AIM - Key Persons
Job Titles:
- Member of the Council
- Trustee
Job Titles:
- Member of the Council
- Trustee
I wanted to work for AIM because I've always loved visits to museums and I'm thrilled to be able to support the great work that our members do. I'm continually impressed by the passion and enthusiasm of the AIM team and our members. I've got over 15 years of marketing experience, predominantly in the retail sector, and am a specialist in delivering integrated campaigns across multiple channels.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Council
- Trustee
Job Titles:
- Programmes and Events Officer
I join AIM as the new Programme and Events Officer, working with Margaret to create exciting opportunities for AIM members, with a focus on the annual AIM conference. I have a background in arts outreach and events, working to engage different communities and support emerging musicians and artists. What I love about museums is the opportunity to understand the heritage of a local area, and how communities can engage with their local history. I am looking forward to meeting with AIM members, and having the opportunity to learn how we can best support them.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Council
- Trustee
Colin Hunter is a Charted Surveyor providing advice on business rates and landlord and tenant matters. Colin has been providing advice to AIM members since 2002 on business rates and acted as Expert Witness in leading business rates appeals that have changed the way in which museums are valued for this property tax.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Council
- Trustee
I joined the team at AIM as the position provides the opportunity to support the independent heritage sector. I am passionate about museums and their development, and I am looking forward to helping our members access the grants best suited to their needs. I bring to the role a wealth of knowledge and experience gained through 20 years working in museums across the Southeast. Including roles as a Museum Development Officer, Fine & Applied Art Curator, Collections Manager and Heritage Interpretation Manager with responsibility for education and events.
Haley Sharpe Design (hsd) are industry leaders and trusted specialists across a comprehensive range of cultural and heritage planning services including feasibility studies, governance and organisational resilience; community/stakeholder dialogue and consultation; activity planning; funding advice and business planning; and audience diversification and engagement.
The most enjoyable part of working for AIM is the interaction with our members, as they are all such lovely people. I love being part of the AIM 'family'.
Recovery Plans, Governance Reviews, Resilience building, Change Management, Succession Planning. Not sure what to do for the best? Call me, I can help you. Over 35 years' experience; as a consultant I've worked with over 200 organisations. Known for my innovative thinking, imaginative but practical solutions. My mission is to leave you feeling positive and resilient.
John Barford Consultancy leads on business strategy and commercial development across culture, heritage, charities, specialist retail and hospitality. We help organisations by identifying and developing strategy, scenario planning, business modelling, supporting change and leading or advising on operational delivery. Specialisms include Retail, Ecommerce, Catering, Venue Hire, Visitor and Customer Experience and Brand Licensing. We aim to deliver authentic and engaging commercial activities which drive profit, deliver excellent customer experiences and add value to the brand.
Previous projects extend from a strategic retail review of The King's palaces to the development of merchandising and buying plans for a shop on the Antarctic Peninsula. John has led projects to transform food concepts targeting different customer segments ranging from a tuck shop to fine dining in a railway carriage.
Lambert Smith Hampton are one of the UK and Ireland's leading, and most progressive property consultancies with 32 offices and over 1,000 staff who have been advising AIM members on rating matters for the past 10+ years.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Council
- Trustee
I join AIM from five years at the Department of Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, where I worked on museums policy, including the Mendoza Review of museums, the Museum Estate and Development Fund, and in the last year the Culture Recovery Fund. I'm hoping that experience will be useful as AIM contributes to supporting museums and shaping the sector as we start to regroup and recover from the pandemic. My goal as the director of AIM is for us to do everything we can to support you in achieving your ambitions. To help you tell your stories, and tell our own stories about how great you are, without losing our focus on offering you really practical and pragmatic guidance and advice that helps you run and govern your museums in the best possible way.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Council
- Trustee
To thrive at a time of unprecedented challenges, the heritage sector depends on agile, resilient organisations and leaders. Lucy Marder is a management consultant, leadership coach and facilitator, supporting cultural organisations with business strategy, governance, leadership development and the management of change.
Lucy brings decades of museum sector experience. She holds Chartered Management Consultant status, the highest accreditation in the field, and is a Professional Member of the European Mentoring and Coaching Council.
I've worked in museums for over 25 years, including 14 years as a freelance consultant specialising in collections management. Prior to joining AIM I spent five years as Collections and Interpretation Manager for Canal & River Trust, responsible for the Designated Collection at the National Waterways Museums in Ellesmere Port and Gloucester, and the Canal Museum in Stoke Bruerne, and was also a member of the small management team, so I have first-hand experience of the challenges and opportunities facing independent museums.
With over twenty years' experience of developing research informed marketing and communications strategies in the higher education and creative sectors, I've an implementer's understanding of the opportunities integrated communications can offer, and an enthusiasm for working right across organisations to deliver strategic objectives. I very much enjoy meeting, listening and learning more about the fantastic work of our members and exploring how we can support and strengthen that work.
Melissa is passionate about supporting and empowering others to provide inspiring, high quality learning and engaging opportunities for visitors to heritage sites, museums and galleries and community spaces. Her experience is in small independent museums and has worked in learning, events, collections and health & safety.
Working with you in a collaborative way, she can help you through delivery, project management, evaluation, training, coaching and mentoring.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Council
- Trustee
Mo Suleman is an award winning qualified accountant with many years of working in the Museum industry. He is an expert in all things finance and commercial and specialises in Museums & Galleries Exhibition Tax Relief (M&GETR). If you don't have the time, resources or know how to put a claim together, then don't worry, Mo offers a unique No Win No Fee offer, doing all the leg work so that you don't have to.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Council
- Trustee
Job Titles:
- Member of the Council
- Trustee
Job Titles:
- Deputy Chair of the Council
Job Titles:
- Member of the Council
- Trustee
Job Titles:
- Member of the Council
- Trustee