Rupert Lorraine

Background

About Rupert Lorraine

I work at the intersection of strategy, partnerships and place-based innovation - helping organisations and communities connect ideas, resources and people to create lasting impact. My career has been about building collaborations that stretch across boundaries: between universities and industry, culture and commerce, civic purpose and economic growth. I've shaped initiatives that bring new investment into places, sparked creativity, and unlocked opportunities for skills, resilience and regeneration - helping secure over £18 million for transformative programmes including nationally significant projects in creative technology, marine innovation, and cross-sector leadership development. For example, recent projects include large-scale programmes focused on leadership, skills and emerging technologies - such as iMayflower (£5.9m), Cultivator (£2.6m), SWCTN (£6.5m), and Engaging Students in Knowledge Exchange (£0.5m). Each has played a role in advancing place-based growth, strengthening civic infrastructure, and extending the role of arts, culture and creativity in public life. I have also contributed to the success of landmark civic and cultural initiatives including The Box, the Plymouth Sound National Marine Park and the Market Hall Immersive Dome - projects that have redefined how culture, innovation and the blue economy can drive regional transformation. I'm also deeply interested in how emerging technologies, especially AI, can be used responsibly and imaginatively. My practice blends storytelling, systems thinking and foresight with a long-standing interest in how people learn, decide and lead in complex environments. I lead with clarity, care and curiosity - and I'm at my best when helping others connect the dots between vision and delivery. I'm particularly focused on: • Partnerships as engines of growth and public value • Creativity and civic infrastructure as levers for transformation • Inclusive, adaptive leadership in complex systems • Connecting local distinctiveness to global opportunity • Using AI to unlock new capabilities and collaborative advantage