BH Live
Paul Collins – Chair
Paul has been associated with Dorset and the surrounding areas for many years and worked in the motor industry for more than 50 years. He was Operational Director with the Westover Group and is a past president of Dorset Chamber of Commerce. He has been involved with many charities in Bournemouth and has Board level experience having been a member of the Board for Poole Arts Trust (Lighthouse). Paul has a special interest in business tourism as well as sport and entertainment and is committed to seeing BH Live achieving its goals of prospering and being recognised as being the best.
Alun Williams
Before retiring in 2015, Alun helped set up the Bournemouth Coastal Business Improvement District (BID), leading it through its first three years. His career prior to that was in travel and tourism, both domestic and inbound, working with attractions, hotels, coach companies, tour operators, local, regional and national tourist organisations and private and public partnerships.
Philip Dewhurst
Philip works at Board level with Major UK and international organisations to help them with PR and marketing strategies. He is a Chartered PR practitioner and a fellow and past President of the Chartered Institute of Public Relations. Before moving to Bournemouth more than a decade ago, Philip served on the development committee of Kingston’s Rose Theatre and has also worked with the Queen’s Theatre, Hornchurch and Canterbury’s Marlowe Theatre. He has extensive experience in charity support, arts sponsorship and brand management. Philip is a non-executive director of Darren Northeast PR, a guest lecturer at Bournemouth University and a supporter of Variety, the Children’s Charity.
Lyn Glass
Lyn has a passion for culture, the arts and community engagement, having board level and Chair experience with Poole Arts Trust Ltd. (Lighthouse). A former HR professional with a major bank, Lyn has a keen interest in equality and diversity, as well as substantial fundraising experience. She has been a local resident for over 28 years and is a great advocate for the services provided by BH Live.
Sandra Graham
With over 30 years’ legal experience in the tourism, leisure, sporting and entertainment industries, Sandra has an extensive legal practice in licensing and planning matters particularly for licensed premises. Sandra has Board level experience and is a Director of Bournemouth Area Hospitality Association (BAHA). She is also Vice Chair and Secretary to the South West Region of the Institute of Licensing and Affiliate Member of the Institute of Acoustics. Sandra has lived and worked in the region for many years and has a keen interest in Business Tourism.
Simon Richards
Simon is Managing Partner of Convenus LLP a full service agency established 25 years ago and now specialising in the development and management of bespoke online accommodation booking systems on behalf of a number of leading UK destinations.
Simon’s previous experience includes being appointed as Chairman of Salisbury Playhouse – taking it from being “dark” to fully operational including a major Lottery supported refurbishment, appointing and developing new boards on behalf of the Arts Council at Winchester Theatre Royal and other major arts organisations. Simon has also served on various boards including beam – the national association of event management and hotel booking agents where he is Finance Director. Simon is married and has a growing family so is kept very busy in his spare time looking after the next generation!
Councillor Stephen Bartlett
Stephen originates from Bournemouth. He spent 23 years in the Royal Air Force followed by 20 years in the Aerospace Business in a wide variety of roles and locations in the UK and overseas. Stephen is a Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole Councillor where he represents the Redhill and Northbourne ward and is a member of the Planning Committee, the Audit and Governance Committee and the Overview and Scrutiny Board. Stephen has a keen interest in all types of sport and is a lifetime supporter of AFC Bournemouth.
Councillor Andy Martin
Councillor Andy Martin has worked as a journalist for more than 30 years, most recently as an editor and Head of News at the Daily Echo. He also teaches politics at Bournemouth University and is the chief examiner for the National Council for the Training of Journalists. He is a portfolio holder for customer, communications, and culture at BCP Council and has a special interest in media and communications.
Jane Kelly
Jane has served for twelve years as a Councillor for Bournemouth and BCP Councils in the Boscombe West Ward, spending much of those years as a Cabinet Member. Jane’s main interest and responsibility was for Community Development and Health with Leisure being added in the last year. Prior to moving to Dorset in 2004, Jane ran a small business in bespoke clothes manufacturing and also a small mixed farm in Wiltshire. Communities are still her passion, and she is a Trustee for several local charities.
Rob Christie
Rob has held a number senior leadership roles within the public, private and active entertainment sectors over the last 20 years. During his career Rob has welcomed the opportunity to lead teams and drive projects internationally, delivering quality results, on time and on budget. Rob is married with two children and lives on the south coast, most of his time is spent travelling abroad and watching professional and grassroots sport with his family.
BH Live (Enterprises) Ltd
BH Live (Enterprises) Ltd, is a wholly owned trading subsidiary of BH Live, established to manage the non charitable activities, primarily relating to conferences and exhibitions.
Members of the trading subsidiary include some members from the main board; Alun Williams – Chairman of BH Live (Enterprises) Ltd, Paul Collins, Lyn Glass, Sandra Graham, Philip Dewhurst and Councillor Stephen Bartlett. They are joined by our Chief Executive Jon Workman, Ian Walton and Councillor Jackie Edwards.
Councillor Jackie Edwards
Jackie Edwards has been in the hospitality trade for many years. From running a wine bar in Wiltshire to owning a restaurant in Bath and a hotel in Bournemouth, Jackie now runs a successful bed and breakfast. Having a keen interest in social and local history Jackie wrote a history of the hotels in Bournemouth called A Bed by the Sea. Jackie has been a Councillor for Redhill & Northbourne since 2015 and is one of the Directors of Kingsleigh Primary School. Jackie had previously been on the board of the local hotel association BAHA.
Ian Walton
Ian had a successful management career with one of the major UK banks. During his 25 years he worked at a Local, Regional and Head Office level, as well as a three year spell in Africa. A career change followed which saw him manage several of the countries leading private member golf clubs, over an 18 year period. His financial expertise, as well as a sales and customer service focus, have been put to good effect to transform the operations. Ian moved to the Bournemouth area in 2012, enjoys culture and the arts, is a keen sportsman and supporter of the ideals and ambitions of BH Live and its subsidiaries.