Board & Staff

We are very proud of our amazing staff here at Brighton Dome & Brighton Festival. Every member of the team (of which there are over 300) brings energy, enthusiasm and skill to all that we do and we are extremely grateful to them for their unfailing dedication. 

We are also very grateful to our Board of Trustees who give their time and expertise so generously on a voluntary basis. 

Andrew Comben (Chief Executive)

BOARD OF TRUSTEES

Danny Homan (Chair)
Danny Homan has over 20 years of experience within the culture and heritage sectors. Recent senior leadership roles include Chief of Staff at The Big Lottery Fund, where he was responsible for strategy and governance across the charity, and Communication and Development Director at Historic Royal Palaces in London. Danny lives in Hove and London and has been a BDBF Trustee since 2014. He is Chair of the Board and sits on the Finance Committee.

Judah Armani, Trustee
Judah Armani lives in Brighton and is Head of Social Impact Challenge Lab at The Royal College of Art. He founded Public Service Design that creates initiatives on social impact such as InHouse Records UK, the world’s first record label to be launched in a prison and run by prisoners. He is also a senior researcher at Central St Martin’s Design Against Crime Team and a visiting fellow at Rhode Island School of Design’s Centre for Complexity. He has been a Trustee since September 2019 and is the Board Champion for Equality, Diversity and Inclusion.

Nicola Briggs, Trustee
Nicola is currently the Director, London and South East, for the National Trust and has led a number of large, high performing teams at senior executive leadership level in media, communications, publishing, legal, professional services, heritage and not-for-profit sectors. She also has an advisory role on the Old Royal Naval College. Nicola joined the Board in September 2022. 

Lucy Davies, Trustee
Lucy is Executive Director of the Young Vic. Lucy was previously the Executive Director at the Royal Court and was founding Executive Producer at National Theatre Wales. Her other governance roles include Co-Chair (with Alessandro Babalola) of the new Soho Theatre Walthamstow, Chair of Trustees for Clod Ensemble and she is a Board member for the Society of London Theatre (SOLT). She is a Creative Climate Leader and Creative Green Champion 2020 and a Fellow of the RSA. Lucy joined the Board in December 2017 and is the Board Champion for Health, Safety & Wellbeing.

Nick Juba, Trustee
Nick Juba has extensive experience within the education sector. Based in Brighton, Nick has served as a Non-Executive Director with Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust and Coast2Capital Local Enterprise Board and as Chief Executive of Greater Brighton Metropolitan College. Previous voluntary roles include Trustee for Brighton Fringe and member of Our Future City, a cultural initiative to support children and young people in Brighton & Hove. He is currently Director of Learning at Capita PLC where he is responsible for a multibillion-pound partnership to transform education and training in the public sector. Nick has been a Trustee since September 2019 and is a member of the Finance Committee.

Jordan Kensington, Trustee
Jordan established Invincible Media Group in London 21 years ago, a global company which includes media publishing, a record label, property, luxury goods and events management. Based in London, Jordan is the CEO and Founder of British Music Week, World Fashion Awards and the Urban Music Awards, the biggest awards show and festival for urban music in Europe. Jordan joined the Board in September 2019. 

Ross James, Trustee
Ross is a Brighton-based former Deloitte partner, now holding a portfolio of non-executive, advisory, angel investor and trustee roles. He is passionate about live music and the arts, and has been a regular attendee at Brighton Dome and Festival events for many years. Ross joined the Board in September 2022 and is a member of the Finance Committee. 

Melanie Lewis, Trustee
Melanie’s background as a Barrister and a Tribunal Judge has given her a particular interest in children and young people. She has extensive experience as a judicial trainer and has written on issues of diversity and equality. She joined the Board in September 2019 and currently chairs the Safeguarding Committee. Melanie lives in Piddinghoe, East Sussex.

Cllr Phelim MacCafferty, Trustee
As a significant funder of BDBF, the City Council is entitled to appoint two Councillors to the Board. Phélim is currently Leader of Brighton & Hove City and convenor of the Green Group of Councillors. As Leader he is Chair of the Council’s Policy & Resources Committee. He also chairs the Greater Brighton Economic Board and sits on the Coast to Capital Local Enterprise Partnership

Peter McCusker, Trustee
Peter had been advising across the Royal London Group since 2012, He has an established track record of executing business strategy through an innovative, solution-driven, and decisive approach to legal service delivery. He works closely with Board and Executive Committee members and frequently liaises with the Financial Conduct Authority and Prudential Regulation Authority on behalf of Royal London. Peter joined the Board in September 2022 and is a member of the Finance Committee. 

Chris Martin, Trustee
Chris qualified as a chartered accountant with Price Waterhouse in London, and spent 15 years in investment banking, latterly as Chief Administrative Officer of Credit Suisse First Boston with global responsibility for IT, Finance and Settlements. He retired from the City in 2001 and spent several years running an organic cattle and sheep farm. He has been Chair of Governors at Arts University Bournemouth, a trustee and chair of Finance Committee of the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra, and a trustee and past Chair of Told by an Idiot. Chris is Chair of the Finance Committee

Cllr Jackie O'Quinn, Trustee
Jackie is the second City Council representative and is a member of the Labour Party. Jackie is the opposition spokesperson on the City Council’s Children, Young People and Skills Committee. She is also a member of the City’s Arts and Creative Industries Commission. 

Liz Wilson, Trustee
Liz has extensive experience in branding, communication and digital innovation gained in high profile creative businesses and management consultancy organisations. She is currently the Accenture Song MD & Client Group Lead. Liz is on the Board of ‘The Place’ which provides contemporary dance education and a theatre centre, designed to develop, nurture and celebrate dance for all, and sits on WACL (Women in Advertising and Communication Leadership Board). Liz joined the Board in December 2022.