Dr Natasha Grand is director of INSTID (Institute for Identity) that she co-founded in 2009. INSTID helps places find their competitive advantage, develop it and communicate it worldwide.

Dr. Natasha Grand took on place branding after studying modern national ideologies at LSE, following a natural fascination with the power of that the sense of home and belonging holds over us. She co-founded the Institute for Identity in London in 2009 and has worked in regions and cities with a total population of over 20 million people since. Natasha established herself as a “therapist for nations,” with a specialty in finding purpose and common values for places with little sense of own identity. She speaks extensively on place identity, communication, traditions, and experiences.

Behind any successful talent or visitor attraction campaign is a great personality. It is not the personalities of the hard-working civil servants or marketing agents, or even politicians. It is the personality of the place itself. Why it matters, how we can we find and (measure) augment it? Can a place be good and, yet, have a character?

Natasha will share her passion for place personalities and their arguable impact on all conference participants' work. Her talk will flow into a hands-on workshop.