Who We Are

Duncan Peake

(Chair) Duncan joined Raby Estates as Chief Executive in 2017 after a successful track record developing some of the UK’s foremost landed estate businesses. He is responsible for business operations across Raby landholdings in Co Durham and the Midlands including leadership of a change management programme and development of the Estate’s tourism and leisure interests. Duncan was formerly CEO of the Holker Group in Cumbria and was a Director of the Cumbria LEP and Cumbria Tourism.

Ross Grieve

Ross, managing director of Seaham Hall, started his career at The Ritz London on the Management Trainee Scheme. Subsequent roles included Food and Beverage Manager at Dublin’s Clarence Hotel, owned by U2, and Deputy General Manager at The Cotton House on the island of Mustique. Ross spent 10 years as Hotel Manager at the Chester Grosvenor before joining Seaham Hall.  

Stephen King

Stephen has been a non-executive director at Visit County Durham since 2019 and is also a member of the Audit Committee. He is an experienced executive and non-executive director in large sector leading organisations and is a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Marketing and a member of the Institute of Directors. He enjoyed a 27 year career at leading bus company Go North East, which took him from youth trainee to boardroom as Commercial Director. In addition to his role at Visit County Durham he is also on the board at New College Durham as Corporation Governor and a Board Trustee at Beamish Museum. He is a regular speaker on the MBA Business Course at Teesside University Business School on Corporate Social Responsibility and Environment Social Governance and is an SME business mentor on the Captured Programme at Newcastle University Business School. He is also an Enterprise Advisor with the North East Local Enterprise Partnership where he is paired with North Durham Academy to support its career guidance agenda.

Rhiannon Hiles

Chief Executive, Beamish Museum

Hannah Fox – Executive Director of The Bowes Museum.
Hannah joined The Bowes Museum in 2022 to steer a bold, purpose-driven vision for one of the North East’s most significant cultural landmarks. Set in a distinctive County Durham location, the Museum is home to internationally renowned collections of art and design, now entering an exciting new chapter in its 150-year history.

With a creative industries background, Hannah has worked with various sectors, including education, manufacturing, culture, and health. Before The Bowes Museum, Hannah led the creation of the new Museum of Making in Derby, which has earned widespread acclaim and was shortlisted for both the UK and European Museum of the Year.

A passionate advocate for human-centred design and cultural development, Hannah advises institutions and initiatives across the UK, Europe, and the USA. Hannah also sits on advisory boards for the National Trust and Locomotion and leads a national Fellowship programme that empowers pioneering changemakers in the arts and culture sector.

Anna Warnecke

Chief Executive Officer, 11Arches

Sarah Price

Sarah has been Head of Locomotion, the only national museum in County Durham, since August 2018.  Previously she had worked at Durham University as Head of Engagement and Learning, where she was responsible for the visitor operations and public programme at all of the university’s cultural venues. At Locomotion, Sarah has led on the updating of interpretation across site, reinvigorating the museum’s programme of events, forging stronger links with the local community, and most recently has been heavily involved in the multi-million pound site-wide transformation plan that has resulted in the museum becoming the largest undercover collection of heritage rail vehicles in Europe.

Alison Maynard

Alison joined New College Durham in July 2022 as Deputy Principal for Curriculum where she leads on Further & Higher Education, Apprenticeship provisions and is responsible for Management Information Systems, Marketing and Quality. She has 28 years’ worth of experience working in the sector.

Alison successfully foundered the first Career College North East in Advanced Manufacturing and Engineering, providing students with opportunity to undertake full time education and career progression routes from FE into HE, and has been a driving force in developing provision for 14–16-year-olds wishing to embark on vocational education.

Due to her wealth of experience, Alison was an expert adviser to the Polish Government on vocational education and also worked with HE Institutions in Brazil on vocational education design and development. Alison is an ambassador for NETPARK Durham, in Science and Manufacturing, and sat on the Domestic Energy Skills Steering Group within the NELEP.

An award winner at the North East Chamber of Commerce Inspiring Females Awards November 2023, Alison has raised several thousand pounds for Prostate Cancer and enjoys walking her two Cocker Spaniels.

Andrew Usher

Andrew joined Durham Cathedral in 2021 as Chief Officer: Visitor Experience and Enterprise, a new role to develop the visitor and commercial operations at the cathedral. Prior to joining the cathedral, he spent 32 years working for Tesco, starting in a part time role then going on to complete the graduate trainee programme before holding a number of senior leadership positions in Scotland and the North of England.

Michelle Gorman

Visit County Durham