Meet The Team

Professor Richard Koeck is Director of the AHRC Creative Cluster MusicFutures, bringing more than 20 years’ experience working on academic and real-world creative industry projects across the UK, Europe, the United States, Singapore and China to the programme.

Known for wilfully ignoring disciplinary boundaries wherever possible, on the reasonable assumption that innovation often starts where silos end, he leads MusicFutures with the ambition to grow an innovation culture across the Liverpool City Region and the UK, where creative industries and digital/emerging technologies help shape imaginative futures for society, place and a growing creative economy.

Favourite Band: Kraftwerk

Leads on industry-led research and development, shaping innovation strategy and managing competitive funding calls that support cross-sector collaboration between academia, industry, artists and creative practitioners. Pete's own work focuses on creative technology, convergent and realtime production, immersive and live experience innovation and AI-driven workflow, practice and product development. Pete was integral to the development of the MusicFutures programme over several years in partnership with universities, regional stakeholders and industry partners across the UK and has a background working in Industry innovation crossing games, live, film and experiential media.

Yaw Owusu is a Liverpool-based music and music culture creative consultant working where music, culture and infrastructure meet. Through his consultancy Nothin But The Music, he designs and delivers high-impact programmes that shift narratives, strengthen ecosystems and build practical pathways for artists, industry professionals and communities too often overlooked. He has programmed and delivered landmark work with organisations including Google, BBC, Universal Music Group, MTV, BET, MOBO, Levi’s and Liverpool Football Club, combining cultural authority with delivery rigour to produce legacy. As part of MusicFutures, Yaw leads of Enterprise and Next Gen strands.

Favourite Artist: Jay-Z
Favourite Song: This week, it's Man At The Garden - Kendrick Lamar
Favourite Gig: Kendrick Lamar - Mr Morale & The Big Steppers (Tour)

With a track record of multi-platinum campaigns, BRIT and MOBO-nominated projects across the UK, including Kungs vs Cookin On 3 Burners, Sigma, Jonasu (BRIT-nominated), Jamie Jones, Shimza, Netsky, AntsLive (MOBO-nominated), Geko, and more - Sophie combines strategic expertise with creative vision in music marketing. Having previously shaped artist campaigns at Helix Records and 3Beat, she now leads communication and partnership initiatives that amplify and champion underrepresented voices across the music industry in the Liverpool City Region.

Favourite Artist: Wolf Alice
Favourite Song: The Shapeshifters - Lola's Theme
Favourite Gig: Jamie xx at Alexandra Palace