John Newbigin is Chairman of Creative England; of the cultural web publisher Culture24; and of the Cinema Arts Network. He is a Director of ThreeJohnsandShelagh Ltd. He writes and speaks internationally on behalf of the British Council and is a tutor for the Clore Leadership Programme.

As Special Advisor to the Minister for Culture, Rt Hon Chris Smith MP, he was closely involved in developing the UK government’s first policies for the creative industries. He was Head of Corporate Relations for Channel 4 Television and executive assistant to Lord Puttnam as the Chairman of the film company Enigma Productions Ltd. As a policy advisor to the Leader of the UK Labour Party and Leader of the Opposition, Rt Hon Neil Kinnock, MP, he had responsibility for environmental, cultural and local government issues, amongst others. 

He was an ILEA youth worker in South London for 3 years, ran a training workshop for the Brixton Young Families Housing Aid Association for 3 years, was a detached youth worker with the Bangladeshi community in East London for 6 years, Director of the GLC/ILEA London Youth Festival for International Youth Year 1985, and writer-in-residence for Common Stock Theatre. He also worked as a freelance journalist and illustrator.

He was educated in India, Scotland, London and at Cambridge University.