People

Meet the core team, the researchers from our consortium of universities, our Industry Champions, and International Council.

Core team Researchers Industry Champions International Council

This page is the process of being updated as the Creative PEC moves to new co-hosts Newcastle University and the RSA. Below you can see the researchers we worked with during the first iteration of the PEC 2018 - 2023.

Meet the PEC's Industry Champions: a UK-wide network of trusted practitioners, drawn from all parts of the creative industries. The group provide the PEC with guidance on industry’s most pressing challenges, expert insight to inform our research, and critical feedback on our policy recommendations.

Meet the PEC's International Council: a network of leading policy and creative economy practitioners from across the world, convened by The British Council. The group share international creative economy policy intelligence and research opportunities, and act as critical friends in reviewing and providing an international perspective on the PEC’s activities. Find out more.

Professor Hasan Bakhshi MBE

Director

Hasan is Professor of Economics of the Creative Industries and Director of the the Creative PEC, which is led by Newcastle Un...

Billy Beckett

Communications Manager

Billy is Creative PEC's Communications Manager. He was previously Stakeholder Relations Officer at Nesta, supporting the orga...

Simon Budgen

Head of Operations

Simon is Head of Operations at Creative PEC, joining the team in the summer of 2021. Previously, Simon has worked for the BBC...

Dr Tom Cahill-Jones

Research Network Manager

Tom is the Research Network Manager for Creative PEC, always ready to have a conversation about creativity and innovation. He...

Professor Giorgio Fazio

Research Director of Creative PEC and Chair of Macroeconomics at Newcastle University Business School

Giorgio is an applied economist with expertise in open macroeconomics, trade and investment. He has published several article...

Lilli Geissendorfer

Deputy Director

Lilli is Deputy Director of Creative PEC, responsible for supporting the team to realise the centre’s potential in achieving ...

Makena Guantai Day

Executive Assistant

Makena is Executive Assistant to Creative PEC's Director Hasan Bakhshi. My background is in international development and I h...

Bernard Hay

Head of Policy

Bernard is Head of Policy at Creative PEC. Previously he was Head of Research and Practice at the Design Council, where he ...

Alice Kent

Head of Communications (job-share)

Alice is Head of Communications at Creative PEC (job-share with Anna). Prior to joining Creative PEC, she was for six years C...

Duncan Todd

Finance and Administration Manager

Duncan is Creative PEC's Finance and Administration Manager. Although studying Biology at University, Duncan’s background is ...

Anna Zabow

Head of Communications (job-share)

Anna is Head of Communications at Creative PEC (job share with Alice). She also works part-time at Hear Me Out - a charity w...

Jon Zeff

Independent Consultant and Chair of the PEC's Advisory Board

Jon Zeff is an independent consultant specialising in policy, strategy and regulatory issues affecting the media, communicati...

Vicki Belt

Deputy Director for Impact and Engagement at the Enterprise Research Centre

Vicki is Deputy Director for impact and engagement at the Enterprise Research Centre (ERC), based at Warwick University. The ...

Dinah Caine CBE

Chair Of Governing Council at Goldsmiths, University of London and Chair of Education and Skills at Creative Industries Council

Dinah was appointed as Chair of Goldsmiths Council in September 2018. She is a member of the Creative Industries Council, Cha...

Alex Hope

Joint Managing Director, DNEG

Alex Hope is the Joint Managing Director and co-founder of DNEG. He has helped guide the company from small London start-up t...

Phil Jones

Managing Director of Wired Sussex

Phil is Managing Director of Brighton-based, independent membership organisation Wired Sussex and is founder of the FuseBox i...

Sophie Jones

Director of Public Affairs at BPI

Sophie Jones is Director of Public Affairs at BPI. She was previously Head of Corporate Relations at Channel 4, responsible f...

Dr Paul Meller

Associate Director of Programmes at the Arts and Humanities Research Council

Dr Paul Meller is Associate Director of Programmes at the Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC) and Senior Responsible ...

