Aakash Odedra Company seeks an inspirational Chair (or Co-Chairs) to lead our Board, scale our international impact, and champion our Leicester roots.
Aakash Odedra Company (AOC) is seeking an ambitious, visionary Chair (or joint Co-Chairs) to guide our Board and executive leadership through a pivotal era of strategic growth.
Rooted in Leicester with a global footprint, AOC is an Arts Council England National Portfolio Organisation recognised worldwide for boundary-pushing British-South Asian dance.
As we prepare to secure charitable status, recruit a new Executive Director, and acquire a permanent capital building in the Midlands, our next Chair will play a decisive role in shaping our long-term trajectory.
We are looking for an influential advocate with strategic wisdom, robust governance experience, and a deep commitment to equity and cultural diversity. Whether you bring senior leadership within the creative sector or high-level networks across philanthropy and regional development, you will help amplify our audacious vision and elevate our national profile.
Who we are
Founded in Leicester in 2011 by Aakash Odedra and Anand Bhatt, Aakash Odedra Company is a premier contemporary dance organisation rooted in Kathak and Bharatanatyam.
As an artist-led company, we tell stories of modern life through the voice of British-South Asian experience, performing on prestigious stages such as Sadler’s Wells and the Royal Opera House, as well as touring internationally across 40 countries.
Simultaneously, we remain deeply connected to our home on Belgrave Road in Leicester. Operating in one of England’s 15% most deprived wards, our studios serve as a vital community hub, delivering grassroots participation, school workshops, and talent development. We fuse world-class artistic innovation with meaningful civic engagement, nurturing the next generation of diverse practitioners.
About the role
The Chair provides strategic leadership to the Board of Trustees, acting as a critical ally and sounding board to Artistic Director Aakash Odedra while guiding the Senior Leadership Team.
Key Responsibilities & Strategic Impact
- Governance & Leadership: Lead board meetings, maintain effective oversight, and guide AOC’s formal application for registered charitable status.
- Executive Oversight: Partner with the executive team and support the upcoming recruitment of our new Executive Director.
- Advocacy & Sector Positioning: Serve as an ambassador across Arts Council England, civic bodies, and national/international arts networks.
- Sustainable Growth: Oversee strategic plans to scale operations, acquire a permanent building, and diversify earned and philanthropic income.
- Culture & Inclusion: Champion neurodiversity, social justice, and inclusive governance across all board operations.
Who we are looking for
We welcome applications from experienced chairs, non-executive directors, or dynamic senior leaders across the cultural, commercial, higher education, or public sectors. We actively encourage joint applications for a Co-Chair partnership.
Essential Qualities & Skills
- Board Leadership & Governance: Proven track record of chairing or serving on boards, with experience handling organisational scaling and change management.
- Advocacy & Network Building: Ability to open doors across regional, national, or international networks, connecting with funders, civic partners, or high-net-worth patrons.
- Financial & Risk Management: Strong oversight capabilities spanning strategic finance, risk mitigation, and compliance.
- Cultural Sensitivity & High EQ: High emotional intelligence to partner with a neurodivergent, global-majority artist at his peak.
- Inclusion & Community Focus: Passion for widening access, British-South Asian heritage, and Leicester’s vibrant cultural landscape.
Desirable
Experience in capital development, individual giving/fundraising, or Arts Council England NPO frameworks.
Time commitment
- Board Meetings: 4 quarterly meetings per year (held in Leicester / hybrid via Zoom).
- Strategy & Away Days: 1 annual Board Away Day.
- Committees: Sub-committee engagement as required.
- Executive Touchpoints: Regular catch-ups with the Artistic Director and Executive Director.
- Ambassadorial: Attendance at key performances, premieres, stakeholder sessions, and donor events.
- Term of Office: 3-year initial term with potential for reappointment.
To view the role description and person specification, please go to the ‘How to Apply’ tab above, fill in your details and download the candidate pack.
For further information or to arrange a confidential discussion, please contact our advising consultants at Peridot Partners:
Josh Larkin | josh@peridotpartners.co.uk | 07950 729373
David Hingley | david@peridotpartners.co.uk | 07534 244249
Welcome from the Co-Chairs
Dear Applicant,
Thank you for your interest in becoming Chair of the Board of Trustees at Aakash Odedra Company.
This is an extraordinary time to join our organisation. Over the past five years, AOC has established itself as one of the UK’s most dynamic cultural assets. Led by our Artistic Director, Aakash Odedra – a global majority, neurodivergent artist operating at the pinnacle of his creative powers – our work captivates audiences on the world’s major stages while maintaining deep roots in Leicester.
As an interim leadership team, we have cultivated a supportive, collaborative, and warm board environment. We view governance as a creative partnership – one that protects the wellbeing of our team, upholds robust compliance, and boldly expands our artistic horizon.
Our Trustees bring a rich mix of community, educational, and artistic experience, and we are now seeking a Chair who can lead this board with generosity, vision, and strategic wisdom.
Our next Chair arrives at a pivotal threshold. Together, we will navigate our next National Portfolio Organisation (NPO) funding agreement with Arts Council England, secure registered charitable status, and progress plans to acquire a permanent building in Leicester that will also house a national South Asian dance archival centre. To achieve these audaciously realistic goals, we need a Chair – or Co-Chairs – who can offer constructive mentorship to Aakash, unlock new patron networks, and act as a compelling advocate across the Midlands, nationally, and internationally.
We are completely open to flexible board structures, including Co-Chair arrangements that pair local civic connection with national or international reach. Whether you are an experienced Chair seeking a transformative artistic project or a senior leader ready for your first chair role, AOC offers an inspiring home where your leadership will make a lasting impact.
