As Chief Executive, I'm responsible for the strategic leadership and management of the organisation. This involves a wide range of duties including the exploration of new business opportunities, ensuring our social objectives remain central to the design and delivery of all our programmes and services.

Having studied at Falmouth School of Art and at Courtauld Institute, my background and professional expertise is firmly rooted in the visual arts. However,  I'm also passionate about theatre and poetry having spent many years working with small theatre companies, both as an actor and director.

In addition to my work at Creative United, I am involved in a voluntary capacity on the Board of a number of other arts organisations including Poet in the City, New Contemporaries and the Oppenheim-John Downes Memorial Trust.

David has enjoyed a highly successful career in retail during which he worked as MD of Currys and Waterstones. Currently, David is pursuing a plural career in the Arts and Creative industries in both commercial and not for profit organisations. His particular areas of focus in the cultural sector are music, visual arts and archaeology. He is Chair of the Association of Illustrators and the Advisory Board of DigVentures Archaeology, he is also Board Advisor to Tatty Devine and a Trustee of the Earth Trust.

David brings together his skills in both arts and business in his role of Chair of Creative United. In particular, his experience of investing in and chairing start-up and early-stage creative businesses is of considerable value to Creative United. His experience in retail is of great value to Take it away and Own Art.

David is greatly enjoying helping Creative United reach its full potential in terms of social benefit and economic growth, and leading a truly dynamic Board of Directors.

Professor Nick Henry is Co-Director at the Centre for Business in Society, Coventry University. Previously he was Consulting Director, Economic Development and Economic Policy at ICF GHK Consulting. He sits on Coventry University’s City of Culture 2021 Steering Group and is a member of Big Society Capital’s Community Investment Steering Group.

Nick has long run, substantial and wide-ranging experience of directing and managing research and consultancy projects on economic and social development at European, national, regional and local levels for Directorate Generals, numerous Government departments and quangos, national foundations, charities and trade associations, regional and local economic development partnerships, Local Authorities and voluntary and community sector organisations. Nick is a Visiting Fellow at Cranfield School of Management and Centre for Urban and Regional Development Studies at the University of Newcastle-upon-Tyne.

Rikesh Shah qualified as a Chartered Accountant with Deloitte in London in the audit and advisory practice, working mostly with small and medium sized businesses, and holds an MBA from London Business School.

He is currently Project Director for the London Symphony Orchestra with responsibility for a range of strategic projects. He was previously the LSO's Finance Director, having previously held similar roles at Somerset House and The Royal Ballet School.

Rikesh is a Trustee of the Royal Philharmonic Society and has also been involved with a number of other arts organisations in a variety of consultancy and pro bono roles.

Suzanne joined the Board of Creative United in January 2019 & is excited about supporting Creative United to realise its ambitions.

Prior to this, she has worked in a variety of roles in the disability, arts, housing and events sectors. She has a background in pr, marketing, access consultancy and training, and fundraising. She has both a professional and personal interest in making culture inclusive to disabled people, with a focus on live music. Her work has lead to the following recognition:

• June 2013 - Honoured with an MBE in the Queen’s Birthday Honours’ List for services to music, arts & disabled people.
• 2015 - Awarded Access All Areas Editor’s Award.
• 2015 - 2017 - Listed in Power 100, Britain’s most influential disabled people, supported by the Shaw Trust.
• 2017 - Recognised in ‘She Said So’s Alternative Power 100 List’, recognising unheard voices in the music industry. In the same year, she was enrolled into Music Week’s ‘Women in Music’s Roll of Honour.’
• 2018 - Awarded Music Week’s ‘Women in Music’s Campaigner of the Year Award.’

Suzanne is currently CEO at Attitude is Everything which improves Deaf and disabled people’s access to live music. She founded this project in 2000 and grew into a fully-fledged charity over 18 years. She is also one of the Minister for Disabled People’s, Work and Health ‘Disability Sector Champions’, who help to tackle the issues that disabled people face as customers. She represents the concerns of disabled customers & uses her influence to promote the benefits of being inclusive to the music industry.

Rosie is Co-Founder and Managing Director of Tatty Devine. The cult jewellery label was founded in 1999 in East London by Rosie and Harriet Vine MBE, having just graduated from art school. Rosie drives the business operations and manages the brand, leading a team of twenty staff, across three locations; building and retaining their jewellery production in Britain whilst representing British design on an international level. Rosie strives to promote creativity and equality and received an MBE in 2013 for services to the Fashion Industry. She recently worked for the Institute of Apprenticeships & Technical Education as a member of the Craft and Design T Level Panel helping to shape the curriculum. Rosie is also a Trustee of the Ventnor Exchange, on the advisory board for the East End Trades Guild and a Brother of the Art Workers Guild.