Creative Alchemy

150+ creative economy projects over more than a decade, across the UK and internationally

The Fifth Sector was founded in 2011, and has delivered over 150 projects, across the UK and internationally, working in partnership with leading specialists and industry experts.

The Fifth Sector provides cities and regions with research, insight and tools to develop resilient, place-based strategies and effective action plans to boost growth of and investment in the creative and digital economy through innovation, capital projects, skills development and digital connectivity.

The Fifth Sector helps digital/creative businesses and cultural organisations  develop new products and services, secure investments, engage with universities, develop plans for collaborative research and get advice and support in bidding for R&D funds.

The Fifth Sector connects universities and innovation agencies with early stage and high growth businesses in the creative and digital economy, providing a ‘third space’ for collaborative research and innovation.

Bringing culture, technology, place and purpose-driven business together

Iain is recognised for methodological innovation in mapping the creative economy. He created a new model to measure the scale and impact of Liverpool City Region’s music economy; devised an original taxonomy for the experience economy to help Loughborough University London and UCL determine a business case for a new R&D facility on Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park; and is working with the British Council to develop a framework for creative economy development across the Western Balkans. He has led research into the fast-growing immersive content and technology sector for organisations including Innovate UK, Digital Catapult, MediaCity Immersive Technologies Innovation Hub (MITIH) and Liverpool City Region Growth Platform, and advised Festivals Edinburgh on international best practice in digital festivals technology. He authored a feasibility study and action plan for the development of the fashion sector in East London for Greater London Authority and London College of Fashion; and wrote the 2014 creative industries trade and inward investment strategy for UKTI (now the Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade).

He was the author of WIPO’s 2017 guide, “How to Make a Living in the Creative Industries” and Creative Industries Council’s “Toolkit for Cities and Regions”, which informed Arts Council England’s development of cultural compacts in the early 2020s.

Before founding The Fifth Sector, Iain wrote the regional strategy for digital and creative industries which underpinned the £1 billion development of MediaCity in Salford and the BBC’s relocation of 6 departments and 3,000 staff. From 2012-14 he was project manager for the Department for Culture, Media & Sport’s £150m Superconnected Cities programme, directing Government investment in digital infrastructure and innovation in London, Birmingham, Brighton & Hove, Bristol, Cardiff, Edinburgh, Manchester, and Salford.