How to sit on a third sector board | Arts Alliance, Picturehouse and LoveFilm Founder Thomas Hoegh

What boards do you currently sit on, and which have you been on in the past?

I have served on about 25 boards during my career - everything from NASDAQ-listed companies to QUANGOs (Quasi-autonomous non-government organisations), nonprofits and a wide range of start-up and scale-up businesses.

I have generally steered clear of corporate NED roles; I either want to have a stake or to care a lot about the subject matter. Examples would be the UK Film Council, Channel 4 Ventures, the Norwegian Film Institute, Plan UK and the Scale-Up Institute. I have also served on the boards of companies I founded, like LoveFilm, Arts Alliance, Met Film School and Garden Studios. I also chair Rift Valley Corporation, an agribusiness company in Zimbabwe.

Why did you choose to join the board of a cultural organisation?

The film-related boards I have served on have been natural extensions of my commercial activities. As I have some insight and experience across production, distribution, exhibition and home entertainment, I presumed I could challenge and guide the management of the UK Film Council, Wim Wenders' Foundation and the Norwegian Film Institute, for example.

What are the key differences between your experiences on corporate boards and third sector boards?

In my opinion, there are two groups of people serving on third sector boards in the UK: the ones that are passionate about the subject matter and those who are passionate about how many letters they have after their own names. On the other hand, I find that corporate board members are mostly driven by commercial interest and a desire to stay relevant.

What are the key qualities of a good board member in the arts and charity sectors?

A great board member performs the expected activities and oversight one should expect, but also lifts the organisation's goals and supports business development, fundraising and "oxygen provisioning" for all.

What is the most unexpected lesson you have learned from your experience on third sector boards? How have you used it for Non-Executive and similar positions?

Studying human behaviour never stops. Board dynamics in non-profit situations are often about ego management and getting a group to embrace shared values beyond financial goals.

What is the biggest challenge your arts, cultural or charitable organisations are facing right now?

Fundraising is very hard as corporates are jittery and government pockets are tight; [there is uncertainty] about what will happen with a rudderless government.

When have you gotten it wrong and what did you learn?

I recently had an experience with a big donor who committed funds to a specific programme, but then didn't deliver the goods at the end. Our learning was not to rely on a single source and to keep multiple irons in the fire.

What is your advice to someone joining their first board in any sector?

Do your own due diligence. Do they have the funds they claim? What are the board dynamics? Is the board empowered to make the required changes? It is completely okay to join a messy board, but only if it is clear that it is a mess and that you have a proper mandate to fix the situation.

Susan Boster is the Founder and CEO of Boster Group Ltd., an award-winning consultancy specialising in the development of innovative partnerships between global corporations, cultural institutions and social impact foundations. Current and recent clients include Disney, Meta, Gap Inc., Moët Hennessy, J.P. Morgan, Bacardi, EY, Goldman Sachs, Montblanc and the Leverhulme Trust.

Previously, as Marketing Director at Barnes & Noble and later CMO at News International, Susan oversaw the transitions of both companies to e-commerce and digital platforms, including the launch of barnesandnoble.com.

Susan currently sits on the boards of the Design Museum - where she chairs the Enterprise Committee - The Representation Project, and the Donmar Warehouse. She previously served two terms as Vice Chairman of the Board of the English National Ballet. Susan is regularly featured as a moderator and keynote speaker at conferences such as the World Economic Forum in Davos and the CognitionX Festival of AI and Emerging Technology, and she is a Consultant Lecturer at Sotheby’s Institute of Art.

Thomas Hoegh is an artist, entrepreneur and investor operating in the technology and media spaces with a creative background. His company, Arts Alliance, built LoveFilm, which was acquired by Amazon, and world-leading digital cinema software and infrastructure company Arts Alliance Media, which Luxin RIo has since acquired in China.

Other ventures include the Met Film School, Picturehouse Cinemas (acquired by Cineworld) and Garden Studios, a currently scaling sustainable London-based film studio launched in 2021.

Thomas is a backer of companies like Kebony, Shazam, Lucky Voice, Ocado, Opera Software, Lastminute, Atom Films, Property Finder, PrePay Technologies and Firefly. He is a trustee of the Wim Wenders' Foundation and a former board member of Channel 4 Ventures, the UK Film Council and the Norwegian Film Institute.

Thomas was trained as a theatre director at Northwestern University, directing theatre productions, radio and TV drama and large-scale events. He currently serves on the Dean's Advisory Boards of the Northwestern University School of Communications and Harvard Business School.