Robert Specterman-Green

Director for Media and Creative Industries in the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport

Robert Specterman-Green joined the Civil Service in 2001. He is currently Director for Media and Creative Industries in the D...

Professor Leandro Valiati

Professor and Researcher - Creative Industries and Cultural Economics

Economist, PhD in Development Economics and post-PhD in Creative Industries (Sorbonne-Paris 13). Professor of Creative Indust...

Heather Carey

Director of Work Advance

Heather Carey is Director of Work Advance, where she provides research and advisory support with a particular focus on inclus...

Lesley Giles

Director of Work Advance

Lesley Giles is Director of Work Advance, where she undertakes analysis and evaluation, and provides policy advice around wor...

Dr Jonathan Jones

Senior Lecturer at Newcastle University Business School

Jonathan Jones is a Senior Lecturer in Economics at Newcastle University Business School and a Research Lead in the Internati...

​Dr Sara Maioli

Senior Lecturer in Economics and Director of Post-Graduate Research at Newcastle University Business School

Dr Sara Maioli is an applied economist with expertise in firm-level data. Her research interests relate to applying micro-eco...

Dr Siobhan McAndrew

Senior Lecturer in Politics, Philosophy and Economics at Sheffield Methods Institute, University of Sheffield

Siobhan McAndrew is Senior Lecturer in Politics, Philosophy and Economics at Sheffield Methods Institute, University of Sheff...

Dr Alejandro Ramirez-Guerra

Research Associate at Newcastle University Business School

Alejandro is a Research Associate in the research unit Creative PEC based at Newcastle University. His work at Creative PEC f...

Dr Josh Siepel

Senior Lecturer in the Science Policy Research Unit at the University of Sussex Business School

Josh Siepel is Senior Lecturer at the Science Policy Research Unit (SPRU) at the University of Sussex Business School. He is ...

Dr Mark Taylor

Senior Lecturer in Quantitative Methods at Sheffield Methods Institute, University of Sheffield

Mark Taylor is Research Lead for Arts, Culture and Heritage at Creative PEC, and Senior Lecturer in Quantitative Methods at t...

Professor Stuart Allan

Professor and Head of the School of Journalism, Media and Culture at Cardiff University

Professor Stuart Allan is Professor and Head of the School of Journalism, Media and Culture (JOMEC) at Cardiff University. He...

Dr Victoria Barker

Research Associate for the PEC at the University of Manchester

Victoria is Research Associate for Creative Industries Policy and Evidence at the University of Manchester; researching polic...

​Martha Bloom

Researcher at the Science Policy Research Unit (SPRU), University of Sussex

Martha Bloom is a Researcher at the Science Policy Research Unit (SPRU), University of Sussex. After graduating with a BA in ...

Claudia Burger

Policy Insights Manager

Claudia was the Policy Insights Manager for the PEC where she produced briefing notes and insights for the consortium and wid...

​Dr Roberto Camerani

Research Fellow in the Science Policy Research Unit at the University of Sussex Business School

Dr Roberto Camerani is Research Fellow at SPRU, University of Sussex. He holds a PhD in Science and Technology Policy Studies...

Dr Patrizia Casadei

Research Fellow in Innovation and the Creative Industries in the Science Policy Research Unit at the University of Sussex Business School

Dr Patrizia Casadei is a Research Fellow in Innovation and the Creative Industries in the Science Policy Research Unit at the...

Dr Tom Chivers

Research Associate

Dr Tom Chivers is a Research Associate with Cardiff University, working with the PEC's ‘Public Value in Arts, Culture and Pub...

Dr James Davies

Research Fellow, City-REDI, University of Birmingham

James Davies joined City-REDI in November 2021 as a Research Fellow. His work is focused on the regional impacts of creative ...

John Davies

Principal Data Scientist at Nesta

John Davies is the Principal Data Scientist Nesta. He works on the interface of economics and data analysis, particularly in ...

Dr Salvatore Di Novo

Research Associate at Newcastle University

Dr Salvatore Di Novo is a Research Associate at Newcastle University. His research has focused on industrial organisation, in...

