University appoints new Chairman of Governors

Michael Elliott, Director of Culture at the Department of Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS), was previously Deputy Chair and took on the new role in November.

He is stepping into the shoes of John Sharples, a former Executive Director of construction and facilities management company Carillion plc, who retired from the Board after being Chairman for six years and a Governor since 1996.

Mr Elliott, who has been a Governor since 1997, said he was very much looking forward to the challenges of the role.

He said: “As Chairman of Governors, I will be seeking to support, challenge and encourage the institution in achieving its ambitions during a period in which it will undoubtedly face a number of strategic challenges .”

Mr Elliott was Chief Executive of the West Midlands Arts Board and subsequently of the Heart of England Tourist Board during the 1990s after an earlier career in higher education, politics, and arts funding in Yorkshire.

In 2001 he was appointed Chief Executive of the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic and led the organisation’s artistic and financial recovery and contributed to Liverpool’s ambitions to become European Capital of Culture in 2008.

He led the partnership of the major cultural institutions in the city, which attracted significant new national investment in Liverpool and was seconded part-time from 2006 to assist in the preparations for 2008.

He took up his current post at the DCMS in June 2008 and has senior responsbility for government policy, funding and relationships across the arts, museums, libraries, cultural property, heritage, architecture and design, royal parks and the Government Arts Collection. He acts as the Department’s twin with the West Midlands and leads on its work with the Foreign and Commonwealth office and on its cultural education partnerships with the Department of Children, Schools and Families.

Mr Elliott is a graduate of University of Sheffield and has two children, Chrissie and Peter, with his wife, June.

He has previously served as Chairman of the Belgrade Theatre Trust, Deputy Chairman of the Sheffield Crucible Theatre Trust and as a governor of further education colleges, including Walsall College of Arts and Technology, and schools in Sheffield and the West Midlands. He also served as a governor and Chair of the Finance Committee of the Liverpool Institute of Performing Arts whilst in Liverpool

Further information

For more information please contact Emma Kilvert in the Media Relations Office on 01902 322003.