Rob West is a strategic adviser specialising in skills policy, workforce development and national narrative shaping. He helps organisations across education, business and culture, as well as national, regional and local authorities, strengthen influence, build evidence‑based strategies and engage effectively with government, industry and civil society. Rob has held senior roles at the heart of the UK skills system, including Associate Director for Impact & Influence at the Education and Training Foundation and Head of Education & Skills at the CBI. At the CBI, he led national policy and campaign work on the future workforce, represented business at ministerial level, and acted as a senior spokesperson on skills, productivity and labour market reform. Earlier, Rob spent over a decade as Partnerships and Programme Director at Creative & Cultural Skills, leading national engagement and workforce development programmes across the creative industries. His wider career spans charity leadership, local government and cultural organisations, giving him a broad understanding of how skills, employers and communities interact across systems. Rob advises on strategic communications, policy insight, narrative development and coalition building. He has contributed expert evidence to Select Committees, APPGs and national advisory groups, including serving as Skills Commissioner with Policy Connect and as a Strategic Advisory Group member for NFER’s Skills Imperative 2035. He is an experienced speaker, panellist and Chair on skills, education and the future of work, and has held governance roles including Chair of The Audience Agency, Chair of Mercury Theatre Colchester and Trustee of Hoxton Hall. Rob is a Clore Leadership graduate, has been a Fellow of the RSA, and holds degrees from the Open University and Rose Bruford College.