I left Carlisle in my early twenties because talent is everywhere, but opportunity isn’t.

That belief has taken me across six continents, leading teams through crisis and transformation at some of the world’s largest organisations. From Switzerland to Korea, one lesson kept repeating: whether in global firms or small towns, people often miss the talent and opportunities right in front of them.

It’s why I founded the Purpose Made Podcast.

A podcast and platform exploring how challenge, change, and growth shape who we are. I sit down with athletes, entrepreneurs, creatives, and leaders to uncover stories that inspire resilience and offer lessons worth sharing.

Because people don’t follow strategies, they follow stories.

Stories that connect, challenge, and create purpose.

Beyond the podcast, I work with governments, charities, Fortune 500s and entertainment bodies to help leaders navigate change via my consultancy Purpose Made. My roots in gaming and transmedia storytelling (from my EA days) continue to fuel this belief: narrative drives behaviour as much as strategy does.

Outside of work, three brilliant kids keep me honest about what really matters and why we do the things we do. 

Kids have a way of doing that, right?

Connect to explore more, I’d love to hear your story too.

#Leadership #Storytelling #Innovation #PurposeMade #Podcast

Peter George Bell

Marko Djurdjevic made 82 Marvel covers in a single year, held a seven-year exclusivity deal with Riot, and survived two heart surgeries mid-production. Now he's betting everything on the one story he's been carrying since he was 22.

#Before5onFriday ﻿#IndependentIP #Transmedia #GameDev #Orken

Purpose Made Founder & Think Tank Co-Founder Leadership & Crisis Management Expert | Gaming & Transmedia

After 30 years making billion-dollar franchises for other companies, Marko Djurdjevic is risking everything on one story of his own. Marko Djurdjevic 

Open article: You Make Them Billions….And You Get A Wet T-Shirt. by Peter George Bell • 6 min read

You Make Them Billions….And You Get A Wet T-Shirt.

At 47, after three decades servicing the biggest franchises on the planet, Marko Djurdjevic decided to finally build the one that was his.

82 Marvel covers in a single year. A seven-year exclusivity deal with Riot on
League of Legends. Concept art feeding the early MCU. His studio Sixmorevodka is one of the most respected in the industry.

But he's been carrying a story since he was 22. Tried to build it four times and
talked himself out of it every time. It sat in his desk for years until Russell Binder
saw it and told him it was the best thing he'd ever made.

Even then he hesitated.

Then one thought landed: "My time is running out."

1,400 pages written. 350+ original illustrations. A video game prototype by Demagog Studio. Six books going to print. 75 major pitches behind him. Two heart surgeries in the middle of production.

The Orken Kickstarter launches today with a free demo on Steam.

We discuss how he went from a kid with no books to one of Marvel's most prolific artists. Working with Marvel and Riot on some of the world's most established franchises. What he learned from giving away his previous IP for free. How his wife thinks he's lost his mind and his son suddenly became his biggest fan. And why at 47 he decided the window doesn't stay open forever.

Clients only ever get "one out of you," he said. "And never the full
package. The full package can only exist if you're doing it yourself."

So, he's doing it himself.

Listen or watch on the Purpose Made Podcast. Comment MARKO and I’ll DM you the links.

﻿#IndependentIP #Transmedia #GameDev #Orken

Drawing for the World's Biggest Franchises | The Full Story.

Marko Djurdjevic is one of the most respected illustrators in the industry.

But where did it all start?

From drawing with just paper and pencil as a kid… to producing 10 covers a month for Marvel Comics.

What looks like an “overnight” viral moment was actually years of obsessive

In this episode, we go deep into: 

• The years before the viral breakthrough
• The reality of drawing covers for Marvel
• Working on the world’s biggest franchises
• Why he never stops reinventing himself
• And the launch of his latest project, Orken on Kickstarter

The full episode is now live on my YouTube channel. 

Comment "MARKO" and I'll send you the direct link.

23 years in the making.

The best projects aren’t rushed.
They grow through doubt, experience, and time.

And sometimes… all it takes is one conversation to reignite the flame that started it all.

I love discovering the behind-the-scenes stories in this podcast.

Comment MARKO and I’ll send you the full conversation.

