BYMT (British Youth Music Theatre) is delighted to announce the appointment of Rachel Cox, Elaine Grant, Rebecca Nice, Sarah Share and Jackson Used to its Board of Trustees. The new Trustees complete BYMT’s eleven-strong board, chaired by Simon Millson, who was recognised in the New Year’s Honours List for services to LGBTQ+ communities.

After nine years on the Board, composer and agent Jimmy Jewell stepped down from the Board at the end of last year along with lawyer Lucky Stocks, after the completion of her three year term. 

Simon Millson OBE, BYMT Board Chair: “We are honoured to have attracted such a high calibre of professionals to our Board and look forward to working together now and into the future as BYMT continually evolves to deliver outstanding musical theatre experiences for young people drawn from across the country. A huge thank you to Jimmy and Lucy for everything they have brought to the Board and the charity. Jimmy, in particular, has been part of some significant changes at BYMT across his nine years on the Board.”

Emily Gray, Creative Director, BYMT: “We are delighted to congratulate Simon on his OBE. Simon’s leadership helps BYMT to be an organisation where young people – many at a formative stage in discovering who they are – feel seen, supported and empowered to express their full selves. It was thrilling to get such a strong response to our call out for new Trustees and we are delighted to welcome the skills and support of our new cohort. Each appointee not only brings needed expertise, but also a commitment to BYMT’s aims to reach underrepresented young people and give all those with a love of new musicals the potential to enter the industry and change it for the better.”

The new Trustees join Board members Roger Jones, Aniela Shuckburgh, Phil Siddle (NASUWT representative), Francesca Unsworth, and Lexine Lee. They share a wealth of experience across the Arts and business alongside a proven passion for supporting young performers and musical theatre. Lexine is an emerging musical theatre director who was appointed in December 2024 and reports to the Board on behalf of BYMT’s Young Company Panel. 

Lexine Lee, BYMT alumna and Trustee: “As a recent alumna of BYMT, the wealth of experience represented in the new Board feels completely aligned with the direction that the organisation has been growing in. From broader racial and regional representation to a stronger emphasis on artistic perspectives – across music, audience development, and licensing new writing – the Board has taken a big step forward towards mirroring the diversity reflected in the young people we engage with, and will no doubt continue to support as well as positively challenge BYMT’s mission to create inclusive new musical theatre, for and with the artists of our future.”

Rachel Cox is Chief People Officer at the Low Carbon Contracts Company and a Chartered Fellow of the CIPD with over 20 years’ experience in people and organisational development. Based in Leeds, she brings strong strategic and regional insight as BYMT deepens its presence in the North.

Elaine Grant is a leading specialist in audience development and community with over 40 years in the creative industries, working with major UK arts organisations to broaden access and inclusion. Her work champions underrepresented voices and shapes more equitable cultural participation.

Rebecca Nice is an experienced financial-services professional with 15 years in global strategy and sales roles, now part of JP Morgan’s Prime Financial Services team. She brings analytical strength and international perspective alongside a long-standing passion for the arts.

Sarah Share is a senior music-education leader overseeing singing, instrumental and curriculum strategy at Leicestershire Music. Inclusion is at the heart of her approach and she is currently leading on the national inclusion programme Flourish! Sarah has experienced the positive impact of BYMT through her daughter’s involvement with the company as a performer.

Jackson Used is a London-based writer and dramaturg, a published playwright and former NIDA lecturer, with extensive experience supporting new writing and major playwriting awards. He works in Artistic Development at Concord Theatricals, engaging with leading contemporary theatre-makers and bringing a detailed understanding of creating, developing and licensing new work.