The Centre is run by a small team multi-disciplinary team of academic and administrative staff. They are supported by a group of Associate Fellows and visiting lecturers who contribute to teaching or advise on research issues.

Academic Staff

Dr Jeremy Ahearne

Dr Eleonora Belfiore

Professor Oliver Bennett

Dr Chris Bilton 

Dr Clive Gray

Ruth Leary

Dr Jonathan Vickery

Dr David Wright

Administrative Staff

Paula Watkins

Kate Brennan

Specialist Librarian

Richard Perkins

Associate Fellows

Dr Nobuko Kawashima

Dr Nobuko Kawashima is a Research Associate of the Centre for Cultural Policy Studies. Previous research posts have included that of Research Fellow in Cultural Policy at the University of Warwick and researcher at the Dentsu Institute for Human Studies in Tokyo. She has published widely on cultural policy, focusing her research on comparative studies and on the application of theories of public policy to culture and the arts. She lectures in economics at Doshisha University in Kyoto.

Dr Martin J. Liu

Martin is Senior Lecturer in the Department of Human Resource and Marketing Management, Portsmouth Business School, UK. He has worked as a project manager and industry consultant in areas mostly related to marketing communications but also the broader terrain of business management. He researches issues of Authenticity Evaluation, Cross Border Brand Strategy, Marketing Communication Strategy, Consumption Culture and Experimental Methods. Martin continues to contribute to the development and teaching of the MA International Design and Communication Management on the business and management of design and creative products.

Heather Maitland

Heather Maitland is the author of numerous books on arts marketing, including A Guide to Audience Development (Arts Council, 1997), and currently works as an independent arts consultant. She lectured part-time in the Centre for Cultural Policy Studies from 1992 to 2002. Other previous posts have included those of General Manager of Midlands Arts Marketing and Marketing Manager (London) for the Royal Shakespeare Company.

Anna Williams

Anna Williams is the Finance Director of Birmingham Royal Ballet. She qualified as a chartered accountant in 1992 and has worked at Birmingham Royal Ballet since 1994. As a member of the senior management team, her responsibilities include financial planning and strategy, IT development and reporting to and advising BRB’s board of directors on financial and corporate governance issues. She is also a director of The Drum an international arts centre, based in Birmingham, dedicated to promoting and developing African, Asian and Caribbean arts and culture. She lectures part-time at the Centre for Cultural Policy Studies.

Dr Natalia Helen Yannopoulou

Natalia is Lecturer in Marketing at Nottingham University Business School, the University of Nottingham, UK. She has a background in bank management and business consultancy, and now researches in marketing, particularly advertising, branding and consumer behaviour. She has published in a number of journals in the field of marketing. Natalia has contributed to the development and teaching of the MA in International Design and Communication Management, particularly looking at creative advertising communications, brand strategy and consumer experience and interpretation.

Dianne Page

Dianne began her career as an international translator, then moved into Public Relations consultancy. She was with Barkers PR in Birmingham, ultimately becoming Managing Director. Barkers was bought in 2002 by McCann Erickson Birmingham, part of one of the world’s largest advertising agencies, where she then became Executive Chairman of the PR division, employing a team of 30. She retired in 2006 to undertake academic study and research in both the UK and Italy. Since 2004 she has been a Board Trustee of the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra, and member of the Marketing and Audience Development Sub-Committee, mentor to the CBSO Communications Manager. She continues to undertake seminars and business simulations in creative PR for the Centre.

Dr Jane Woddis

Jane Woddis is an independent cultural researcher based in Birmingham . She has worked professionally for many years in community-based and educational arts organisations, including at a senior management level and with particular responsibilities for fundraising, planning and policy. Recent freelance work has included a three-month residency on migration and the arts at the invitation of Munich City Council, as part of an EU-funded intercultural project; and a two-year European research project on theatre and young people, with partners in twelve countries. She gained her MA and PhD in the Centre for Cultural Policy Studies, and has lectured and tutored at the Centre and in the School of Theatre Studies .