Professor Gillian Doyle

Professor of Media Economics at the University of Glasgow and Director of the Centre for Cultural Policy Research

Professor Gillian Doyle is Professor of Media Economics at the University of Glasgow and Director of the Centre for Cultural ...

​Dr Diana Gutierrez Posada

Research Fellow at City REDI at the University of Birmingham

Dr Diana Gutierrez Posada became a member of City-REDI in January 2019. She is a quantitative researcher specialising in Regi...

​Rebecca Florisson

Policy Analyst at the Work Foundation

Rebecca Florisson is a Policy Analyst at the Work Foundation. Among other projects, she is supporting implementation of the S...

Ula Furgal

Research Associate at CREATe, University of Glasgow

Ula Furgal is a Postdoctoral Researcher at CREATe, the UK Copyright and Creative Economy Centre at the University of Glasgow....

Dr Olivia Gable

Policy Analyst at the Work Foundation

Olivia Gable is a Policy Analyst at the Work Foundation, where she is supporting the PEC's area of work in Skills, Talent and...

Juan Mateos-Garcia

Director of Innovation Mapping at Nesta

Juan Mateos-Garcia is Director of Innovation Mapping at Nesta, where he leads a team using novel data sources and analytical ...

​Dr Abigail Gilmore

Senior Lecturer in Arts Management and Cultural Policy and Head of the Institute for Cultural Practices, University of Manchester

Dr. Abigail Gilmore is Senior Lecturer in Arts Management and Cultural Policy and Head of the Institute for Cultural Practice...

Professor Anne Green

Professor of Regional Economic Development at City REDI at the University of Birmingham

Professor Anne Green is Professor of Regional Economic Development at City-REDI (Regional Economic Development Institute) at ...

Professor Candace Jones

Chair of Global Creative Enterprise at the University of Edinburgh Business School

Professor Candace Jones is the Chair of Global Creative Enterprise at the University of Edinburgh Business School. She receiv...

Dr Jenny Kidd

Senior Lecturer in the School of Journalism, Media and Culture at Cardiff University

Dr Jenny Kidd is Senior Lecturer in the School of Journalism, Media and Culture at Cardiff University. Jenny researches in th...

Dr Tasos Kitsos

Research Fellow at City REDI at the University of Birmingham

Dr Tasos Kitsos is an economist specialising in regional research with interests on regional resilience; the creative and dig...

Professor Martin Kretschmer

Professor of Intellectual Property Law at the University of Glasgow, and Director of CREATe

Professor Martin Kretschmer (LLM LSE, PhD UCL) is Professor of Intellectual Property Law at the University of Glasgow, and Di...

​Dr Neil Lee

Associate Professor in Economic Geography at London School of Economics

Dr Neil Lee is an Associate Professor in Economic Geography at London School of Economics, where he is Director of the MSc in...

Raphael Leung

Data Science Fellow at Nesta

Raphael is a data science fellow at Nesta, where he uses data science methods to study the creative economy. His work include...

Professor Frank Lyons

Dean of Research and Impact in Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences at Ulster University

Professor Frank Lyons is Dean of Research and Impact in Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences at Ulster University. He has dev...

Dr Matt Lyons

Research Fellow at City REDI, University of Birmingham

Matt Lyons is an economist specialising in sub-regional economic modelling. He has recently submitted his PhD at Cardiff Univ...

​Dr Monica Masucci

Lecturer in Strategy and Entrepreneurship in the Department of Strategy and Marketing at the University of Sussex

Dr Monica Masucci is a Lecturer in Strategy and Entrepreneurship at the Department of Strategy and Marketing at the Universit...

Dr Eva Nieto McAvoy

Research Associate at the School for Journalism, Media and Culture at Cardiff University

Dr Eva Nieto McAvoy works as a Research Associate at Cardiff University's School of Journalism, Media and Cultural Studies (J...

Bartolomeo Meletti

Creative Director for CREATe at the University of Glasgow

Bartolomeo Meletti works as Creative Director for CREATe, the UK Copyright and Creative Economy Centre (University of Glasgow...

