Speaker
Speaker
Speaker
Speaker
Paul Owens
BOP
Co-Founder and Director
Speaker Biography
Paul is a leading international advisor and practitioner in cultural policy and creative economy. He is Co-Founder of BOP, and alongside his fellow directors he has pioneered now well-established methods to measure the impact of cultural policy.
He leads BOP’s international work on flagship projects across Asia, MENA and Latin America and his approach and insight on developing and implementing cutting-edge cultural initiatives is sought by policymakers, city leaders and creative businesses worldwide.
His recent clients include the European Commission; the UK Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sports; InterAmerican Development Bank; and the Chengdu Municipal Government.
As a dedicated advocate of the role culture can play in enhancing economic development outcomes, Paul established the World Cities Culture Forum to share best practice on promoting culture within urban policy in cities all over the world. Working with the Mayor of London’s team he has grown and managed a network of more than 40 major cities and an important independent soft power city network worldwide.
He is Chair of The Video College, a training and production facility for young people in West London; on the Board of Alchemy World a charity which promotes creative entrepreneurship on Ethiopia; a Trustee to the Achates Foundation advocating for greater philanthropic investment in culture and the arts; and a Visiting Lecturer at Shanghai Theatre Academy, School of Creative Studies.