I fundamentally believe that inequalities are preventable, unfair and unjust. My passion is social justice, because a more equal society is better for everyone including those that have and those that do not.  Through a career that spans the private, public and charitable sectors in both strategy and operations I have dedicated my work to changing the policy, practice and perceptions preventing us from having a fair society for all, with lives well lived.   More recently, I've sought to highlight the disparities in health, wealth and opportunity between the North and the South of England through the launch of a podcast series called This is the North.  To listen click on the link just below my profile picture or visit www.alisondunn.co.uk

Alison Dunn

I grew up in the North East and I've spent my career working here, so when someone like Sir Nigel Wilson says this region has "muddled through" due to a lack of leadership, investment and ambition it lands. Not because it's comfortable, but because it's honest. Nigel is Chairperson of the Canary Wharf Group and former long time CEO of Legal & General. 

He grew up in County Durham, who went from Essex University then onto MIT on a Kennedy Scholarship before leading one of the UK's biggest investors. In this episode of This is the North, he makes the case that the money exists, the talent exists, and the world is watching but the UK keeps failing to connect private capital with the places that need it most. He's not sentimental about the North. He's ambitious for it. And that distinction matters.
 
🎧 Listen now to this latest episode of This is the North (link in comments). 
 
#ThisIsTheNorth #NorthEast #Investment #RegionalGrowth #InclusiveCapitalism #Podcast

Host of the podcast series This is the North, Charity Chief Executive Officer, social justice activist, TV and news media commentator, Chair of Trustees for VONNE and former solicitor.

At the North East Anti-Racism Coalition event in Durham today, opened by the powerful force that is Claire Ogah who tells us “we are here today to build something better than we inherited”.

Proud that Citizens Advice Gateshead and VONNE (Voluntary Organisations'​ Network North East) are both early adopters of the “Become the Bridge” Campaign, a public commitment to action that seeks to take down structural inequality and racism in all its forms.  

“Together we can challenge racism for a fairer, stronger North East”. 

#northeastantiracismcoalition 
#NEARC

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Today I had the opportunity to give evidence to the Right to Food UK Commission in Newcastle, sharing frontline insights from Citizens Advice Gateshead on what food poverty really looks like in 2026.

I spoke about:

The rise of negative budgets – where even after expert budgeting support, people simply don’t have enough to cover essentials.

How children, disabled people, single parents and private renters are disproportionately pushed towards hunger.

Why food banks, however vital, cannot substitute for a social security system and labour market that guarantee the basics.

In the article linked below, I reflect on:

What it felt like to bring local case studies and data into a national forum.

Why “no amount of budgeting can fix a structural shortfall”.

The changes we urgently need – from an Essentials Guarantee in Universal Credit, to a cash‑first local safety net and expanded Free School Meals.

If you’re working in advice, local government, community projects or research on poverty, housing or social security, I’d really welcome your thoughts and connections.

#RightToFood #FoodPoverty #SocialJustice #CitizensAdvice #CostOfLiving #PolicyChange

Today, I had the privilege of presenting evidence to the Right to Food UK Commission, chaired by Barrie Margetts, Emeritus Professor at the University

Open article: ‘No Amount of Budgeting Can Fix This’: My Day at the Right to Food Commission. by Alison Dunn • 8 min read

‘No Amount of Budgeting Can Fix This’: My Day at the Right to Food Commission.

As we approach International Women’s Day I am giving a shout out to the wonderful human that is Sarah McPhie.

I first met Sarah when she worked for Feeding Families (UK) , a bundle of energy and enthusiasm, all of which she has more recently channelled into the great network that is Citizens Advice. 

Our work is so important, and yet it’s harder than ever to be a leader in the Third Sector and so for our regional network to attract talent like Sarah is a great comfort.

So, to Sarah and all the great CA leaders in the North East - Abi Conway, Edward Pickering, @ian thompson, Tracy Armstrong , @Stuart Gibb and Denise Irving   I say “Happy International Women’s Day”.  

Heres to all the great stuff we’ll be doing together in 2026!

Chief Executive Officer @ STOCKTON AND DISTRICT ADVICE AND INFORMATION SERVICE | Communication, Leadership Development

One year as CEO. What a year it has been.

Twelve months ago, I stepped into my first CEO role. Just a week earlier, I had lost my wonderful Dad. I began this chapter feeling incredibly raw, and in many ways, this has been the most challenging year of my career to date.

Leading a charity is not for the faint-hearted. The pace, the responsibility, the complexity - it demands resilience every single day.

