Sanaz Amidi

Founder and CEO of Cultural Transitions

Sanaz Amidi is the founder and CEO of Cultural Transitions. She is an executive leader, Chair and board member with more than 20 years of experience across culture, creative economies, education and place.

Her work spans Europe, the Middle East and sub-Saharan Africa, bringing together experience from the public, private and not-for-profit sectors. She advises on cultural strategy, major regeneration and placemaking projects, creative workforce development and organisational change.

Trained in fine art at Central Saint Martins and Camberwell College of Arts, Sanaz combines an artist’s perspective with strategic, commercial and organisational experience. She holds professional qualifications in accounting and executive coaching, a Global Executive MBA from IESE Business School, and has completed executive education at Harvard Business School.

Throughout her career, Sanaz has led cultural programmes, advised senior leaders and developed partnerships that create opportunities for artists and communities. She is particularly interested in how planning, funding and governance can protect creative spaces, strengthen artist livelihoods and ensure culture plays a meaningful role in how places develop.

Alongside Cultural Transitions, Sanaz is a Trustee of English National Ballet, a Non-Executive Director of Creative United, Independent Chair of Creative Newham, Special Advisor to the Contemporary Visual Arts Network London, and an Advisory Board Member of Creative Futures.

Across her executive, advisory and board roles, she works to build stronger cultural organisations, fairer creative economies and more sustainable futures for the artists and places they depend on.