Alan Bishop
Title
Honorary Doctor
Person Type
Honorary
Alan Bishop’s career spans business, government and the arts, shaped by a consistent belief in the power of creativity. He began working with high-profile global clients before becoming Chairman of Saatchi & Saatchi, based in London and New York. He later served as Chief Executive of the Central Office of Information (COI), leading major government marketing and communications, including the Government News Network and the platform that became GOV.UK, an ambitious project that required as much imagination as technical expertise to unify thousands of services into a clear, user-friendly system.
His passion for culture led him to become Chief Executive of Southbank Centre, where he championed a vision to open its spaces to the widest possible public across all art forms. He subsequently led the Creative Industries Federation, representing a sector worth over £120 billion, and has continued to support the arts as a Governor of Factory International during the development of Aviva Studios, and as Chair of The Place and London Contemporary Dance.
Throughout his career, Bishop has worked across the full spectrum of the creative industries, from commercial advertising to not-for-profit cultural institutions. Central to every role has been collaboration with exceptional creative talent, reinforcing his belief in nurturing imagination and encouraging others to explore creativity widely and boldly.