“The Beautiful Mind”

Ina Behrendt is the kind of ‘brain’ that constantly scans, questions, and tries to evolve for the better, more productive and effective, more innovative, more human-centered, and most importantly, strives for solutions and ideas that are generated and implemented in an organic way that feels natural and right to the whole environment. “Taking challenges for solving problems, to create something for the better, is deep in my roots and part of my DNA. It’s just important that it comes out organically and evolves over time – prototype and beta-tested step by step to take everyone with you on this new journey.”

Armed with experience in the most influential digital creative agencies like R/GA, New York, inventors of Nike+ and Razorfish Australia, Ina is the Chief Innovation Officer for the INTERNATIONAL INSTITUTE OF CREATIVE INNOVATIONS – Miami Ad School Europe, where she is leading the school in regards of the digital transformation through innovative diploma programs, like Creative Technology and re-inventing the educational system for the digital age.

To help current and future business leaders regarding the rapid change, she is also driving the Professional Advanced Training, boot camps, and summits offering.

Miami Ad School Europe is one out of a global network of 15 schools around the world and has built its reputation over 25 years, as one of the world’s most awarded schools in higher education in the creative and marketing industry and is well known for producing outstanding creative graduates who are ready to work from the first day on the job. This school’s unique educational concept pairs realistic training – taught by well-known, practicing industry professionals – and hands-on, real-world experience. While still in school, Miami Ad School students may intern to choose dozens of the best global agencies and companies. This diverse approach has made their students the most awarded on the planet.

Miami Ad School is this place of infinite possibilities, collaboration, the discovery of challenge, and inspiration. The school is a refuge for the misfit, for the iconoclast, for the passion for the inventor and the visionary – a network of magic and writing, drawing, seeing, seeking and making and doing – a community that accelerates your dreams, where you become part of a global family, where everyone thinks like you and unlike you. This place is ``The Place you go to, become who you are meant to be’.

Ina has also co-founded the‚ Women in Technology initiative in Sydney, Australia, a comprehensive and innovative program designed to address the gender imbalance in the STEM fields by nurturing, educating, and providing employment opportunities for women, together and initiated with her Managing Director, feminist, Doug Chapman. Their mission was to shake up the Tech World’ by addressing gender-imbalance in the digital- and tech industry. Women in Technology aimed to push for a culture change in this field through addressing digital industry gender issues with a major national program launch. The program's key pillars are education and employment with young women in high school and tertiary institutions exposed to panels, experts, workshops, and mentors.

Women in Tech, partnered up, for example with General Assembly, hosting panel discussions, to explore, & how to shake up the tech world’. Internships and grad programs are a core part of the program, collaborating with other like-minded organizations and groups such as GirlsGeek, Miami Ad School, and the University of Sydney. It also encompasses the more experienced end of the market with senior and managing roles also targeted to benefit from the program. "It’s important to give women more confidence and opportunities in the industry, particularly when it comes to knowing how to advance their careers.”

Ina advises the budding entrepreneurs never to stop learning, observing, and collaborating. To develop new products and offers and business models, foster collaboration with partners and experts to gain for the better. It’s always a WE – never just a ME, so empower people and collaborate to help them achieve their best through your leadership and shine a light on them. “Always stay nimble and go with the time and technology progress,” she adds. “Try out and fail, as you’ll learn from it and become better. It helps to start small, prototype and beta-test – but think big!”IE