Professor Paul Moore

Director of Future Screens NI (a part of AHRC's Creative Industries Clusters Programme) and a Co-Director of Ulster University's Creative Industries Institute

Professor Paul Moore joined the University of Ulster in 1999 and has since been active in the development of the creative art...

Dr Max Nathan

Associate Professor, Applied Urban Sciences, UCL

Dr Max Nathan is Associate Professor in Applied Urban Sciences, UCL, and is a Deputy Director of the What Works Centre for Lo...

Dr Caitriona Noonan

Lecturer in Media and Communication in the School for Journalism, Media and Culture at Cardiff University

Dr Caitriona Noonan is lecturer in Media and Communication in the School for Journalism, Media and Culture at Cardiff Univers...

​Dr Dave O’Brien

Professor of Cultural and Creative Industries at The School of Arts, Languages and Cultures at The University of Manchester

Dr Dave O’Brien is Chancellor's Fellow in Cultural and Creative Industries, based in the School of History of Art at the Univ...

Dr Ania Ostrowska

Research Officer (Screen), Creative Scotland

Research Officer (Screen), Creative Scotland

Professor Raquel Ortega-Argile

Chair of Regional Economic Development at City REDI at the University of Birmingham

Professor Raquel Ortega-Argile holds the Chair of Regional Economic Development at City REDI Institute at the University of B...

Rebecca Riley

Business Development Director of City REDI at the University of Birmingham

Rebecca Riley is the Business Development Director of City-REDI and leads on all consultancy services and operational deliver...

Richard Sambrook

Professor of Journalism at Cardiff University

Richard Sambrook is Professor of Journalism and Director of the Centre for Journalism at Cardiff University. He began his car...

Professor Jonathan Sapsed

Professor of Innovation and Entrepreneurship at Newcastle University Business School

Professor Jonathan Sapsed is Professor of Innovation and Entrepreneurship at Newcastle University Business School. He was Pri...

​Professor Philip Schlesinger

Professor in Cultural Policy at the University of Glasgow and Deputy Director of CREATe

Professor Philip Schlesinger is Professor in Cultural Policy at the University of Glasgow and Visiting Professor in Media and...

​Dr Cath Sleeman

Quantitative Research Fellow, Creative Economy & Data Analytics at Nesta

Dr Cath Sleeman is the Quantitative Research Fellow at Nesta. Her work shows new insights from novel sources of big data, suc...

Dr Hyojung Sun

Research Associate in Creative Industries in the School of Arts and Humanities, Ulster University

Dr Hyojung Sun is a Research Associate in creative industries at Ulster University. She is an interdisciplinary researcher, w...

Professor Bruce Tether

Professor of Innovation Management and Strategy at the Alliance Manchester Business School, University of Manchester

Professor Bruce Tether is Professor of Innovation Management and Strategy at the Alliance Manchester Business School (AMBS) w...

Dr Jorge Velez-Ospina

Research Fellow in Innovation and Creative Industries

Dr Jorge Velez-Ospina is a Research Fellow in Innovation and Creative Industries in the Science Policy Research Unit (SPRU) a...

Dr Wessel Vermeulen

Lecturer in Macroeconomics at Newcastle University Business School

Dr Wessel Vermeulen is a Lecturer in Economics at Newcastle University Business School. He is an applied economist working on...

Xiaoren Wang

Postdoc research associate at CREATe

Xiaoren Wang is a postdoc research associate at CREATe, the UK Copyright and Creative Economy Centre at the University of Gla...

​Melanie Wilkes

Policy Advisor at the Work Foundation

Melanie Wilkes is a Policy Advisor at the Work Foundation and has extensive experience in research and policy development. Sh...

Professor Stuart Allan

Professor and Head of the School of Journalism, Media and Culture at Cardiff University

Professor Stuart Allan is Professor and Head of the School of Journalism, Media and Culture (JOMEC) at Cardiff University. He...

