VENU DHUPA

CURRICULUM VITAE

Date of Birth: 13/02/63

Education: 1982 Cranbrook School – UK 13 O’Levels 3 A’Levels

1983 Bloomfield Hills Educational Institute – USA Diploma

Subsidiary Studies in Black History

1986 Loughborough University – UK

BA Hons – English and Drama

Subsidiary studies in Dance, American Music and Sociology

1987 Diploma in Performing Arts – Drama Studio, London

Employment History

I have set out my employment history and outlined the other roles that have run concurrently with paid employment.

 

2001 to date Fellowship Director at NESTA (National Endowment for Science, Technology and the Arts

Main Responsibilities

Main Achievements

  • Strategy, policy, planning and delivery of a third of NESTAs business covering the area of investment in talented individuals
  • Budget responsibility c£5,000,000
  • Reporting to CEO, Committee, Trustees
  • Evaluation of the above areas
  • Employment and management of the team
  • International policy
  • All matters relating to Creative Development
  • Spokesperson for reputation management issues
  • Developing external partnerships and collaborations
  • 4 years successful development and delivery of this area of the business – always within budget, commended by National Audit Office, no complaints
  • Over £13,000,000 worth of investments in the portfolio
  • Pioneered 4 new programme strands leading to a portfolio of over 300 awardees
  • Pioneered international leadership programme working with 12 countries
  • Development of a high performance team of 10
  • Contribution to securing new funding for NESTA of £70million into the endowment and £45million revenue, also contribution to new bid for a further £75million expendable endowment
  • Ongoing experimental programme development – 3 new models

 

 

 

 

Concurrent Responsibilities or Commitments :

Trustee, Theatres Trust and Theatres Trust Charitable Fund (2001 – onwards)

Member of Executive Committee responsible for strategic planning, recruitment of key staff, agreement and monitoring of three year financial plan and annual operating budget of c£500,000 and advocacy.

Governor, Guildford Conservatoire (2003 onwards)

Agreement and monitoring of organisations strategic plan and annual operating plan. Member of group overseeing capital development plan c£35million. General advocacy.

Council Member, Loughborough University (2000 onwards)

Agreement and monitoring of organisations scenario plan, strategic and annual operating plans. Annual turnover £100million. Member of the Staff Salaries Review Committee, Member of the Human Resources Committee and Committee to recruit the new Vice Chancellor. General Advocacy.

Member of the Culture and Education Committee London 2012 (2004 onwards)

Input into developing ideas for the Candidature File. Secured £1million commitment for the bid. General advocacy and support for Chair, Jude Kelly.

 

1997 – 2001 Chief Executive, Nottingham Playhouse

Main responsibilities

Main Achievements

  • Leading the creation and delivery of a 3-5 year strategic plan and annual operating plan for the organisation
  • Accounting Officer
  • Ensuring effective financial planning and fundraising from public and private sector – budget responsibility c.£4.2 million
  • Leading a staff body of 112 + 200 freelancers and an executive team of 5
  • Leading planning and delivery of a Capital project involving public and private sector – funded by four partners (local, regional, national, international)
  • Reporting to Chair and Trustees
  • Management of the Board (with Chair)
  • Building relationships with key stakeholders
  • Leading advocacy
  • Key spokesperson
  • Creation and delivery of a 5 year strategic plan / responsibility for the business operation and the artistic programme
  • Elimination of inherited deficit and building of reserves
  • Successful delivery of Sky Mirror – capital project c.£1.3 million
  • Record funds raised from the private sector – in one year 20% of the total commitment to the arts in the East Midlands
  • Delivery of maximum value Arts for Everyone Programme £500,000
  • Creation and leadership of Eclipse – to enable the creation and management of middle scale touring of black theatre
  • Pioneered relationship with European Theatre Forum
  • Innovative, provocative and engaging programme of artistic activity. Establishing the playhouse a centre for theatre, visual arts and arts policy debate
  • Leadership of international artistic partnerships including to prestigious festivals and West End transfers.
  • Developed national best practice model for Equal Opportunities
  • First non-white CEO of a national arts organisation

 

Concurrent Responsibilities or Commitments:

Inaugural Chair, East Midlands Cultural Consortium (1999 – 2002)

Appointed by Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport to bring together key stakeholders across the Creative Industries to create a 10 year strategic plan for Culture across the East Midlands – achieved Time for Culture. Leadership and advocacy.

Member of the National Creative Industries Export Promotions Advisory Group (1998 – 2001) Group convened by the DTI and the British Council, Chaired by Charles Allen to develop an export strategy for the Creative Industries and understand sector impreratves

Member of East Midlands Regional Assembly (1999 – 2001)

Work with elected members, EMLGA, EMDA, Govt Office and others to bring into being a regional assembly with the potential to harness the momentum behind devolution of decision making to the regions.

Member of the East Midlands Integrated Regional Policy Forum (1999 – 2001)

Work with 18 colleagues across regional policy making (e.g. Health, Transport, Education) to ensure (as far as possible) integration and complementary way forward for key regional policies.

