Geoffrey Williams announced as new chair of Bernie Grant Arts Centre

The industry leader is also global head of diversity, equity and inclusion at fashion brand Burberry, reports Miriam Balanescu

Bernie Grant Arts Centre (BGAC) has announced that it will be appointing Geoffrey Williams as its new chair.

Taking over from award-winning BBC journalist Dotun Adebayo (who has held the post since 2018), Geoffrey Williams has become renowned for his work in culture, transformation, leadership development and diversity, equality and inclusion, with over two decades’ worth of experience.

The global head of diversity, equity and inclusion at Burberry took up the position of BGAC chair last month to work alongside CEO Azieb Pool – while the centre “marks a real turning point” as a new Arts Council national portfolio organisation.

Geoffrey told HCP: “My hope as the new chair is to support Azieb in her agenda, looking at how we continue to offer the local community brilliant content that reflects their history, their journey and their own personal narrative, but also encouraging other people from London and other parts of the UK and the world to engage with the centre.

Geoffrey explained that his role would hinge on “supporting the CEO and making sure her vision is clear, then connecting her to relevant people, function spaces, and organisations that enable her to continue to deliver on her objectives for the centre.”

With a background in human resources, Geoffrey studied at the Brit School before working with organisations such as Thompson Reuters and Dr. Martens. He was included in the ‘Global Diversity List for 2020’ and Financial Times ‘Top 100 Ethnic Minority Role Models’.

He added: “The exciting part [of the role] is engaging with Bernie’s legacy and being able to do something that is creative, which, aside
from my day job, I don’t always get to do.

“I think the importance [of BGAC] is that it’s a piece of how do we tell our own story? How do we have a space to be able to invite other
people in to hear and learn? And I think that’s the beauty of the centre. It is about everybody, but it’s also about being able to tell the
stories and tell the stories in a way that is true to the lived experiences.”

On the importance of opening up the creative sector to more diverse communities, Geoffrey said: “We live in a multicultural Britain where there’s lots of different people that should and could be engaged in connecting with the arts. Having attended the Brit School as a formative part of my journey, the arts have enabled me to have a thought process or understanding of creativity that enables me to come up with different ideas, but also how I collaborate and work with people.”

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