Lynsey Smith

With over 20 years of experience, Lynsey is a consultant specialising in the global creative economy. She has held prominent roles at the British Council, Nesta, The Lighthouse, and Creative Edinburgh, building an international reputation for her pioneering work with creative hubs.

Lynsey has led over 100 projects across 40+ countries, advocating for sustainable economies. She spearheaded the British Council’s Creative Hubs & Communities portfolio, which has become a global model in the sector. As co-founder and former Executive Director of Creative Edinburgh, Lynsey helped establish one of Europe’s largest creative hubs.

Her expertise includes developing complex, multi-stakeholder programs for major organisations like the European Commission, Wellcome Trust, Google, and Creative Scotland. She has also co-designed a global leadership program with Clore Leadership and created toolkits such as the Creative Hub Leader’s Toolkit and Creative HubKit.

Lynsey is an RSA Fellow, a board member of The Stove Network, and a partner at Shoesmith + Smith Associates.