Tony Simpson and Liam Darbon have been announced as new Trustees of the Birmingham Museums Trust Board.
The double appointment is hoped to “energise and strengthen” the organisation’s Board of Trustees, with particular focus on marketing and audience development, income generation, and commercial development, along with bringing a wide range of experience and knowledge from their varied careers.
Simpson is Partner at Oliver Wyman, a global management consulting firm, where he has advised and restructured media, sport, and entertainment groups, and spent five years as an Advisory Board Member to the Black Cultural Archives (BCA).
He also brings international museums experience having previously worked for, and advised, both Qatar Museums (previously Qatar Museums Authority) and the Abu Dhabi Government, on Culture and International Partnerships.
Simpson said: “Born and raised in Birmingham, I understand the rich historical culture of our city, and am aligned with the Birmingham Museum Trust’s ambition to deliver an authentic representation of the cultural best of the Midlands and how this can drive social, cultural and economic creativity and innovation.”
Darbon has served on the Birmingham Museums Trading Board since 2016. He is Head of Omnichannel Trading at Tate, where he leads on the commercial strategy across Tate and its trading subsidiaries. Prior to Tate, Liam held senior commercial leadership positions at the John Lewis Partnership and has also worked for American Express.
Darbon said: “Culture has never been more important, and I look forward to working with Sara, Zak and the board to find innovative ways to reach new and existing audiences – placing them at the heart of the experience.”
