Board of Directors

We are governed by a Board of Directors who bring a wide range of talents and experience to DACS. The Board includes artists, lawyers and other professionals with an interest in artists and their intellectual property. The Board ensures that DACS fulfils its mission to translate rights into revenue and recognition for visual artists. 

  • Mark Stephens CBE, Chair

    Mark Stephens CBE, Chair

    Mark Stephens is an avid art collector and son of a fine artist. As a partner at Howard Kennedy, he has undertaken some of the highest profile cases in cultural property law and litigation. He is regularly in the media, often appearing on TV and radio. In 2011, he was made a Commander of the Order of the British Empire for services to Law and the Arts. Mark is also Chair of: the Contemporary Art Society, the University of East London and the Management Committee of the Programme in Comparative Media Law and Policy Wolfson College, Oxford Centre for Socio Legal Studies. He sits on the board as a trustee of Index on Censorship, the Bianca Jagger Human Rights Foundation Commonwealth Lawyers Association and Human Rights Council of the International Bar Association.

  • Matthew Flowers, Vice Chair

    Matthew Flowers, Vice Chair

    Matthew is a contemporary art dealer. As Managing Director of Angela Flowers Gallery plc, he oversees three art galleries located in London and New York. Matthew joined the DACS Board in 2008.

  • Rut Blees Luxemburg

    Rut Blees Luxemburg

    Rut’s work as an artist and photographer concerns the representation of the city and the phenomenon of the urban. Her work ranges from large-scale photographic works, public art installations and operatic mis-en-scene. She has recently completed a major public artwork for the façade of Westminster City Hall: The Silver Forest. Rut is a Reader in Urban Aesthetics at the Royal College of Art and is founder and co-director of an experimental art production space, FILET. Photo credit: Rhianne Clarke

  • Neil Burgess

    Neil Burgess

    Neil has extensive experience in the photography sector in various roles as an agent, editor, collector and curator. He was Director of Magnum Photos for seven years and founded Magnum Photos’ first London office. He was Managing Editor of Network Photographers also for seven years and subsequently has run his own business NB Pictures since 2002. Early on in his career, he was also Director of the Open Eye Gallery in Liverpool.

  • Cortina Butler

    Cortina Butler

    Cortina is the daughter of the sculptors Reg Butler and Rosemary Young and Director Literature at the British Council. She has spent her career in book publishing working extensively with visual images and intellectual property. Cortina joined the DACS Board in 2013.

  • Ian Coleman

    Ian Coleman

    Ian is Senior Client Relationship Partner at PricewaterhouseCoopers. He manages a number of key client accounts and consults to senior executives on corporate value issues including financial strategy, transactions, valuations and investor communications. Ian led the development of the firm's Global Valuation & Strategy practice within its Advisory business line from 2000-2007 and was Head of Emerging Markets from 2007-2009. Ian joined the DACS Board in 2012.

  • Julia Crabtree

    Julia Crabtree

    Julia Crabtree graduated with an MA from Slade School of Fine Art in 2013. She is a practicing artist who collaborates exclusively with William Evans. Their work is interested in the sculptural transformation of material both in physical and virtual space. They have undertaken residencies at South London Gallery, Wysing Arts Centre and recently at the Banff Centre, Canada. They have exhibited nationally and internationally, including at Auto-Italia, Modern Art Oxford and Tate Modern.

  • Herman Lelie

    Herman Lelie

    Herman is a graphic designer. For more than 20 years, he has specialised in designing with artists and art organisations. Herman joined the DACS Board in 2009.

  • Mary Moore

    Mary Moore

    Mary Moore is the daughter of the late sculptor Henry Moore. She founded the Henry Moore Foundation with her parents between 1975 and 1977 and currently looks after the Henry Moore family estate. Mary is a member of DACS and joined the Board in 2014.

  • Frederique Pierre-Pierre

    Frederique Pierre-Pierre

    Frederique holds a Master Law Degree from the University of Sorbonne and a LLM from King’s College London. Frederique practiced as a lawyer before joining the financial sector in which she has extensive experience both in investment banking and asset management. Her last executive role was Chief Operating Officer for the CIO office of Deutsche Bank Asset Management. Her Trustee and Non-Executive Director experience includes Matt’s Gallery and the Henry Moore Foundation. Photo credit: Suki Dhanda

  • Sarah Taylor Silverwood

    Sarah Taylor Silverwood

    Sarah Taylor Silverwood is a practising artist. She has lectured at Birmingham City University and the University of Warwick, and been a Board member for Bright Space and a Programming Committee Member for Eastside Projects, Birmingham. She is a member of DACS and joined the Board in 2014.

  • Klaus Thymann

    Klaus Thymann

    Klaus is an award winning photographer and film-maker. His art has been exhibited and published world-wide, and he also works on commercial assignments. Klaus joined the DACS Board in 2011.

  • Jane Wilson

    Jane Wilson

    Jane Wilson is a practising artist and Research Professor in Art at the University of Wolverhampton. She collaborates with her twin sister Louise Wilson, specialising in photographic and video works. She is a member of DACS and joined our Board in 2014.