Tim Arthur

Tim Arthur was the Creative Director at Virgin Money and former Global CEO of Time Out. He has since taken on the role of Chief Executive at the Royal Academy of Dance. His varied career has also taken in playwriting, running a charity, journalism and presenting on BBC Radio London.

After working as an Artistic Director in regional theatres Tim became the CEO of Cardboard Citizens, a charity that works with and for homeless people using performance and theatre to develop skills, share stories and work with the community. He then entered the world of journalism, becoming Time Out’s UK Content Director. He was appointed the listing and city guide publisher’s Global CEO as the print industry struggled to cope with online platforms. To answer the threat he made the publication free and transformed their digital content strategy and accessibility. He put the company on a safe footing, focusing on digital revenue and brand extensions.

At Virgin Money, Tim embraced a remit encompassing brand, marketing, digital and customer experience. As a challenger brand, in an industry whose reputation had been severely battered by the financial crisis, he helped make it one of the most trusted and human banks in the UK.

Tim takes a customer-centric approach to company strategies, arguing that it is both within a company’s commercial interest and their social responsibility to express their core nature through their brand. He considers how creativity within the workplace needs to be given its own platform and be fundamental to a company’s culture. He examines how both creativity and diversity are primary drivers of smart disruption and sustainable innovation, and the connection between the people within the company and those that rely on them to look after their financial wellbeing.