South Bank Employers’ Group announces new Board and Vision
South Bank Employers’ Group (SBEG) - the not for profit membership organisation which since 1991 has worked to transform London’s South Bank - has unveiled its new Vision, a new governance model, and welcomed five high-profile appointments to its Board.
The move marks the completion of a major governance review that creates a smaller, more agile Board and a new Members’ Council designed to strengthen collaboration across one of the capital’s most important cultural, creative, dynamic and authentic neighbourhoods. SBEG has also unveiled its new vision of “Working together for a better South Bank for all.”
The five new directors bring a wealth of expertise from across the public, private and civic sectors, and join the existing directors who are drawn from SBEG’s existing membership. They are:
Sally Keith, Legal Director, National Highways - infrastructure, governance and planning
Allen Simpson, Chief Executive, UK Hospitality - economic development and destination marketing
Victoria Soormally, Vice President, People and Culture, Gallagher - organisational culture and workforce transformation
Dr Paul Spencer, Chief Executive, Winchester BID - place management and creative economies
Charlie Wood, London Area Director, Environment Agency - environmental resilience and sustainability
They join Robin Goodchild (Merlin Entertainments), Sarah Boddy (Canary Wharf Group / Braeburn Estates), Carlo Gargiulo (Network Rail), Warren Forsyth (Southbank Centre) and Bushra Iqbal (Morley College London) on the SBEG Board, along with Tom Sleigh, SBEG’s independent Chair and Nic Durston, its Chief Executive. Carlo Gargiulo, Head of Property Services Southern Region at Network Rail, has been appointed Vice-Chair of the Board.
Nic Durston said: “I am delighted to unveil our new Vision and announce our newest Board members. This concludes the governance and membership review we've been through. We have transformed the way we operate - redefining what it means to be a member of SBEG. Our new governance and membership model is bold, and supports our new Vision.
“We’ve brought together a Board with serious experience and credibility, a powerful combination of talented directors who understand how South Bank and complex urban environments work, and how culture, commerce and community combine to power effect.
“Our new model removes the formal responsibilities that were previously tied to membership, freeing leaders to focus on what really matters: shaping the future of South Bank together. This is about ensuring our governance is as progressive and collaborative as the place itself.”
Alongside the new smaller, more agile Board, SBEG has established the Members’ Council - a powerful platform for real influence and collaboration. Through it, SBEG members can work strategically and collaboratively with key decision-makers including the area’s two MPs, Lambeth Council, Southwark Councils, and the GLA. Membership also comes with an open invitation to the South Bank & Waterloo Partnership - a valuable seat at the table where local issues are discussed.
This is a genuinely innovative approach to local partnership working intent on driving forward progress, and to achieve shared objectives.
Looking ahead, SBEG’s new governance structure provides a strong platform for the next phase of its work, leading South Bank into a new era of collaboration, sustainability and creative growth. With the 75th anniversary of the Festival of Britain approaching in 2026, SBEG will use the year ahead to champion South Bank’s legacy as the birthplace of culture-led regeneration and to shape the agenda for its future.