Media entrepreneur and strategy consultant Jens Bachem will be the keynote speaker at University College Isle of Man’s annual research festival in October.

Castletown-based Jens is a former chief executive of a £5m-plus digital creative agency which worked with some of the biggest brands in media and entertainment such as Disney, Universal Studios and the BBC.

He has also chaired a Rough Guides top destination rural tourism group and served as executive director for a US grassroots innovation ecosystem builder.

Having studied at University College Dublin, École Supérieure de Commerce de Paris, and Harvard Business School, as well as being a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts and a former TEDster, Jens is well versed in academia and research.

He moved to the island with his family last year from Cologne and has fallen in love with the Isle of Man and its community, with a particular love of dinghy sailing and sea swimming.

Jens has been actively engaged in researching the island's potential; his recent piece, ‘An Island at Sea’, highlights the Isle of Man’s strengths and the need to build resilience by fostering an enterprise-led culture.

Jens added: ‘I’m really looking forward to the research festival, where I will delve into the “story of place,” why it matters and how each of us can help shape a better future for the Isle of Man through our research.’

Gail Corrin, UCM’s higher education manager who organises the UCM research festival, said: ‘We’re delighted to have Jens as our keynote for this year’s event.

‘He aims to challenge our perception of our island and what is possible. The festival always attracts such a diverse range of topics and people from all sectors across the island as well as some international guests, and this year’s event will not disappoint.’

Attendance at the festival is free. The full line-up for October 18’s event will be announced soon along with details of how to register.