Board Member, Profile Nottingham (1998 – 2001) Work with 12 colleagues to ensure an effective leisure and tourism and city centre development strategy for Nottingham City and Nottinghamshire County.

Management Panel, EU Urban Initiative (1998 – 2000) AnEU funded regeneration initiative (value £12million) run by Government Office for the East Midlands and targeted at the Hyson Green area within the city. Responsible for setting structural operating arrangements, strategy, monitoring and decision making on grants up to £100,000.

Greater Nottingham Training and Enterprise Councils Equality Task Force Work with colleagues to ensure equality strategy was in place and monitored in advance of the creation of the Learning and Skills Council.

Arts and Business Regional Awards Panel (1999 – 2001) Responsible for quarterly decision making on awards up to £40,000 for regional cultural organisations.

Director, VDAY UK (2000 – 2002) Responsible for planning and operation of this charity campaigning to eliminate violence against women but also to mount an annual event at the Albert Hall and produce the Vagina Monologues in the West End.

 

1992 – 1997 Producer Mobile Tours, Royal National Theatre – working within the

Education Department

Main Responsibilities

Main Achievements

  • To produce, set up and manage nation-wide touring of productions
  • To produce, set up and manage site specific productions
  • To produce and manage educational programmes to support the curriculum and life long learning and that supported the productions
  • To set up and deliver a programme of post show debates and discussions
  • Budget responsibility c.£910,000 pa at the time of leaving, equivalent to 10% of the organisations annual producing budget.
  • Developing sponsorships for potential productions.
  • Managing a touring team of 12 and knitting them into National Theatre teams and departments and policies.
  • Developed new national touring circuit
  • 5 national tours
  • 1 international tour
  • 13 site specific projects
  • 76 post show events
  • 1 festival
  • Developed casting databank for culturally diverse performers
  • Contributed to Audience Development strategy
  • 3 international research projects

 

Concurrent Responsibilities or Commitments:

Trustee, Half Moon Young Peoples Theatre (1994 – 1996)

Agreement and monitoring of 3 year strategic plan, financial plan and annual operating plan – c.£400,000. Recruitment of key staff. Developing policy and general advocacy.

London Arts, Panel Member to identify trainee dramaturgs

Developing and monitoring new policy area for London Arts.

 

1991 – 1992 Freelance Producer

Main Responsibilities

Main Achievements

  • Produce projects and events across a range of media
  • Assemble creative teams
  • Manage casting
  • Raise finance / Manage budgets
  • Develop collaborations and partnerships
  • Product across, theatre (small and middle scale) radio and video
  • Casting for a range of clients including Walt Disney
  • Raised projects funds ranging from £1,000 - £75,000
  • Developed partnerships with a number of collaborators including the BBC and the Royal Court

 

1987 – 1991 Freelance Performer / Director and Financial Contoller of ReActors Management

Main Responsibilities

Main Achievements

  • To develop an artistic career as a performer and as a business
  • To develop an actors agency operating on a co-operative basis
  • To take responsibility for the financial side of both businesses and negotiating of contracts with employers
  • Management of a small theatre company – touring shows and appearing at festivals
  • Earning a living as a performer over a sustained period of time showing a small profit each year
  • Maintaining an interesting and challenging portfolio of work in theatre, television, theatre in education, radio, video and voice over.
  • Ensuring operations, including financial operations of 2 small companies – breaking even or showing a small profit each year

 

 

 

 

 

National Awards

Asian Woman of Achievement Award 2002 – presented by Cherie Blair for my contribution to the Arts and Culture.

 

Other

 

Publications List

Available on request

 

Training record 1996 - 2001:

Leadership : How to Develop Your Board (2000) Transformational Leadership (2000)

Management : Equal Opportunities 1 and 2 (1996, 1997); Strategic Financial Management (1998); Monitoring and Evaluation (1995); Appraising Individuals (1998); Developing Grievance and Disciplinary Procedures (1998)

Technical: Risk Assessment (1999); Presentation Skills (1996): Proof Reading (1995)

Basic Health and Safety (1997)

 

Training Record 2001-5

Leadership : Executive Coaching Course for Leaders (1 year 2001-2002); High Impact Leadership (2004) Scenario Planning (2005) Research into Cultural Leadership for new NESTA programme (2 years 2002 – 2003); Research into Diversity and Leadership (2004); Remote Management (2004) Understanding Global Financial Imbalances (2005)

Scenario Planning (2006)

Management : Child Development Course (8 Weeks to gain 27 competencies); USA Research Trip to investigate processes and Evaluation of Talented Individuals (2002); Briefing on Freedom of Information (2004); Understanding Delegation (2003); Risk Assessment (2003); Dealing with the Media (2002); Reputation Management (2002); Giving and Receiving Feedback (2003.) High Performance Team Building at Senior Level (2005) Setting SMARTer Objectives (2005) Public Accountability and Freedom of Information Briefings (2005)

Technical : Internet Research Training (2004); Excel Refresher (2003); Electronic Appraisal Systems (2003/4); Health and Safety (2004), Presenting to large audiences via Video Link (2005).