John Newbigin is Chair of Creative England, a national agency that invests in and supports creative ideas, talent and businesses in film, TV, games and digital media.

A cultural entrepreneur and writer, John is also Chair of the cultural web publisher Culture24; and of Cinema Arts Network, the network company of a group of major arts and cross-media centres in the UK. He is also on the boards of Battersea Arts Centre, First Light and the British Council's Advisory Board for Arts and Creative Economy.

As Special Advisor to the Minister for Culture, Rt Hon Chris Smith MP, he was closely involved in developing the UK government’s first policies for the creative industries. He was Head of Corporate Relations for Channel 4 Television and executive assistant to Lord Puttnam as the Chairman of the film company Enigma Productions Ltd. As a policy advisor to the Leader of the UK Labour Party and Leader of the Opposition, Rt Hon Neil Kinnock, MP, he had responsibility for environmental and cultural issues, amongst others.

He was a youth worker in East London for 6 years and writer-in-residence for Common Stock Theatre.