Despite the challenges, I am immensely proud of what we have achieved together:
	•	Navigated the loss of core funding
	•	Achieved ISO 9001 accreditation
	•	Secured a glowing Investors in People accreditation (a particular highlight for me)
	•	Most importantly, supported thousands of people to navigate incredibly difficult and complex problems

None of this happens alone.

My heartfelt thanks to Alison Dunn  for being there when I needed support most. Your words of wisdom and kindness have kept me going. 

To Abi Conway, Edward Pickering, Helen Howson, Judith Wood, & Joanna Young  for welcoming me into Citizens Advice and helping me navigate a complex national network. And to our wonderful trustees for their unwavering encouragement and guidance, especially Jon Carling for his continued support.

Andrew Marsh being part of your amazing network has also been huge part of the past 12 months and I’ve been grateful for the opportunities that have been presented.

My biggest take away is the privilege it is to lead such a dedicated and talented team.

Here’s to the next twelve months and to continuing to make a difference where it matters most.

And I sigh …..

It’s International Women’s Day today and I’m in the beautiful Northumberland countryside at a writing retreat with fellow female authors. 

What a way to spend the day eh?

I’m tap, tap, tapping away building the manuscript for my upcoming book entitled ‘Friend of Foe?” 

The book is an invitation for women to look at the role we play in overcoming or re-enforcing gender inequalities because as the UN show us in this report, not a single country has yet achieved equality for women, and so the job is far from done.

Looks like we need to underscore “sorting out the world” on our already very long To Do Lists ladies. 🤷🏻‍♀️

To find out more about my book visit www.alisondunn.co.uk - I’ve 12 chapters written so it’s edging to completion. 




(Credit to Michelle Minnikin for bringing this UN post to my attention in her own post and do check out Michelle’s book Good Girl Conditioning, it’s a major influence on my own work).

No country has achieved full legal equality for women.

As backlash against #GenderEquality intensifies, defending the of rule law has never mattered more.

#ForAllWomenAndGirls, we must deliver #equality —not only in principle, but in practice.

🔗 See our press release:  https://lnkd.in/e9Zfxck6

#IWD2026

Sometimes the most powerful conversations are the ones that challenge what you think you already know, this one definitely challenged me! 

Dominic Wills was 14 when drugs became part of his life. He kept getting good grades. He looked like he was coping. He wasn't.

In this episode of This is the North, Dominic talks with extraordinary honesty about addiction as a young person, the systems that didn't quite fit him, and how discovering that recovery was actually possible, through people his own age who were living it, changed everything. He's since been to university, is DJ-ing, going on holiday, and spending time with mates and family. Recovery gave him his life, not a smaller version of it.

If you know someone who seems fine but might not be, this one's worth sharing.

🎧 Link in comments.

If you or someone you know needs support, visit We Are With You wearewithyou.org.uk or FRANK https://talktofrank.com/ 

And finally, if this episode reaches someone who's holding it all together and falling apart at the same time, I hope it reminds you that you don't have to do it alone.

#ThisIsTheNorth #Recovery #Addiction #YoungPeople #NorthEast #Podcast

On Thursday, the Bank of England's Monetary Policy Committee announces its next interest rate decision. That decision affects every mortgage, every business loan, every household in the country.

One of the people making this decision grew up in Stockport, went to the local comprehensive, and spent a summer putting parsley on airline meals at Manchester Airport - real life experiences, no silver spoons here. 

I recorded this conversation with Sarah Breeden back in October.  Since then, a ceasefire in Gaza, a trade truce between the US and China, a war in Ukraine that shows no sign of ending, and now a conflict between the US, Israel and Iran that has disrupted shipping through the Strait of Hormuz. 

Sarah describes Britain as "a small open economy," one that imports 40% of its food but no longer determines the price of anything on the world market. "We are a recipient of," she says.

And so, what is happening in the Strait of Hormuz is not a foreign affairs story. It is a food prices story. It is a refugee and displacement crisis. And it is the reality of what happens when a small open economy is on the receiving end of a world it cannot control.
 
This is one of the most important conversations we've had on the podcast. Especially given the implications. Give it a listen.

🎧 Link in comments

#ThisIsTheNorth #BankOfEngland #InterestRates #MPC #EconomicLiteracy #NorthEast #CostOfLiving #Podcast

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The Battle

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Performance Score.css-goub6s{font-size:var(--chakra-fontSizes-md);font-weight:500;color:var(--chakra-colors-gray-600);display:block;margin-top:var(--chakra-space-1);}Peter George Bell's LinkedIn Performance

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