ISBE is delighted to announce the appointment of two new Co-Chairs for the ISBE Creative Industries Entrepreneurship (CIE) Special Interest Group (SIG).
Please join us in welcoming Alison Lowe MBE, Director of Careers and Enterprise in the School of Arts and Creative Industries at the University of East London, and Dr Kadja Manninen, Senior Lecturer in Digital Innovation at the Centre for Enterprise, Manchester Metropolitan University Business School.
We look forward to working with Alison and Kadja as they lead the CIE SIG, fostering collaboration, sharing knowledge, and supporting research and practice in creative industries entrepreneurship.
Congratulations to you both, and welcome to the ISBE SIG leadership team!
ALISON LOWE MBE
Alison Lowe MBE is an award-winning creative industries leader, academic, entrepreneur and policy advocate with more than 30 years’ experience spanning fashion, higher education, business support and creative economy development. She is Creative Entrepreneur in Residence at the University of East London and Founder of Creative Futures Community CIC, alongside her role as Director of Careers and Enterprise for the School of Arts and Creative Industries at UEL. Alison has worked extensively to strengthen talent pipelines into the creative industries, connecting education, employers, freelancers, policymakers and communities to improve opportunity, inclusion and innovation across the sector.
Reflection on appointment:
“I am delighted to be appointed Co-Chair of the ISBE Creative Industries Entrepreneurship Special Interest Group at such an important time for the sector. The creative industries are undergoing profound change, creating new opportunities as well as significant challenges for entrepreneurs, freelancers and SMEs. I look forward to working with colleagues across ISBE to strengthen the connection between research, policy and practice, helping to build evidence that supports a more innovative, inclusive and sustainable creative economy.”
DR KADJA MANNINEN
Dr Kadja Manninen is a Senior Lecturer in Digital Innovation at the Centre for Enterprise, Manchester Metropolitan University Business School. Her work focuses on digital innovation, entrepreneurship and business model development, with a particular interest in how small and medium-sized businesses and creative organisations use emerging technologies.
At Manchester Met, Kadja leads the LIPF-funded ChallengeAI programme, which supports businesses to identify opportunities for AI-enabled innovation and develop ideas through to working prototypes. Her wider work includes designing and delivering innovation programmes for SMEs, developing practical tools for AI-supported customer insight, and bringing together academic, business and public-sector partners.
Kadja completed her PhD at the University of Nottingham, where she examined digital business models in performing arts organisations. Before entering academia, she worked internationally as a contemporary circus artist. She remains actively involved in the sector as Vice Chair and Trustee of Lumo Company, a contemporary performance company operating internationally.
Reflection on the appointment:
I am delighted to have been appointed Co-Chair of the Creative Industries Entrepreneurship SIG and look forward to working with Alison and the wider SIG community. I am particularly keen to develop activity around AI adoption in the creative industries, bringing researchers and practitioners together to explore both the opportunities and challenges emerging technologies present for creative entrepreneurs.