Althea Efunshile

Althea Joy Barrett Efunshile CBE (born 20 August 1956) is the deputy chief executive of Arts Council England.

Education

Efunshile has a bachelor's degree in sociology from the University of Essex, a PGCE from Goldsmiths, University of London and a DMS from Buckinghamshire College.[1]

Career

After various posts in teaching, youth work, and educational administration, Efunshile was executive director, education and culture, of the London Borough of Lewisham from 1996 to 2001. She then worked at the Department for Education and Skills from 2001 to 2006, as head of the Children's and Young People's Unit and then directing its Vulnerable Children Group.

In 2007 she joined Arts Council England as executive director, arts planning and investment, becoming chief operating officer 2009-2013 and then deputy chief executive from 2013.[1][2] She left this post in October 2016, and she has said "I am looking forward to a new life in which I can have a portfolio career with projects and non-executive board positions that will challenge my intellect but take up a bit less of my time. I am looking forward to a mix of interesting work and enjoying my grandchildren".[3][4]

Efunshile was included in Power List 2013: Britain's most influential black people".[5] In April 2016, she was listed as number 43 in the "Top 100 BAME business leaders in the UK", a list compiled for Executive Search firm Green Park and The Sunday Times by a panel of judges comprising Green Park's Raj Tulsiani, Baroness Janet Royall, Baroness Oona King, Lord Victor Adebowale and Lord Chris Holmes.[6]

Efunshile was appointed Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in the 2016 Birthday Honours for services to arts and culture.[7]

In December 2016, it was reported that Efunshile had been proposed by Ofcom for a position as a non-executive director of Channel 4, but she was the only nominee rejected by the culture secretary Karen Bradley who appointed four men to an all-white board. The chairman of the board Charles Gurassa and chief executive David Abraham also approved of Efunshile's potential appointment.[4] David Lammy, the Labour MP and former Culture minister, said "This is an absolutely extraordinary decision that really does beggar belief".[8] On 15 December at House of Commons questions for the Culture minister Matthew Hancock, directly responsible for the decision, he rejected criticism commenting it was "an argument that we should have tokenism. I support appointment on merit and I support making sure that we reach into all communities".[9]

References

  1. 1 2 "EFUNSHILE, Althea". Who's Who 2016. A. & C.Black. Retrieved 3 February 2016. (Subscription required (help)).
  2. ↑ Steele, Linda (22 March 2001). "A woman with a vision". The Guardian. Retrieved 3 February 2016.
  3. ↑ "Arts Council England’s Deputy Chief Executive, Althea Efunshile to step down". Press Releases. Arts Council for England. 17 December 2015. Retrieved 3 February 2016.
  4. 1 2 Sweney, Mark (5 December 2016). "Black woman vetoed for Channel 4 job was Arts Council England deputy chief". The Guardian. Retrieved 6 December 2016.
  5. ↑ Power List 2013: Britain's most influential black people. Powerful Media in partnership with Lloyds Banking Group and Thomson Reuters. 2013. p. 15. Retrieved 3 February 2016.
  6. ↑ "Top 100 BAME Leaders in Business List 2016". Green Park. Retrieved 9 May 2016.
  7. ↑ "No. 61608". The London Gazette (Supplement). 11 June 2016. p. B8.
  8. ↑ Brown, Mark; Higgins, Charlotte; Sweney, Mark (7 December 2016). "Blocking of Althea Efunshile from C4 board 'beggars belief', says MP". The Guardian. Retrieved 5 January 2017.
  9. ↑ Stone, Jon (15 December 2016). "Tory minister who blocked only black candidate for Channel 4 board accuses critics of 'tokenism'". The Independent. Retrieved 5 January 2017.
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