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How Alexandra Palace Makes Plans in Centuries, Not Quarters with CEO Emma Dagnes OBE - Episode 45
Aug 05, 2026
Episode 45
Brandpie
It’s impossible to doubt Emma Dagnes’s commitment to Alexandra Palace.
As CEO of Alexandra Park and Palace Charitable Trust, she oversees a multi-faceted organisation that sees over 5 million people interact with it each year.
‘Ally Pally’ is about more than just the building - with an ice rink, a pub, an events venue, and a huge park to manage, the survival of Alexandra Palace relies on a monumental, united effort from the entire organisation.
What follows in today’s episode is a powerful framework for galvanising vast teams around a radical vision, and building something that lasts centuries, not quarters…
You will learn:
- How Emma turned redundancy, rejection and dyslexia into pivotal drivers of her leadership career
- Why she chose to delay launching a bold new vision for Alexandra Palace – and the steps she took to get the organisation truly ready
- How to create a “golden thread” from purpose and vision through to team goals
- How to galvanise an organisation around shared values and exceptional experiences
- What modern, empathetic leadership looks like when you’re stewarding a cultural “forever asset”
🔑 Key Themes
- Turning Setbacks into Pivotal Moments
- Leadership Built from the Bottom Up
- Designing and Delaying Vision with Intent
- Galvanising a Complex, Lean Organisation
- Building a ‘Forever Asset’ in a Changing World
Emma Dagnes OBE
https://www.linkedin.com/in/emma-dagnes-obe-1243b823/
Alexandra Palace
https://www.alexandrapalace.com/
https://www.linkedin.com/company/yourallypally/
Connect with Dave Allen: https://www.linkedin.com/in/daveallenbrandpie/
Learn more about Brandpie: https://www.brandpie.com/
https://www.linkedin.com/company/brandpie/