Dr Jennifer Davies

Project Co-Lead MusicFutures and Director of Studies Project Management MSc, University of Liverpool

Dr Jennifer Davies is Director of Studies for the MSc Project Management programmes at the University of Liverpool Management School. She holds a PhD in the application of Industry 4.0 technologies, with a focus on the creative industries, following a 15-year career in music and fashion. As Co-owner and Commercial Director of the award-winning fashion brand Nabil Nayal, she showcased at London and Paris Fashion Weeks and attracted clients such as Selfridges. She has worked with Universal Music and Sony ATV, and still writes and performs with her band HAARM whose music has featured on Netflix, BBC, and in the 2024 Rolex US Tennis Open Final highlights. In February 2025, she became Project Co-Lead for MusicFutures, a £6.75 million AHRC-funded Creative Cluster supporting music-focused R&D, skills, and training.

Session | MusicFutures: A Programme Driving Innovation and Growth in the Liverpool City Region Music Ecosystem

MusicFutures is a £6.75 million UKRI-funded Creative Cluster, led by the University of Liverpool in partnership with Liverpool John Moores University. It is a groundbreaking programme designed to futureproof Liverpool City Region’s status as a global music powerhouse by fostering innovation, research, and business development.

This panel will feature key stakeholders representing MusicFutures, a programme that brings together academia, industry, local government, and the region’s extensive network of freelancers, musicians, and artists. MusicFutures is not a single project but a programme of interconnected initiatives tackling sector-wide challenges such as technological disruption, business sustainability, and skills development. A key focus is breaking down barriers to the music industry, ensuring people from all backgrounds have access to opportunities. By uniting universities, policymakers, major music organisations, and grassroots creatives, MusicFutures is shaping the future of the music industry through collaborative R&D, driving long-term impact and economic growth for the Liverpool City Region.