Michael Wakelin

Michael Wakelin
Executive Associate in Public Education for the Faculty of Divinity, University of Cambridge
Director Coexist Programmes for Coexist House
Exec Producer TBI Media
Founding Partner – Religious Literacy Partnership
Email:michael@michaelwakelin.co.uk
website: michaelwakelin.co.uk

Since leaving senior BBC management in 2010, Michael has created a successful portfolio career that involves giving high level advice and speeches, writing for academic publications, project development and delivery, executive level media production, fundraising, business planning, strategic planning, working with multiple stakeholders in an international context and with high profile partners.

Key Achievements and Employment History
Jan 2010 –
Director of Coexist Programmes (now Director of Programmes for Coexist House)
Partners include: The Equality and Human Rights Commission, the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, the BBC, the V&A, the Inner Temple, the City of London Corporation, Cambridge University, Harvard University, Exeter University, the US based Council on Foreign Relations, Goldsmiths – University of London, St George’s Windsor, Kings College London, The Times Cheltenham Literature Festival, the Greenbelt Festival, Chetna Organic Co-operative Hyderabad, Delicious Peace Co-operative Uganda, Faith in Leadership, Eversheds LLP, Weils LLP, Chris Beardshaw Ltd, Ernst and Young.

March 2013 –
Executive Associate in Public Education for the Faculty of Divinity, University of Cambridge
(CIP) Working closely with the Cambridge Inter-faith Programme Team managing a range of
projects in partnership with Coexist, ensuring compatibility with University’s brand

May 2010 –
Executive Producer TBI Media – a successful independent Radio Production Company. Exec Producing a returning strand on BBC Radio Two and various other projects for Premier Radio and BBC Radio Four

Other recent work:
As part of the Religious Literacy Partnership – developed a major new online training programme – Religious Literacy for Organisations to be launched ion May 2016.
Consultant to Renewal – a major new London brown site development
Exeter University – Media and Religion project, Patron of the Insight Film Festival
Adviser to: CODEC (Durham University), Microbooks, Leeds University Religion and the Media Project, The Council of Christians and Jews, Muslim Council of Britain, Media Reviews for national publications including the Church Times. Trustee to The Reckitt Trust and Premier Media. Co-Founding Partner of the Religious Literacy Partnership.

July ’10 – Sept ’12
Project Director for the Council of Christians and Jews
Devised and delivered several new projects for the organisation.
Left due to exceptional workload in other areas

2006 – 2009
BBC Head of Religion and Ethics
Senior management role with strategic, creative and ambassadorial responsibilities for both internal and external stakeholders. Leading a team of experts in established and new media, increasing the profile of the genre and the BBC’s reputation

2005 – 2006
Head of Development BBC Religion and Ethics
2001 – 2005
Series and Exec Producer, BBC TV and Radio
1986 – 2001
BBC Director and Producer

Pre 1986 Roles as a Youth Officer for the YMCA, (running holidays for disadvantaged children) preceded by a couple of years spent in South Korea as an English Teacher in Taejon and as a Radio Presenter and Comedy Actor for KBS in Seoul

Education and Qualifications
1998 Manchester University – Certificate in Counselling Skills
1986 onwards BBC Courses including Ashridge and Willis Consortium (including
modules in organisational change), Senior
Manager Health and Safety, Diversity and Legal
1985 National Broadcasting School won the Scholarship to enter and won the Director’s prize at graduation.
1982 RSA TEFL
1979 – 1982 Birmingham University – BA (Hons) Theology
1973 – 1979 Kingswood School, Bath

Additional information
The official published biographer of J Arthur Rank (1997). Keen runner, enjoys playing bass in the Naked Covers, cooking, walking on the hills and supporting Norwich City. Married with three children.