Two new Non-Executive Board Members appointed to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport
Source: gov.uk (2025-05-02)

The Secretary of State has appointed Jude Kelly and Janet Pope as Non-Executive Board Members for terms of three years from 23 April 2025 to 22 April 2028.

Jude Kelly

Jude Kelly CBE is an internationally acclaimed creative leader who has founded and steered some of the world’s most prestigious cultural institutions, arts festivals, charities, and outreach programmes. A pioneer for social progress, Jude is renowned for championing inclusion, gender equality and diversity. She is the former Artistic Director of the Southbank Centre , founder Artistic Director of the West Yorkshire Playhouse ( now Leeds Playhouse) and the Founder and current Head of Global Advisory of WOW – Women of the World which runs festivals and programmes in many parts of the UK including Bradford, Durham, Hull, Manchester Rotherham and internationally in 26 countries . Jude has directed over 200 theatre and opera productions, led the Culture programme for the London Olympic and Paralympic 2012 bid and was a Cultural Leader in Residence for the World Economic Forum 2024. She is the eighth Master of St Catherine’s College, University of Oxford, a Board member of Creative UK and cultural adviser to The Eden Project. She is the inaugural Chair of One Creative North.

Janet Pope

Janet Pope is currently Chair of the Charities Aid Foundation (CAF) Bank and Environment and Social Purpose Committee Chair at Yorkshire Building Society. She is also a Trustee at StepChange, the debt advisory charity. Janet recently retired from her role as Chief of Staff and Chief Sustainability Officer at Lloyds Banking Group where she was a Group Director for more than ten years and previously Savings Director. Her earlier roles include CEO Alliance Trust Savings, EVP Strategy at Visa and Retail Banking Director (Africa) at Standard Chartered Bank. Janet’s previous non-executive roles include board roles at the Banking Standards Board and government audit committee roles at DCLG and ODPM. Janet read Economics at the LSE and holds an MSc Economics and MBA from London University.

As well as sitting on the Departmental Board, Janet has been appointed to chair the Department’s Audit and Risk Committee.

Remuneration and Governance Code

These roles receive an annual remuneration of £15,000 per annum (£20,000 for Audit and Risk role). These appointments have been made in accordance with the Cabinet Office’s Governance Code on Public Appointments (https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/578498/governance_code_on_public_appointments_16_12_2016.pdf).

The appointments process is regulated by the Commissioner for Public Appointments. Under the Code, any significant political activity undertaken by an appointee in the last five years must be declared. This is defined as including holding office, public speaking, making a recordable donation, or candidature for election.

Jude Kelly has declared that she is a member of The Labour Party and canvassed on their behalf at the last general election. Janet Pope has declared that she was a Labour Councillor for the London Borough of Camden from 1986-1990, Chair of Camden Town with Primrose Hill Branch of Holborn & St Pancras Labour Party 2021-2023 and from 2024 she is currently Treasurer of Camden Central branch Holborn & St Pancras Labour Party 2024

DCMS has around 400 regulated Public Appointment roles across 42 Public Bodies (https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations) including Arts Council England, Theatres Trust, the National Gallery, UK Sport and the Gambling Commission. DCMS is committed to ensuring that the boards of public bodies benefit from a range of talents, backgrounds, and perspectives, and welcome applications from across the country. To find out more about Public Appointments or to apply for a role visit the HM Government Public Appointments Website (https://apply-for-public-appointment.service.gov.uk/roles).