Poole Arts Trust, the charity responsible for running Lighthouse Poole, has announced the appointment of two new trustees ahead of its autumn season.
Greg Lowson and Andy Cole MBE will join the Board, supporting Chair MT Rainey OBE and Chief Executive Elspeth McBain as Lighthouse continues to deliver live performance, film and visual arts in Poole and the wider Dorset community.
Elspeth McBain said the new appointments bring extensive experience that will strengthen the organisation’s work. She said their input will help ensure Lighthouse continues to thrive as a cultural venue rooted locally but with national reach.
Greg Lowson retired to Dorset in 2023 following a 41-year career as a solicitor. He spent more than three decades at Pinsent Masons in Birmingham, where he became Head of Office and part of the Senior Leadership Team. His career also included outside appointments such as trustee of Midlands Arts Centre, trustee of The Birmingham Repertory Theatre and non-executive director of the Greater Birmingham Chambers of Commerce, where he became Chair in 2022.
He continues to serve as Under Sheriff of the West Midlands, a role he has held since 2014, and is a non-executive director at Pertemps Network Group.
Andy Cole MBE, who will take up his post in October, brings an extensive background in the retail, hospitality and entertainment industries. Born in Poole and educated at Bournemouth University, he has recently returned to the area after working in Bath, Bristol and the Midlands. He is currently Director of Commercial Enterprise at the Lulworth Estate.
His career includes managing Touchwood Shopping Centre in Solihull, holding senior roles at the NEC Group, and running hotels where he gained recognition for sustainability and quality. Andy has also volunteered widely, including with Citizens Advice and a blood bike charity he helped to establish. He was awarded an MBE in 2017 for services to the retail, hospitality and charity sectors.
Both new trustees bring with them decades of experience and will play a key role in guiding Lighthouse Poole through its next stage of development.
