Board

ICC Chair – Professor Phil Redmond

Phil helped found the Institute of Cultural Capital (ICC) in 2010 as a joint venture between Liverpool John Moores University (LJMU) and the University of Liverpool that would build upon the success of culture-led regeneration experienced in Liverpool during its European Capital of Culture year in 2008. Best known for creating three of Britain’s longest running drama programmes — Grange Hill (1978–2008), Brookside (1982–2003) and Hollyoaks (1995–present) — Phil has written extensively for radio, television and the stage. One of the first 2 per cent to go through the comprehensive system,  in 1989, he was appointed Honorary Chair of Media at LJMU, and, since 1993, has been a Fellow, as well as founder and Chair, of the International Centre for Digital Content (ICDC) — in addition to serving as Chair of the Liverpool Screen School (also based at LJMU). He was elevated to the position of Ambassador Fellow by LJMU in 2010, in recognition of his outstanding personal contributions to the university and for his continued commitment to the city.

Phil is a founder member of the first regional branch of the British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA), in Manchester; a former council member of the Independent Producer’s Association (IPPA), and a former national negotiator for the Writer’s Guild of Great Britain (WGGB). In 1996, Phil was elected as a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts and, in 1997, was also appointed Vice Chair of the newly created North West Film Commission — becoming a Patron of the Commission in July 1999. He was awarded a CBE in June 2004 for services to drama in the Queen’s Birthday Honours list. In June 2005, Phil and Alexis Redmond sold Mersey Television (MerseyTV) — at the time, still Britain’s largest independent drama production house, employing over 700 people and 3000 actors per year — and “downsized” to a small film production company.  One of the acknowledged strengths of MerseyTV was its links to and support of education and culture, with Brookside becoming an integral part of the National Year of Reading in 1998 through the “Brookie Basics” literacy clinics. Throughout 2006, Phil was Chair of the Merseyside Entrepreneurship Commission and in 2009–10 chaired the Knowsley Youth Commission.

Phil joined Liverpool’s Capital of Culture Board in November 2006 and became Deputy Chair and Creative Director in September 2007 — a responsibility which he described as akin to taking on the organisation of a “typically Scouse wedding”. As the public face of Liverpool’s time as host city for the UK’s award of European Capital of Culture, Phil is proud that the year is now seen as a benchmark for cultural success that saw an £850m impact on the city during the year. Phil also became Chair of National Museums Liverpool during 2008, whilst in 2009 he was asked by the UK Government to chair both the Working Party and, later, the Independent Advisory Panel for the UK City of Culture programme, to build on the success of Liverpool in 2008.

In 2010, Phil received Honorary Doctorates from the University of Liverpool and the University of Chester, in recognition of his contributions to culture and drama. In 2011, he decided to return to his roots — and start writing fiction again.

Professor Fiona Beveridge

Fiona is Executive Pro-Vice-Chancellor of the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, University of Liverpool. Fiona specialises in EU Social law, especially gender equality. Her work focuses on law and policy-making processes and the ways in which gender equality concerns can be addressed in these areas. She has a particular expertise in gender mainstreaming (that is, the idea that gender concerns should be addressed systematically in all areas and by all actors), and how this is implemented in international institutions, the EU, and in individual states. Fiona has published extensively in this area, with articles on gender mainstreaming in the devolved parts of the UK, in international trade institutions, in the process of accession to the EU, as well as within the EU’s own policy-making processes. She is particularly interested in the interaction between ‘soft’ policy and ‘hard’ law in the equality field. Fiona teaches EU law.

Professor Joe Yates

Joe is Executive Dean for the Faculty of Arts, Professional and Social Studies at Liverpool John Moores University, having formerly acted as Director of the School of Humanities and Social Science. Professor Yates believes passionately in the role of the Humanities and Social Sciences in society and has provided strategic leadership in developing the breadth and depth of civic engagement activities locally, regionally, nationally and internationally. He currently sits on the university Academic Board. He is a member of the Executive Committee for the National Association for Youth Justice and acts as Director for the annual juvenile justice symposium at the Inter University Centre, Croatia. Professor Yates also sits on the Liverpool City Safe Partnership Board and as sponsor Governor at a local sixth form college. He was co-founder of the Centre for the Study of Crime, Criminalisation and Social Exclusion at Liverpool John Moores University.

Professor Rachel McLean

Professor Rachel McLean is Director of Liverpool Screen School at Liverpool John Moores University, which offers undergraduate and postgraduate study programmes in an eclectic range of creative disciplines including Media Production, Film Studies, Journalism, Drama and Creative Writing. Rachel’s own career path reflects this diversity. After graduating with a first degree in English Literature, she worked as a curator in the British Library’s Western Manuscripts department before obtaining a PhD in electronic commerce. Lecturing posts in Business and Creative Technology at various universities brought Rachel to her current role, in which she draws on creativity to drive forward initiatives and to inform strategic planning. Rachel’s extensive and varied research portfolio includes international publications on science fiction and creative prototyping, social media and the twenty-first century music industry, and she is currently overseeing a research project looking at the use of social media by the emergency services. Earlier this year, Rachel was elected as President of the UK Academy of Information Systems (UKAIS), becoming the first woman to hold this post since the Academy was founded 25 years ago. She is also a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (HEA).