Emily Cloke announced as new Chief Executive of Creative UK

Former Senior Diplomat – who championed the UK’s creative industries in Hollywood – to head up national organisation for the creative and cultural industries

Today, Thursday 12 February, Creative UK is delighted to announce that Emily Cloke has been appointed as its new Chief Executive.

As the national membership body for the cultural and creative industries, Creative UK exists to champion creativity in its widest form: advocating at national and local government level, investing directly in creative businesses, and providing business growth support through its numerous regional programmes.

Emily is a global connector and convener, with a deep passion for the cultural and creative industries, a rich background in creative and commercial partnerships, and extensive experience in policy development.

Her career spans diplomacy, law, and film production, giving her a rounded perspective on how creativity drives economic growth and cultural influence. As a UK diplomat, she has worked in the US, Middle East and Europe, and her expertise as a Senior Civil Servant blends policy, trade and investment, commercial and international.

From 2020-2024, she served as His Majesty’s Consul General in Los Angeles, where she championed the UK’s creative industries on the global stage.

Since 2024, Emily has worked as a senior civil servant in the UK Government’s Department for Business and Trade.

Prior to this, in her position as Deputy CEO for the UK-Africa Investment Summit, Emily worked to unlock strategic partnerships and catalyse investment across Africa. She has held specialist senior roles in UK Government, across trade, business and international, and has served as a Senior Policy Adviser for UK Government Investments.

Commenting on the appointment, Creative UK’s Chair, Catherine Mallyon CBE, said: “I am thrilled that Emily will be leading Creative UK through its next exciting chapter. A strategic and collaborative leader, Emily’s expertise across the creative industries, diplomacy, policy, and trade mean she is ideally placed to further our goals of increased investment and support for an ever more diverse, sustainable, and thriving cultural and creative sector.

“I am looking forward to working closely with Emily, and the wider Creative UK leadership and team, to continue delivering profound impact for the whole country’s cultural and creative industries. Together we will work to extend the impact of Creative UK’s first five years – which saw us invest £31m into creative business, support over 5,200 creative SMEs, and represent 1,500 members.”

Emily Cloke said: “Creative UK is a truly unique organisation: investing in the creative economy while representing the full breadth of the creative industries. I am honoured to be joining as the next Chief Executive, and look forward to being a champion for its far-reaching membership and network of businesses.

“The Creative Industries is a jewel in the UK’s crown – worth £125bn to the economy, and underpinned by incredible talent. From advertising to architecture, fashion to film – the sector is a growth driver, which is prime for even more investment on the back of the Industrial Strategy. Creative UK’s convening power, networks and track record all lay a solid foundation for us to keep advocating for the growth of the sector – and I look forward to working with partners, Catherine and the Board, and the organisation’s talented team, to continue this important work.”

Caroline Norbury said: “I am thrilled that Emily has been appointed as the new Chief Executive of Creative UK. Her experience and skills – spanning policy, creative industries and trade – make her an ideal candidate to connect the dots between investment and advocacy. I look forward to being a champion for her as she steps into the role of champion for the sector, supported by a fantastic team and strong network.”

Notes to Editors:

Emily will take up the post of Chief Executive in early May 2026;
Caroline Norbury OBE departs as Chief Executive at the end of March;
In the interim, Creative UK will be led by Managing Director, Laura Turner Laing.

About Emily Cloke: Emily Cloke’s career spans diplomacy, law and film production. A global connector and convenor, she has worked in the US, the Middle East and Europe as a UK diplomat, while her leadership expertise as a senior civil servant blends policy, trade, investment, commercial and international.

As British Consul General in Los Angeles from 2020-2024, she was the senior representative of the UK Government in Southern California, Arizona, Nevada, Utah and Hawaii. In this role, she led wide-ranging areas, including driving creative and media collaborations; trade, investment and economic partnerships; deepening science, innovation and tech links; tackling climate change; public diplomacy; and the delivery of essential consular services to a 600,000-strong British resident community, alongside British visitors.

Throughout her career, she has held a variety of senior leadership roles including on US-UK trade; as Deputy CEO for the PM’s UK-Africa Investment Summit; and in export and investment promotion across a number of industry sectors. She worked overseas as Trade Director for the British Embassy Tehran, setting up and leading the UK’s trade section following the re-opening of the British Embassy in 2015, and as Head of Trade at the British Embassy Sweden. Her wider experience also includes advising on the creation of the world’s first Green Investment Bank.

Emily started her career as a lawyer in the City of London. She studied law at Cambridge University.

About Creative UK: Creative UK is the national membership body for the Cultural and Creative Industries. We exist to champion creativity in its widest form – representing world-leading organisations from sectors as diverse as advertising, animation, architecture, broadcasting, crafts, design, digital, education, fashion, games, heritage, museums, music, performing arts, photography, publishing, theatre, TV, visual art and more.

We are an independent not-for-profit, which uses the insight and experience of our members to help shape relevant government policy and advocate for meaningful change. Change that will benefit UK businesses, citizens and communities.

Our vision is a world where creativity is valued and recognised as the driving force for our future.

We’re so passionate about this that we put our money where our mouth is: through own landmark investment funds, we’ve directly invested millions of pounds into creative businesses over the last decade.

Our team is based across the UK, and we work closely with Local and Combined Authorities to support creative talent, whilst delivering hands-on support – spanning business diagnostics, mentoring and investment readiness.

Our Filming in England service is a dedicated and bespoke production service to feature film and high-end TV productions looking to film in England, outside of London.