Tony Hall is Chairman of social work charity Frontline, the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra (CBSO), and film company Harder Than You Think Ltd. He is a Trustee of The National Trust, The Natural History Museum, The Paul Hamlyn Foundation, and the Oxford Philharmonic Orchestra, and sits on the Advisory Board for Qwilt. Lord Hall is a former Chairman of the National Gallery, Director-General of the BBC, Chief Executive of the Royal Opera House, and President of the European Broadcasting Union. He was the inaugural Chair of Creative & Cultural Skills, served on the London Organising Committee for the Olympic Games, and chaired the Cultural Olympiad Board. He was awarded a CBE in 2006 and made a life peer in 2010. He sits on the crossbenches in the House of Lords.

Donna Howitt is Deputy Centre Director Liverpool ONE , Landsec Tourism Lead, having joined the organisation in 2007. She plays a key role in shaping the destination’s strategic direction and public engagement.

Donna is actively involved in the wider visitor economy sector, taking a seat on the region’s Visitor Economy Board. As Chair of the board for the City Region’s Destination Marketing Strategy, she works across regions and sectors to establish a sustainable, coordinated programme of destination marketing and dispersal, harnessing the collective appeal of the region’s individual assets. Her collaborative approach helps drive inclusive growth and long-term impact.

Alan Adams is General Manager of Southport Flower Show and Victoria Park Events, based at the 34-acre Victoria Park in the heart of Southport. With a strong commitment to regional growth, Alan’s long-term vision is to boost revenue and footfall across the area. He aims to build on the success of existing events and initiatives, encouraging innovation and fresh direction while preserving the history and integrity of the region. Under his leadership, Victoria Park continues to evolve as a vibrant destination for community engagement, cultural celebration, and economic development. Alan works closely with local stakeholders, partners, and creative teams to ensure the park remains a dynamic and inclusive space for visitors and residents alike.

Paul Askew has been working in the hospitality industry for 42 years and is a proud patron of The Art School. A passionate and respected figure in the culinary world, Paul is a vocal advocate for the hospitality industry in the Wirral and the wider city region, especially during the ravages of the pandemic. Paul has relentlessly championed and battled for the entire sector, both on his doorstep and across the UK, using his platform to highlight the challenges and celebrate the resilience of hospitality professionals. As part of his wider work, Paul is a fellow of the Royal Academy of Culinary Arts and serves as their Joint Chairman for the North of England. He regularly collaborates with industry leaders, mentors emerging talent, and contributes to national conversations around food, culture, and sustainability.

Clare became Chair of Sport Liverpool when she stepped down as CEO of World Netball, a role she’s held since 2012. During her tenure, she led the Federation’s strategic growth, expanding the sport’s global reach and overseeing major events like the Netball World Cup. A strong advocate for diversity and inclusion, Clare works to ensure everyone has a voice in sport. With a commercial background in the chemical and consumer durables sectors, Clare moved to the North West in 1990 and now lives in Warrington. Calre's been active in rowing as an athlete, official and volunteer, and currently serves as President of the North West Regional Rowing Council and sits on the Board of British Rowing. In 2021, she joined the Executive Board of ARISF

Councillor Harry Doyle is a Liverpool City Councillor representing the Knotty Ash & Dovecot Park Ward, and serves as the City’s Cabinet Member for Health, Wellbeing and Culture.

Harry was instrumental in the bidding, delivery and huge success of Eurovision 2023, which led to him attending the official handover in Malmö, Sweden. Harry views culture as a necessity that brings communities together, grows our economy and promotes good mental health and wellbeing amongst our residents and visitors. Having held the portfolio for Culture since 2021, his role expanded in May 2023 to include Public Health.

Faye Dyer is CEO of ACC Liverpool Group, operators of Liverpool City Region’s award-winning waterfront event campus – comprising the M&S Bank Arena, ACC Liverpool Conference Centre, Exhibition Centre Liverpool and Pullman Hotel, and owners of a regional ticketing business Ticket Quarter.

Alongside this role, Faye is also an Accommodation BID Board member bringing significant experience and insight in relation to business events.  

Cllr Kate Groucutt is the Cabinet Member for Economy, Business & Skills on St Helens Borough Council.  She leads the Council’s work on business support and engagement, employment and skills, licensing and regulatory services, and inclusive economic growth.  Kate is deputy portfolio holder for Economic Development & Business for the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority, working with colleagues from all six local authorities to support growth and prosperity across the whole region. 

Peter Hampson is the Chief Executive of the British Destinations Association, specialising in UK domestic and international inbound tourism.

Peter is also well known for lobbying and working with Government, government departments and non-governmental agencies, industry groups and other trade bodies and association in support of UK destination-based tourism and visitor economy interests 

Madeline Heneghan became Writing on the Wall’s (WoW) first full-time Festival Director in 2006, overseeing the annual Festival and all WoW projects. She holds an MA in American Literature and History, and previously coordinated The Black and Racial Minority Network’s Action Plan. Most recently, she co-authored a book with Emy Onuora based on the Great War to Race Riots Creative Heritage Project. Madeline now leads WoW’s latest Creative Heritage Project on the Liverpool 8 Law Centre archives and helps shape the organisation’s long-term strategy.