Hasan Bakhshi

Director, Creative Industries Policy and Evidence Centre, Nesta

Hasan leads the Creative Industries Policy and Evidence Centre, a Nesta-led, AHRC-funded research consortium of ten universit...

Professor Martin Kretschmer

Professor of Intellectual Property Law at the University of Glasgow, and Director of CREATe

Professor Martin Kretschmer (LLM LSE, PhD UCL) is Professor of Intellectual Property Law at the University of Glasgow, and Di...

Professor Giorgio Fazio

Chair of Macroeconomics at Newcastle University Business School

Professor Giorgio Fazio is an applied economist with expertise in open macroeconomics, trade and investment. He has published...

Lesley Giles

Director of Work Advance

Lesley Giles is Director of Work Advance, where she undertakes analysis and evaluation, and provides policy advice around wor...

Dr Josh Siepel

Senior Lecturer at the Science Policy Research Unit (SPRU) at the University of Sussex Business School

Josh Siepel is Senior Lecturer at the Science Policy Research Unit (SPRU) at the University of Sussex Business School. He is ...

Professor Bruce Tether

Research Director of the PEC and Professor of Innovation Management and Strategy at the Alliance Manchester Business School

Professor Bruce Tether is Professor of Innovation Management and Strategy at the Alliance Manchester Business School (AMBS) w...

Tom Adeyoola

Entrepreneur

Tom Adeyoola is a technology entrepreneur. He was CEO and Founder of apparel technology scale-up Metail (2008-2019); acquired...

Alia Alzougbi

Artist, Educator and Cultural Producer

Alia works at the intersection of arts, education and activism. Her grounding in Social Anthropology, Applied Theatre and Dev...

Syima Aslam

Director at Bradford Literature Festival

Syima Aslam is founder and Director of the Bradford Literature Festival (BLF) which she has established as one of the most in...

Sade Banks

Founder and CEO of Sour Lemons

Sade Banks is currently the co-director of the social justice consultancy, The What If Experiment, where she creates strategi...

Mandy Barker

Founder of Sail Creative

Mandy is founder of Sail Creative, and a participatory designer focusing on story-led solutions. With a strong focus on co-cr...

Lucy Bayliss

Head of Creative Programmes at DanceEast

Lucy has been working in the arts sector for the last 18 years, specialising in dance participation and training and is passi...

Charlotte Beevor

Entrepreneurial Designer and Stylist

Charlotte is an award-winning Entrepreneurial Designer and Stylist with a passion for colour, sustainability and creative dir...

Stephen Bennett

Joint Head of Policy Lab and Visual artist

Stephen Bennett is a multimedia artist and policy-maker working at the intersection of art, science and politics. Stephen wor...

Sarah Bird

Director of Wild Rumpus

Sarah Bird is a Director of Wild Rumpus, a rural community interest company based in a woodland in Cheshire. The organisation...

Wolfgang Buttress

Artist

Artist Wolfgang Buttress creates multi-sensory artworks that draw inspiration from our evolving relationship with the ‘natura...

Ben Carlin

Co-Founder of Megaverse and Immerse Sheffield

Ben is the Co-Founder and Co-Director of immersive content studio Megaverse which specialise in creating bespoke, platform na...

Tom Chalmers

Founder and Managing Director at Legend Times Group

Tom Chalmers is the Managing Director of Legend Times, a group of publishing companies he has founded. He started his first c...

Paul Corcoran

Chief Executive at Agent Marketing

Paul is CEO of independent brand agency, Agent and the pioneering Agent Academy CIC which helps young people start careers wi...

Dr Oliver Cox

Heritage Engagement Fellow at the University of Oxford

Oliver is Heritage Engagement Fellow at the University of Oxford where he leads a team dedicated to creating mutually benefic...

Stephanie Edwards

Co-Founder of Urban Symbiotics

Stephanie Edwards is an Architect, Urbanist and an elected Council member of the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA)...

Inua Ellams

Poet, Playwright, Performer, Graphic Artist and Designer

Born in Nigeria, Inua Ellams is a Poet, Playwright and Performer, Graphic artist and Designer. He is a Complete Works poet al...

