Lou Cordwell OBE Chair, Greater Manchester Business Board

Lou began her career working for WPP before founding Manchester-based digital design studio, magneticNorth (mN). In 2021, mN merged with Fluxx, creating the UK’s leading design and innovation consultancy, Magnetic, where Lou was Chief Creative Officer until the company was acquired in 2024.

Lou recently joined the University of Manchester as a Professor of Innovation and Special Advisor to the President and Vice-Chancellor. She also serves as Chair of the Greater Manchester Business Board and acts as an advisor to a number of other place based innovation projects and tech start-up / scale-up companies across the UK.

Lou was awarded an OBE in the 2018 New Year’s Honours for services to the creative and digital economy.