We encourage you to explore this recruitment pack and wish you the best of luck with your application.
Warmest regards,
Bhuvan Sharma & Sabra Khan
Co-Chairs
Aakash Odedra Company
About Aakash Odedra Company
Strategic Vision & Future Trajectory
Operating under the legal entity Leicester Dance Theatre Ltd, Aakash Odedra Company (AOC) bridges classical South Asian dance forms (Kathak and Bharatanatyam) with contemporary international choreography.
By 2027, AOC will be the UK’s only artist-led South Asian dance company of its scale – a unique position that places us at the forefront of cultural storytelling and sector leadership.
Our Three Pillars of Activity
1. Artistic Productions
Creating award-winning productions – such as Songs of the Bulbul, Samsara, Mehek, and Little Murmur – that tour to major global venues, reaching over 250,000 live audience members and over one million viewers online.
2. Participation & Community Engagement
Delivering outreach across Leicester, focusing on older generations, school children, and diverse families in underrepresented communities.
3. Talent & Practitioner Development
Nurturing emerging dancers, choreographers, and cultural leaders through masterclasses, accredited training, and creative residencies.
Key Strategic Priorities & Opportunities
Acquiring a Capital Home
We are actively progressing plans to purchase a permanent building in Leicester. This facility will serve as our operational headquarters, a community venue, and a dedicated South Asian dance archival centre.
Place-Making & Civic Leadership
Situated in Belgrave Road, we leverage place-based funding and regional devolution to act as a cultural catalyst for Leicester and the wider Midlands.
Diversifying Income & Philanthropy
Supported by Arts Council England NPO funding, we are focused on bridging the gap between our artistic reputation and financial growth by unlocking individual giving, patron schemes, and international commercial potential.
Governance Transition
Securing full charitable status with the Charity Commission to strengthen our organisational resilience and widen access to trusts and foundations.
Joining AOC at this stage offers a rare opportunity to shape an organisation that balances international artistic excellence with authentic local purpose.
Learn more about Aakash Odedra Company
Accessibility information
Leicester Dance Theatre (LDT) is committed to encouraging equality, diversity and inclusion among our workforce, and will take positive steps to ensure that individuals or groups are enabled to engage with the organisation and our art positively.
The organisation is also committed to opposing unlawful discrimination against our stakeholders, including Board Members and will be proactive advocates for equality principles in the arts sector.
You can view our policies here.
Examples of our reasonable adjustments include:
- Accessibility dogs are welcome
- Interviews can be held in meeting rooms that support hearing loops
- Papers and materials can be presented in different formats
- A sign language interpreter can be accessed for interview
- Working patterns and locations can be adjusted
To arrange a confidential discussion, please contact our advising consultants at Peridot Partners:
Josh Larkin | josh@peridotpartners.co.uk | 07950 729373
David Hingley | david@peridotpartners.co.uk | 07534 244249
Thank you for your interest in this role. Please download the Role Description and Person Specification.
To formally apply, please submit a CV and supporting statement (ideally maximum 2 sides of A4 each) that clearly outlines your suitability for the role against the criteria provided in the person specification, including your interest and motivation in applying for this position.
Please include your home address, contact email and mobile.
Please ensure that your application is emailed to response@peridotpartners.co.uk, inserting “Application: Aakash Odedra Company—Chair” or “Application: Aakash Odedra Company—Co-Chairs” into the subject field. You will receive an acknowledgement of receipt within 2-3 days. If you do not receive an acknowledgement, please contact our admin team.
For further information or to arrange a confidential discussion, please contact our advising consultants at Peridot Partners:
Josh Larkin | josh@peridotpartners.co.uk | 07950 729373
David Hingley | david@peridotpartners.co.uk | 07534 244249
As a sector-leading executive search consultancy, we know the importance of creating recruitment processes that are fair, inclusive and free from bias. We are committed to promoting equality and diversity and developing a process that values differences.
If you require any job information in an alternative format (e.g. large print), please contact the lead consultant. Please also let us know if you would like to submit your application in an alternative format.
Applicants with disabilities are welcome to contact us in confidence at any stage of the recruitment process to discuss any reasonable adjustments or support that may be required to ensure fair and equal participation.
Recruitment selection processes are based on evidence of competence stated in the person specification and in relation to our values.
Timetable
Closing date: 9 a.m. Monday 2nd November 2026
Candidates informed of outcome: COB Friday 6th November
First stage interviews (virtual): Thursday 12th November
Second stage interviews (in-person): Thursday 26th November
Equal Opportunities Monitoring
Peridot and Aakash Odedra Company are committed to promoting equality and diversity. To help us raise awareness and support a culture that is diverse and recognises and develops the potential of all, we need to appreciate the profile of candidates who apply for positions. We will send you an equality monitoring survey at the point of receiving your application and at the time of placement. This ensures that our processes remain inclusive and equitable throughout, and provides us with important data to help us showcase our impact.
The information will be treated confidentially and anonymously and will help us to support our commitment to fair recruitment practice. All information provided will be held in the strictest confidence and will not be shared with anyone, in line with the Data Protection Act 2018 launched on 25 May 2018.
The information provided does not form part of the decision-making process and will not affect your application. Learn more about why we collect this data here.
Data Processing, Protection and Privacy Policy
By completing the form to view, or if you have access to this page from an email invitation, Peridot Partners will have processed your personal information. For more information about Peridot Partners’ data processing activities and your rights, please read our Privacy Policy.