Sarah Ellis

Director of Digital Development at Royal Shakespeare Company

Sarah Ellis is an award winning producer currently working as Director of Digital Development for the Royal Shakespeare Compa...

Ben Evans

Director at London Design Festival

Ben Evans is the Director of London Design Festival, which he co-founded with Sir John Sorrell in 2003. The Festival celebrat...

Michaela Greene

Development and Communications Director at Roundhouse

Michaela Greene is the Development and Communications Director of the Roundhouse and has been at the organisation for over si...

Natalie Griffith

Brand & Marketing Director of Unit 2 Games

Natalie is the Brand and Marketing Director for award-winning independent game studio Unit 2 Games, and the former founder an...

Loyd Grossman

Chairman of The Royal Parks

Loyd Grossman is Chairman of The Royal Parks and well known as a food entrepreneur and broadcaster. His television career inc...

Tony Heaton

Freelance Sculptor and Performance Artist

Tony Heaton OBE is a practising Sculptor, Chair of Shape Arts and Consultant/Advisor to many major cultural organisations, in...

Amir Hussain

Chief Executive at Yeme Architects

As founder of Bradford based Yeme Architects, Amir Hussain has been extensively involved in design-led, aspirational regenera...

Lyndsey Jackson

Deputy Chief Executive at Edinburgh Fringe Festival Society

Lyndsey Jackson is a senior arts administrator and live event producer, currently the Deputy Chief Executive of the Edinburgh...

Jennifer Johnston

Head of Learning at Into Film

Jennifer Johnston is Into Film’s Head of Learning UK, and Head of Programme, Northern Ireland, leading the Curation, Training...

Reiko Kaneko

Ceramicist, Designer and Educator

Reiko Kaneko is ceramicist, designer and educator based in London. She works at various scales in a range of typologies, desi...

Kurban Kassam

Freelance Film Producer

Kurban recently produced the feature film “The Party” starring Kristen Scott-Thomas, Timothy Spall and Cillian Murphy. The fi...

Noel Kelly

Chief Executive Officer and Director at Visual Artists Ireland

Noel Kelly is Chief Executive Officer of Visual Artists Ireland – the representative body for professional visual artists on ...

Anra Kennedy

Content and Partnerships Director at Culture24

Anra works with museums, galleries and heritage organisations, nationally and internationally, to help them successfully navi...

Nick Keynes

Director at Tileyard Studios

Former songwriter/producer Nick Keynes manages all aspects of Europe’s largest creative community, Tileyard London. Nick has ...

Vikas Kumar

Founder and Director of GemArts

Vikas Kumar is Founder and Director of GemArts, and since 2001 he has been leading this visionary arts organisation. Vikas’ p...

Hope Dickson Leach

Writer and Director

Hope completed her MFA in filmmaking at Columbia University where she made short films that played at festivals worldwide. Wh...

Anna Lowe

Co-founder and Director of Partnerships at Smartify

Anna Lowe is CoFounder of Smartify, a multi award-winning app named by the New Scientist as the ‘Shazam and Spotify of art’. ...

Amanda Maxwell

Community Manager and board member of shesaid.so

Amanda Maxwell is a board member and Community Manager of women in music network shesaid.so and a regular contributor to pane...

Samuel McDowell

Co-Founder and Director of Charco Press

Samuel McDowell initially trained as a commercial pilot, before embarking on a career in information technology, working for ...

Vaughn McKenzie

CEO of JAAK

Vaughn is CEO and co-founder at JAAK. Vaughn has been a pivotal figure in communicating the bold vision of JAAK to build a sp...

Fiona McLaughlin

Co-founding Director at Taunt Studios

Fiona McLaughlin is the Co-founding Director of the animation, VFX and interactive image studio, Taunt, located in the heart ...

Conor Mitchell

Founder and Artistic Director of The Belfast Ensemble

Conor Mitchell is the Founder and Artistic Director of The Belfast Ensemble, a pioneering music organisation in Northern Irel...