John Hughes has worked in Liverpool’s night-time economy for 39 years, taking on a leadership role over the last five to ensure the sector is well represented. He helped establish the city’s multi-stakeholder pub watch committee, aligning business and community goals. In 2018, he co-founded #Nomoreknives, an anti-knife campaign raising awareness of knife crime. John is also active in the City Council Joint Agency group, the student safety ‘Stop the Hate’ initiative, and the visitor economy welcome group for Eurovision. He is Chair and Founder of Liverpool Nightlife CIC.

Howard Lewis is the General Manager of the Novotel Liverpool Paddington Village, a 221-bedroom hotel in the heart of Paddington Village, and Chair of Club Liverpool, a board that brings Ambassadors together to promote the Liverpool City Region as a venue for major events/congresses, mainly focusing on health and life sciences. Howard also sits on the board of the Liverpool Hospitality Association, and is a member and attends UK Hospitality meetings and events, and an accommodation BID Board member for Liverpool.

Kathryn Macauley is Head of Human Resources at Stanley Enterprise, the organisation behind Knowsley Safari Park and Knowsley Hall. With over 16 years of HR experience — including 12 in the visitor economy — she brings strategic and operational expertise to her role on the Liverpool City Region Visitor Economy Board. As the board’s representative for Workforce and Skills, Kathryn champions inclusive growth and social mobility. She’s worked with the Combined Authority to secure funded training and career development, and led partnerships with charities and universities to widen access to employment. Her leadership ensures workforce development drives long-term careers and reflects the board’s commitment to a skilled, diverse, and future-ready visitor economy.

Eunice Obianagha is the Founder and Director of ENSPIRE Management, a project and event management consultancy, specialising in managing complex projects across the music, entertainment, community and cultural sectors. At the beginning of 2024, Eunice was named an honouree in the ‘Black in Events Top 100’ global list.

Under her consultancy business ENSPIRE, Eunice has delivered projects for some extraordinarily visionary organisations in the entertainment industry. One example is the MOBO Organisation where Eunice has served as the Director of Events and Special Projects for several years. Working closely with the CEO she has led the MOBO Awards productions for national and international broadcast on channels including BBC, ITV, Viacom and YouTube. In addition, her company has delivered exciting events for clients such as Pinterest, Ted Baker, and Pattern by Tracee Ellis Ross, showcasing her ability to provide top-tier services in the commercial sector. She has also successfully project-managed live music productions in different locations in Nigeria, such as Lagos, Abuja, Port Harcourt, and Calabar, including the first production in Nigeria of ITV’s ‘The Voice’.

As Head of Diversity at UK Music, Eunice brings a wealth of professional and lived experience to this strategic role. She leads the development and implementation of the overall diversity strategy for UK Music and its member trade bodies who represent all sectors of the music industry (BPI, Musicians Union, Featured Artists Coalition, Music Manager Forum, Ivors Academy, PPL, PRS for Music, Music Publishers Association, Music Producers Guild).

Together with her work in the commercial sector, Eunice has extensive experience working with non-profits at senior level. She is the chairwoman for the Arts Council England NPO Small Green Shoots which is a music charity that provides industry led professional development for young people from underrepresented backgrounds.

As a champion for music culture, Eunice was nominated to become a member of the BRIT Awards Voting Academy. She has held this role since 2016 and is also a Music Advisor for the PRS Foundation.

In 2021, Eunice was bestowed the honour of being added to the She.Said.So Alt 100 Power list under the Business and Tech category. In that same year, she was chosen out of over 500 applicants to be one of the first PRS Foundation Power Up Fellows. Supported by YouTube Music, Beggars Group and many other music companies, the programme was created to break glass ceilings for Black senior and middle level music executives and creators. As part of the alumni, Eunice is an ambassador for the initiative and its ethos.

Barrington Paul Robinson is a creative producer who left a 15-year career in finance to pursue his passion for screen arts. Named a Screen International Star of Tomorrow in 2006 and one of the UK Film Council’s Breakthrough Brits in 2008, he has built a catalogue of short films screened at festivals worldwide.

Barrington is also well known for his high-end television work, including producing the BBC’s The Responder (2022), which received critical acclaim. His work is defined by a commitment to authentic storytelling and a drive to elevate underrepresented voices in film and television.

Mona Hassan is a Quantity Surveyor at Gleeds, and previously worked in the public sector, supporting the transition of the civil service estate. She is actively involved in the built environment dialogue, including speaking at major events such as UKREiiF and the London Real Estate Forum, and as a member of the RICS Matrix Liverpool committee, where she delivers networking and CPD opportunities for industry professionals. Mona is also chair of the Liverpool City Region Future Impact Board, where she works collaboratively with the Combined Authority, local councils and the private sector to represent the narratives of young professionals working across the Liverpool City Region.