The podcast

#13 DAN WALLMAN

In a companion episode to #10, Richard chats with Dan Wallman, founder of TechNative Digital, about how Sussex employers are navigating the skills gaps when it comes to tech.

How can projects like government-funded bootcamps (which will fall under the remit of a new mayor) prepare more raw talent to build meaningful careers for the future? And why do employers need to invest more in junior roles.

In partnership with Different Hats

#10 DAN SHELLEY

Richard speaks with Further Education expert, and Chair of the Sussex Local Skills Improvement Plan, Dan Shelley.

In partnership with Let's Do Business Finance

#11 SALLY-ANN HART

Richard meets former MP for Hastings and Rye, and potential Conservative mayoral candidate, Sally-Ann Hart.

They discuss whether devolution could finally give Sussex a unified voice, create targeted investment in overlooked coastal and rural areas, unlock private sector funding for long-term infrastructure, and build a strategic approach to job creation and economic growth across the region.

In partnership with Digital Islands

#12 FLO POWELL

Richard meets Flo Powell, co-owner of Brighton-based PR agency Midnight Communications.

They explore how devolution will live or die on the strength of its messaging — and what local leaders can get wrong when trying to engage the public. From badly written surveys to crisis comms disasters, Flo argues that trust will only come when the process speaks to real people, in plain English, about what’s actually changing and why it matters.

In partnership with Plus Accounting

#7 ROSE TIGHE

Richard speaks with Rose Tighe, innovation strategist, product leader, and co-lead of Brighton AI.

In partnership with Magenta Associates

#8 STEWART DREW

Richard is joined by cultural powerhouse Stewart Drew, long-serving Director of the iconic De La Warr Pavilion in Bexhill.

They unpack the serious role of culture in economic growth, skills, tourism – and why Sussex’s creative institutions are already delivering public value by stealth.

As regional devolution looms, Stuart argues it’s time for leaders to stop treating the arts as an optional extra. 

#9 KAIA ALLEN-BEVAN

Richard chats to activist and speaker Kaia Allen-Bevan, founder of Youth The Gap and a leading voice for education reform and racial justice. They explore where grassroots activism meets devolution – and why trust, language and community voice are essential for meaningful change in Sussex.

As new power structures emerge, Kaia urges leaders to stop treating participation like a box to tick.

In partnership with Projects

#4 BELLA SANKEY

Richard speaks with Cllr Bella Sankey, Leader of Brighton & Hove City Council, about the city’s central role in kickstarting the Sussex devolution process - and why she believes this is a no-brainer for the region.

Addressing the scepticism, Bella lays out her vision for a more inclusive, connected, and empowered future for communities across the region.

In partnership with Strategy + Impact

#5 DICK SHONE

Richard speaks with Dick Shone, founder of Boutique Modern, the UK’s first B Corp modular housing manufacturer, about building homes that actually work - for people, places, and the planet.

From his factory in Newhaven, Dick is reimagining what construction could look like in a devolved Sussex: local supply chains, zero-waste production, and 21st century design for modern lives.

This episode explores why how we build is just as important as what we build — and what policymakers, mayors and planners can learn from one of Sussex’s quietest revolutions.

In partnership with Silverstone Communications

#6 DR LEWIS WHITE

Richard meets marine scientist Dr Lewis White, one of the brains behind Sussex Bay, the 100-mile coastal plan marrying nature recovery with growth. They discuss why the project has already been cited as a pre-devolution success story for the region by central government. Will that stick?

You’ll hear how 400+ partners are ditching silos, speaking plain cross-sector language and turning natural capital into fundable action. but how helpful are the environment vs economy, experts vs locals debates? 

Expect chat on ocean literacy, and a £50m call to build climate-smart infrastructure that might keep Sussex on the map. Literally.

In partnership with Be Well Live Well

#1 GERI SILVERSTONE

In our first episode, Richard Freeman is joined by political strategist Geri Silverstone to explore the fast-moving changes around devolution and local government reorganisation. What does a Sussex mayor actually mean? What could change for transport, housing, and local identity? And what happens if we get the wrong kind of leadership?

#2 EMILY O’BRIEN

Richard Freeman speaks with councillor and sustainability campaigner Emily O’Brien about the democratic dilemmas at the heart of Sussex’s devolution plans. What’s really being devolved – and to whom? Could a new mayor mean more joined-up thinking on housing and transport, or simply more centralised control? And how do we make sure local voices aren’t left out of the biggest governance shake-up in a generation?

In partnership with Strategy + Impact

#3 KYRIAKOS BAXEVANIS

Richard Freeman speaks with Sussex entrepreneur and systems thinker Kyriakos Baxevanis about the role of mindset, networks, and immigrant energy in driving local economic growth.  They explore how devolution could help - or hinder - the creation of a thriving regional economy in Sussex, and what it would take to make the region a genuine hub for creativity, wellbeing, and hospitality. 

In partnership with Projects