Baltic Creative CIC has strengthened its board of directors with the appointment of four new members from across the digital, creative and property sectors at the city’s digital and creative hub.
The breadth of experience across the new appointments will “enable Baltic Creative to continue to drive the growth of the creative and digital industries in the Liverpool City Region, developing and supporting a thriving ecosystem of start-ups, micro-businesses, SMEs, freelancers and entrepreneurs.”
Entrepreneurship specialist, Julian Woods, arrives at Baltic Creative with a background in consumer technology, including gaming as Microsoft’s UK head of Xbox sales and marketing, and extensive experience in mentoring business owners. He is joined by Liz Edwards, an HR consultant who is currently studying for a PhD in community-owned infrastructure.
The third appointment, Adrien Mogenet, is a specialist in data science and engineering who supports teams to optimise their business data to boost revenue and maximise efficiencies. He is joined by Dr Paul Jones, a research practitioner, professional consultant in urban regeneration and lecturer at University of Salford.
It’s not all one-way traffic, as the new arrivals coincide with the departure of Dr Fiona Armstrong-Gibbs, programme leader in executive education at LJMU, as chair of the board. Armstrong-Gibbs was a founding director of Baltic Creative and her involvement over the last 15 years has been instrumental in creating a nurturing environment for creative and digital businesses to flourish in the Liverpool City Region.
Karen Beddow, who joined the board in 2018, takes on the interim chair position.
CEO of Baltic Creative, Lynn Haime, said: “I’m very pleased to welcome four new members to the Baltic Creative board of directors. So much of the work we do wouldn’t be possible without the support of our non-executive directors, and this new cohort bring with them a wealth of diverse experience from across the creative and digital sectors, and the built environment.
“After 15 years as part of our board, we’re sad to see Dr Fiona Armstrong-Gibbs step down in her role as chair, but we’re incredibly thankful for the work she’s undertaken with us and the invaluable contributions she has made to the creation and growth of Baltic Creative.
“It’s a very exciting time for us, with a host of new businesses joining our community this year and the continued growth of the creative and digital sectors in Liverpool showing great promise. I look forward to working closely with our new board members to carry our vision forward and deliver for the many brilliant businesses that call the Baltic Triangle home.”
Outgoing chair Armstrong-Gibbs added: “I’ve had an incredible journey with Baltic Creative over the last 15 years. It’s a journey that has profoundly impacted both my professional and personal life and has introduced me to several brilliant people who have become colleagues and good friends.
“I’m confident in handing over the reins to Lynn, Karen, the board and the wider team to guide us through the next 15 years – continuing to foster a great sense of community, support the growth of our creative and digital economy, and champion innovation at every opportunity.”
