We are delighted to announce that Jane Robinson (BA, MA, MBA, FRSA) has joined CCE as Chair of the Board. Jane is Durham University’s Chief Operating Officer, having joined the University in September 2016 and is a member of the University Executive Committee, representing the University as a spokesperson in regional, national and international affairs.

Before taking up her position at Durham, Jane was Chief Executive of Gateshead Council, where she was responsible for 5,500 employees and an annual turnover in excess of £500m. Jane has previously held positions as Assistant Chief Executive of Gateshead Council and as Director of External Relations at Arts Council England, where she led major corporate projects that included Local Government liaison, creative industries development and major capital schemes (such as the £70m Sage Gateshead).

Jane holds an MBA from Durham University and Master’s and Bachelor’s degrees in English Literature (from the University of Leeds and the University of Sheffield respectively).

She is also a Fellow of the RSA (Royal Society for the encouragement of Arts, Manufactures and Commerce) and holds non-executive positions with the North East Local Enterprise Partnership, Durham Cathedral Council, and Tyne and Wear Community Foundation.

Paul Collard, Chief Executive of CCE said, “I am delighted to welcome Jane as the new Chair of CCE, to which role she brings the perfect combination of skills and experience, having worked for many years at the most senior levels in the arts (Director of External Relations of the Arts Council of England), education (Chief Operating Officer of Durham University) and government (Chief Executive of Gateshead Council). She joins the Board as CCE celebrates its tenth anniversary, having spread its reach far from its origins in England to now encompass schools in Wales, Scotland, Ireland, Czech Republic, Norway, Hungary, Pakistan, Thailand, Australia and Chile. I am sure that she will bring her experience and vision to help shape the future of the organisation as it aspires to reach even more young people and schools across the world.”