Jo Morrison

Director of Digital Innovation at Calvium

Jo operates at the intersection of research, design and enterprise. Focusing on digital innovation and multidisciplinary coll...

Dr Helen Mort

Author

Helen Mort has published two poetry collections with Chatto and Windus, ‘Division Street’ (2013) and ‘No Map Could Show Them’...

Liz Mosley

Self-employed Graphic Designer

Liz Mosley is a self-employed Graphic Designer with a passion for supporting and working with small businesses. She works for...

Dave Moutrey

Director and CEO at HOME

Dave has worked as an arts professional for over 30 years. He currently leads HOME, a purpose built 7,500m2 multi art form ve...

Kobi Onyame

Recording artist, Producer and Songwriter

Kobi Onyame (b. Kwame Barfour-Osei, July 3rd, 1982) is a Ghanaian/British recording artist, producer and songwriter. Describe...

Rachel O’Riordan

Artistic Director of the Lyric Hammersmith Theatre

Rachel O’Riordan was appointed the Artistic Director of the Lyric Hammersmith Theatre in February 2019 and her first programm...

Laura Pye

Director at National Museums Liverpool

Laura Pye, Director of National Museums Liverpool, joined the organisation in August 2018. Born in Liverpool, Laura returned ...

Lara Ratnaraja

Cultural Consultant

Lara is a freelance cultural consultant specialising in diversity, innovation, leadership, collaboration and cultural policy ...

Indhu Rubasingham

Artistic Director at Kiln Theatre

Indhu Rubasingham is the Artistic Director of Kiln Theatre. Productions as Artistic Director include: Red Velvet (Evening Sta...

Will Saunders

Consultant and Executive Producer

Will Saunders is an independent media consultant, and executive producer. He is Creative Industries Lead for the AHRC funded ...

Michelle Adia Scarlett

Community Immersive Producer

Community Immersive Producer (Freelance) with experience in directing and producing documentaries and films. Former Sara Putt...

Nasima Siddiqui

Co-Founder at WyndyMilla

Nasima decided to create The Fit Cycle to take her love for cycling together with her wealth of knowledge and experience on t...

Jaswinder Singh

Director of Asian Arts Agency

Jaswinder Singh is the Director of the Asian Arts Agency, a dynamic arts and music development agency based in Bristol that d...

Amy Smith

Head of Talent at Framestore

Amy has been working in talent related roles within the visual effects industry for over fifteen years, in both the UK and Ca...

Nick Starr

Co-Founder at Bridge Theatre

Nick Starr founded London Theatre Company with Nicholas Hytner in 2015 on leaving the National Theatre which they ran 2003-20...

Tolu Stedford

Development Producer at the Independent Film Trust and CEO of Creative Lions Productions

Tolu Stedford is a writer, producer and actress. With over 20 years of industry experience, she has entertained audiences on ...

Phil Stuart

Founder and Creative Director of PRELOADED

Phil is founder and Creative Director of BAFTA-winning game studio PRELOADED. Since 2000 he has worked with game-based techno...

Maria Tanjala

Co-founder of Big Couch and FilmChain

Maria's background is in film production, from line producing, budgeting to distribution strategies. She is passionate about ...

Nia Thomas

Managing Director at Boom Cymru

Nia Thomas is Managing Director of Cardiff based Boom Cymru TV Ltd, one of Wales’s largest, indigenous production groups. Emp...

Yehrin Tong

Illustrator

Yehrin Tong is an award winning London based illustrator, born in the UK and from Korean descent. She studied graphic design ...

Polly Tootal

Freelance Photographer

Polly Tootal’s photography tells the stories of landscapes and of the people who inhabit them—how they came to be there and w...

Zing Tsjeng

Freelance Journalist

Zing Tsjeng is a journalist, podcaster, presenter and author. She is currently the executive editor of VICE UK, where she hos...

Sandeep Virdee

Artistic Director and Founder Trustee at Darbar Arts Culture Heritage Trust

Born in Nakuru, Kenya, Sandeep grew up to the sounds of his teacher and father, Bhai Gurmit Singh Virdee (1937-2005), playing...

