Creative Mentor Network (CMN) has appointed Russ Lidstone, group CEO of The Creative Engagement Group and former CEO of Havas London, to the position of chair. Lidstone will perform the non-exec role in addition to his ongoing group CEO role at The Creative Engagement Group.

Lidstone takes up the newly created position as the London-based CMN charity seeks to grow and advance its mission to make the creative world of work more diverse and inclusive. As chair, Lidstone will support chief executive/founder Isabel Farchy and CMN’s senior leadership team, in delivering the strategy of the organzation as it looks to expand nationally.

CMN works directly with schools to connect talented young people from diverse backgrounds with those working in the creative industries. The organization trains industry professionals as mentors and then matches them with young people from low-income backgrounds. The charity’s model is designed so that everyone wins: career opportunities for young people; training for employees; and access to diverse talent for creative businesses.

The charity’s mission is to enable young people (16-19) who, crucially, lack access to the networks and insights they need to break into the creative industries. It pairs young people in London with creatives from leading brands and agencies, helping to provide a way into an industry that might otherwise seem off limits.