sobriety. His approach combined humour, vulnerability, and unflinching honesty about both "the good times and the (literal) buzz of those years" as well as the darker periods that followed.
"Removing the substances meant he could make better choices which lead to better outcomes," was Wright's powerful message, highlighting how his journey of sobriety coincided with founding and growing No.8 into a leading VFX house in London.
The response was overwhelmingly positive, with Tony Burke, director and creative director, noting, "In a world full of fake positivity, anything with 'empowerment' in it fills me with dread. And I think I probably speak for a lot of men... Men cut themselves off. Live in their heads. Suffer alone without showing vulnerability or weakness. The session broke that down."
For younger professionals, the event provided valuable perspective. "It serves as a reminder that support is there when you inevitably need it," shared Job Bertrand, Directors Rep at RSA Films. "As somebody who isn't necessarily well-versed when it comes to being emotionally transparent, it was an eye-opening experience."
Anthony Moore, Owner and CCO of the Factory Collective, and a Silver+ sponsor of The emPOWER Breakfast observed: "What really struck me was the feeling inside the room - supportive, open, and inclusive - things that we need more than ever in this ever challenging world."
This sentiment was echoed by Matt Felstead, film editor, "In the age of remote working, Zoom meetings and AI, Athene has created something very real, very human and very special."
The success of this inaugural emPOWERMENt session signals a new chapter for the emPOWER community, expanding its mission to create safe spaces for authentic conversation about mental health and wellness across the industry.
This amazing cake was made by It's Not Just Cake - founder/Baker Justine Campbell John who is also a director of One More Music Company.
The emPOWER Breakfast values include authenticity, self-care, respect, courage, honesty and love, focusing on transformation through stories of personal development and focusing on authentic connection at these ground-breaking networking events.
No.8 is a leading VFX house in London, co-founded by Barny Wright. The company continues to expand its presence in the creative industry, with the inspired recent acquisition of JAMMVFX, while maintaining a culture that values authenticity and wellbeing.
A huge thank you to our amazing host sponsor Ogilvy and a special thanks to Helen Hadfield at Snapper Films, and the brilliant team at Bite Collective – Alex Katz, Francine Linsey and Dominic Seymour – for generously sponsoring the refreshments and helping to fuel meaningful connections.
We'd also like to extend a special thank you to the industry legend that is Mark Denton, who generously donated his time and talent by creating a stunning original artwork specifically for the event. Mark’s artwork not only served as beautiful signage, highlighting our wonderful refreshment sponsors, but it’s also being auctioned to support a cause close to our hearts.
The artwork will be auctioned live on Instagram at 11am on Friday 16th May, during a conversation between Athene Parker and Producer Francesca Barnes, wife of Steve Ackroyd – the award-winning editor best known for his work on Sex Education. Steve is currently undergoing treatment for a brain tumour, and all funds raised will go towards his ongoing care.
If you’d like to support, you can place a bid for this brilliant piece of art on the 16th of May, but you can also:
Enter Steve’s Big Fat Raffle with amazing prizes from across the creative industry
Donate directly to the GoFundMe for Steve’s treatment here.
