Speaker Bio

Esme Ward is Director of Manchester Museum at the University of Manchester, recently named European Museum of the Year 2025. She is also Professor of Heritage Futures. Esme has worked in museums and heritage for over 25 years as an educator and cultural leader, including roles at the V&A, the National Trust, the Whitworth and now Manchester Museum. She led the transformation of Manchester Museum, which reopened in February 2023 and includes the multi-award-winning South Asia Gallery, developed in partnership with the British Museum. She is Co-Chair of the University Museums Group and sits on the National Museum Directors’ Council, the Research England Advisory Group (REAG) and Kew’s Wakehurst Advisory Committee. She is co-founder of the Creative Ageing Development Agency (CADA), founding Chair of the National Culture, Health and Wellbeing Alliance, and a Fellow of the Clore Leadership Programme.