Live Nation’s Latham appointed chairman of the new National Skills Academy

Published Friday 18 July 2008 at 17:20 by Lalayn Baluch

Paul Latham, UK president of Live Nation, has been named chairman of the new National Skills Academy.

Latham will be supported by Ric Green, technical director of Opera North, who has been appointed as deputy chairman.

The National Skills Academy is a £15 million scheme led by training body Creative and Cultural Skills, designed to boost backstage and technical training. The project is supported by employers such as the National Theatre, Live Nation, the Royal Opera House and the Royal Shakespeare Company.

Tony Hall, chief executive of the ROH and chairman of CCSkills, said: “Paul promises to bring the resource of Live Nation behind the National Skills Academy and Ric will bring not only a huge amount of expertise and knowledge, but also an enormous amount of goodwill in the sector.

“I feel confident that these two people are going to make a big difference in defining this Skills Academy and ensure it really delivers the skills the sector needs.”

Plans to build an NSA campus, which will be based in Thurrock, south Essex, were given final approval by the government in May. It is scheduled to open in 2011.