Fiona Allan
Paddington,NSW
Summary
A strategic thinker and experienced change leader with demonstrated track record in complex executive leadership roles both within Australia and in UK. Passionate about the role that arts and culture play in regional and community development. Experienced in working with and serving on boards, in senior government and corporate stakeholder engagement, fostering networks of philanthropic giving, and in building collaborative artistic and educational partnerships within and across nations. Currently managing a budget of over $100M per annum, 800 personnel on payroll in busy weeks, delivering to audiences of over 500,000 per year.
Overview
27
27
years of professional experience
1
1
Certification
Work History
Chief Executive Officer
Opera Australia
11.2021 - Current
- Lead organisation with more than $100M annual turnover, employing 800 personnel in busy periods, operating between Sydney and Melbourne.
- Drive development of new OA strategic direction, authored strategic plan 2024-2028, and agreed terms of new $100M+ funding settlement with Creative Australia, Create NSW and Creative Victoria
- Brought company back to performance post pandemic, whilst building back Sydney audience base
- Manage the company through a period of constant change including the exits of two chairs and two artistic directors, with extended periods of overseeing artistic personnel and delivery in absence of an Artistic Director
- Secured over $3M new philanthropic support to re-boot education and young artist programmes
- Purchased new Sydney warehouse property and began planning for redevelopment of Sydney Opera Centre
CEO and Artistic Director
Birmingham Hippodrome
11.2015 - 11.2021
- Revised the organisation's vision and mission and created a new strategic direction and artistic investment guidelines, then restructured the company to enable the new vision to be delivered.
- Transformed a highly successful presenting theatre into a cultural hub and arts centre , growing the cultural campus through capital development to be home to six creative organisations.
- Programmed the highest turnover theatre outside London, delivering more than 500,000 people per year to a programme spanning opera, ballet, theatre, contemporary dance to major West End musicals and pantomime, increasing theatre net returns by 20% through better commercial deals.
- Doubled organisational reach in first four years, to over 1M per year, through the development of a festivals team and community and outreach programmes.
- Developed a range of support programmes for local performing artists that ranged from access to space and resources to commissioning and producing new work.
- Managed the organisation through the pandemic, making 50% of permanent staff redundant, securing relief funding and bridging loans to enable online delivery of some festivals, activity on site to limited audiences once allowed, and eventual reopening of theatres to full capacity
Chief Executive Officer
Curve Theatre
05.2011 - 11.2015
- Commenced as CEO in second year of new theatre when organisation was on Arts Council England high risk list; turned it around to making annual surpluses, producing theatre and musicals that toured nationally
- Developed an audience and staff base that was reflective of the white minority population of Leicester, winning UK Theatre Awards for diversity and inclusion
- Built partnerships with West End producers including Cameron Macintosh Ltd and Matthew Bourne's New Adventures to position Curve as the venue of choice for opening UK tours
- Embraced a civic leadership role including working with the elected mayor on bids, and serving on the Leicester and Leicestershire Enterprise Partnership as creative industries champion
Artistic Director
Wales Millennium Centre
07.2004 - 05.2011
- Built audiences for many artforms new to Wales - international contemporary dance, ballet, physical theatre and lyric circus arts for example.
- Led what was at the time the most extensive free public programme in the UK- over 500 free performances per year, as well as national education programmes.
- Established an incubator programme for smaller scale Welsh companies, which saw the development of many new works for festivals and touring, and a commissioning programme working with international partners
- Established regular presenting relationships with Welsh National Opera, Birmingham Royal Ballet, Scottish Ballet, English National Ballet, Matthew Bourne’s New Adventures and Cameron MacKintosh Ltd
- Led producing, programming , audience development, communications and tourism teams and was responsible for partnerships with six resident companies
Chief Executive Officer
Sydney Film Festival
01.2002 - 05.2004
- Initiated radical changes to ticketing options, opening the festival experience to new audiences , resulting in a 40% sales increase in one year
- Led the 50th anniversary celebrations for the Festival in 2002
- Negotiated new six- figure sponsorship deals with Tourism Sydney, Stella Artois, Deutsche Bank and others
Head of Programming
Sydney Opera House
09.1997 - 02.2001
- Programmed and produced across all venues from the 2800 concert hall down to the 200 seat reception hall, as well as the 5000 capacity outdoor performance area
- Launched and established The Studio as SOH space for alternative performances: across contemporary music, music theatre, cabaret, comedy and ‘fringe’ type productions
- Conceived and initiated the first Message Sticks festival to coincide with national reconciliation conference in 2000. The festival developed into a major annual event for SOH
- Produced an outdoor arts programme during the Sydney 2000 Olympics
Education
MBA -
University of Technology Sydney
Faculty Of BusinessGrad Dip Arts Management -
University of Technology, Sydney
B Music (Hons) -
University of Sydney
Skills
- Organizational and executive leadership
- Leading and managing change
- Strategy and Governance
- Communication and senior stakeholder relationships
- Collaboration and partnership building
- Innovative thinking and creative problem solving
- Civic leadership and contribution to regional development
Certification
- Graduate, Australian Institute of Company Directors
- Women in Power, Executive programme at Harvard Kennedy School of Government
- Strategic Leadership executive short course, Said Business School, Oxford University
- Presentation and Influence Programme: RADA
Boards & Committees
Current:
Chair, Hayes Theatre Co
Director, Live Performance Australia
Past:
President, UK Theatre: the national performing arts sector membership, negotiation and advocacy body in UK
Chair, West Midlands Regional Tourism Board: focussed on Commonwealth Games 2022
Chair, The Space digital arts agency
CoChair, UK Dance Consortium
Director, West Midlands Growth Company: regional development, tourism and inward investment
Director, Women of the Year (UK) awards
Director, Stage One: training for emerging producers
Director, Creative and Cultural Skills Programme, Wales
Governor, Theatr Clwyd Cymru
Council member, Arts Council England Midlands regional board
Council member, Midlands Engine Business Council
Council member, Creative Industries Federation Council
Timeline
Chief Executive Officer
Opera Australia
11.2021 - Current
CEO and Artistic Director
Birmingham Hippodrome
11.2015 - 11.2021
Chief Executive Officer
Curve Theatre
05.2011 - 11.2015
Artistic Director
Wales Millennium Centre
07.2004 - 05.2011
Chief Executive Officer
Sydney Film Festival
01.2002 - 05.2004
Head of Programming
Sydney Opera House
09.1997 - 02.2001
MBA -
University of Technology Sydney
Grad Dip Arts Management -
University of Technology, Sydney
B Music (Hons) -
University of Sydney
Similar Profiles
Charlie MccluneyCharlie Mccluney
Opera Singer at Opera AustraliaOpera Singer at Opera Australia
Thomas StrongThomas Strong
Principal Artist (Opera Singer) at Opera AustraliaPrincipal Artist (Opera Singer) at Opera Australia
Rachel HallettRachel Hallett
Scenic Artist at Opera AustraliaScenic Artist at Opera Australia