People

Nodira is an experienced administrator and coordinator, including financial controller of international projects. As a class teacher at the public secondary school, Nodira contributed to the 10-16 years old students' upbringing, behaviour and personal development. Nodira also has an entrepreneurial background – starting up and running a private travel agency. Out of work time, Nodira volunteers promoting energy efficiency and recycling. As a Consul and an Ambassador for the Tashkent InterNations community, she helped the expats adapt to the new culture and living conditions easier. Based in Uzbekistan, she plays the role of the communicator, facilitator and organiser for the Creative Spark partners from both sides.

Mihaela is a final year Events Management student at London Metropolitan University. Mihaela assists with keeping the website and social media platforms up to date and also provides technical support at events. Mihaela's other job role is Events Administrator and Duty Supervisor at The Goldsmiths' Centre.

Viren Lall is a specialist in entrepreneurship, an adjunct professor of organisation behaviour and innovation, and an executive educator at London Business School and King’s Business School in the UK. He is also the Managing Director of ChangeSchool and as a specialist on programmes such as the Royal Academy of Engineering’s Leaders in Innovation Fellowships (LIF). ChangeSchool has delivered entrepreneurial university programmes across 8 countries and entrepreneurship across 25. Academics from 101 international universities have attended ChangeSchool’s programmes. Viren frequently writes on innovation and entrepreneurship for the Royal Academy of Engineering and Cambridge University Business School sites.

Chris Lane is Head of Subject for Community Development, Refugee Programmes, Social Work and Youth Studies at London Metropolitan University. He leads a team of forty academic staff and is also currently the course leader for the University's MSc in Social Work. Chris has had previous roles at the University as an Associate Dean and Head of Partnerships and has recent direct experience of social enterprise management. He has also been involved in providing consultancy linked to innovation and social entrepreneurship in Central Asia over the last five years.

Gerald Lidstone is the Director of the Institute for Creative and Cultural Entrepreneurship at Goldsmiths, University of London and founder of the MA Arts Administration and Cultural Policy. The Institute has 33 staff and runs 7 MAs and one undergraduate programme. His background originally was in fine art and theatre. For the British Council and other agencies, he has taught a range of management courses in over twenty countries, many moving from a command to a market economy. Gerald has been awarded honorary doctorates by Vysoka SkolaMuzickych Umeni v Bratislave in Slovakia and by Hanoi University of Culture as well as being awarded the national medal for culture in Viet Nam.

Marc has an extensive background in hospitality and tourism management, both as a practitioner and within the education sector. After holding management positions with Relais & Chateau, the Townhouse Company and in pub and restaurant management, Marc moved into the area of hospitality and tourism education. As Scottish Manager for the National Training Organisation for Hospitality, and then as Head of Nations for the Sector Skills Council for Hospitality, Leisure, Travel and Tourism, Marc managed extensive research and development projects for vocational training programmes across the UK, such as Modern Apprenticeships, National Apprenticeships, Vocational Qualifications and Occupational Standards. More recently, Marc developed expertise in Scottish and National Alcohol Licensing Law and Training and has written several industry textbooks and training programmes for the industry on the subject. Current areas of academic interest include alcohol licensing, alcohol education research, vocational award development and national and international curriculum development within hospitality and tourism.

Dr Claire Seaman is a Professor in Enterprise and Family Business. She has published widely on enterprise and family businesses across the world, with focus on the UK and developing economies. Claire is a frequent speaker at gatherings of start-up businesses, family businesses and professional advisors and has been instrumental in the development of a Family Business Education Pathway for Scotland. Claire is currently heavily involved with the design and delivery of a unique Scottish Funding Council funded programme of education to support businesses as they scale-up their operations for the future.

Kate is a senior manager and expert in vocational education at People 1st International with wide experience in workforce strategy on an international, regional, national and local basis. Kate has worked on projects in Uzbekistan since 2012. This includes integrated cultural heritage, review of TVET for tourism, occupational standards for a number of sectors and the Creative Spark projects.   Kate manages an international portfolio with projects in over 40 countries focusing on labour market intelligence, qualification and curriculum development, employer engagement with TVET and the development of industry-led skills solutions.