Annie Warburton

Chief Executive at Cockpit Arts

Annie Warburton is CEO of Cockpit Arts, London's leading studios for contemporary craft and design and a NatWest SE100 award-...

Sharon Watson

CEO and Principal of Northern School of Contemporary Dance

Sharon Watson CEO and Principal of Northern School of Contemporary Dance. Prior to this, Sharon was the 7th Artistic Director...

Claire Whitaker

Bid Director, Southampton City of Culture 2025

Claire has been appointed to take forward Southampton’s Bid for City of Culture 2025, working with Southampton’s communities,...

Nia Williams

Director of Learning and Engagement at National Museum Wales

Nia Williams is Director of Learning and Engagement at Amgueddfa Cymru - National Museum Wales. A qualified teacher and fluen...

Nicole Yershon

Freelance Advertising Consultant

Nicole is the founder of The NYC and before that the Ogilvy Labs – the dedicated Innovation unit of Ogilvy and Mather Group. ...

John Newbigin OBE - UK

Chair, PEC International Council

John is the Mayor of London’s Ambassador for the Creative Industries and is Chair of the Creative Industries Policy and Evide...

Daniar Amanaliev - Kyrgyzstan

Co-founder and CEO of ololo coworking spaces, Chair of Kyrgyzstan’s Creative Industries association.

Daniar is a serial creative entrepreneur and creative economy enthusiast. He is the co-founder, and business conductor of olo...

Laura Callanan - New York City, United States

Founding Partner of Upstart Co-Lab

Laura is the founding partner of Upstart Co-Lab. Upstart Co-Lab is disrupting how creativity is funded by connecting impact i...

Edna dos Santos-Duisenberg - based in Geneva, Switzerland and Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Economist, Policy Advisor and Researcher on Creative Economy and Development

Edna is an economist who had an international career at the United Nations. She set-up and was Chief, Creative Economy Progra...

Bernd Fesel - Cologne Area, Germany

Lecturer at the Hamburg Institute for Arts and Media Management

Bernd Fesel started his career in the art market, becoming 1997 Managing Director of the European Gallery Association. He als...

George Gachara - Kenya, Rwanda, Uganda, Tanzania, Ethiopia

Social entrepreneur, Arts Manager, and the Managing Partner at HEVA Fund LLP.

George is a social entrepreneur, arts manager, and managing partner at HEVA Fund LLP. George is leading the development and b...

Avril Joffe - Johannesburg, South Africa

Head of Cultural Policy & Management Department at the Wits School of Arts, University of the Witwatersrand

Avril is an economic sociologist working at the intersection of academia and practice in fields such as culture in urban life...

Marcel Kraus - Prague, Czech Republic

R&D Programme Designer and Manager at the Technology Agency of the Czech Republic

Marcel promotes the innovative potential of social sciences, humanities and arts and interdisciplinary innovation at Charles ...

Tita Larasati - West Java, Indonesia

Lecturer and Researcher at Industrial Design Program, FSRD ITB, Indonesia

Tita is a product designer, lecturer/researcher at Institut Teknologi Bandung (ITB), Focal Point for Bandung City of Design U...

Jairaj Mashru - Mumbai, India

Innovation Executive at Salesforce.com

His creative pursuits have led him to also teach design, innovation, and entrepreneurship, to mentor startups, and provide ev...

Omar Nagati - Cairo, Egypt

Architect, Urban Planner and Co-founder of CLUSTER

Omar is a practicing architect and urban planner, the co-founder of CLUSTER, an urban design and research platform downtown C...

Diana Marcela Rey Vásque

Director of the eCommerce Observatory and Consultantv- based in Montreal, Canada

Diana is a Political Scientist with a PhD in Latin American Studies, is an expert in the creative economy and digital economy...

Leandro Valiati - Brazil, France and the UK

Professor and Researcher in Creative Industries and Cultural Economics

Leandro started his career in Brazil as a professor and policy advisor in Creative Industries and Economy of Culture, creatin...