Dr John Gibney

• BA (Hons) French Studies
• PGCertEd (Modern Languages/EFL)
• PhD (Decision-making in European Regional Policy)
• Robert Schuman Scholar (European Parliament)
• FCIL – Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Linguists

• FReSA - Emeritus Fellow, The Regional Studies Association

John joined the University of Birmingham following an influential career in city, regional and cross-border economic development in the UK and mainland Europe. He has developed and contributed to a wide range of original and impactful research and consultancy projects for European, national, and city-regional clients.

John retired in autumn 2022 and is now an Honorary Senior Fellow at the Business School.

He is currently a co-convenor of the (European area) international research network on "Place Leadership in the Context of Global and Local Factors: the Challenges Ahead".

John continues to research, write and teach around the themes of transnational/trans-border leadership in Europe; and contemporary city and regional (place) leadership and governance. He was a founding member of the Regional Studies Association (ReSA) international research network on "Leadership in Urban and Regional Development". This inter-disciplinary research community is developing new spatially contextualised perspectives on leadership in diverse sub-national environments around the world - and is helping to improve our understanding(s) and explanation(s) of the dynamics of leadership in these unique settings. The practice-oriented learning from the R&D activities of the ReSA leadership research community is informing approaches to leadership education and development for a new generation of city and regional leaders. For more details go to:

• Leadership, governance and change in transborder regional development in Europe (ongoing 2023-2025)
• Regional Studies Organisation: Leadership and Urban and Regional Development
• Regional Studies Organisation: The Place of Leadership in Urban and Regional Development

Conferences and workshops include: 

Abigail Taylor, John Mawson and John Gibney, Cross-border collaboration in the Transmanche: Brexit - Where next? (2), RSA Annual Summer Conference, Navigating Regional Transformation, University of Porto, Portugal, May 2025.

Abigail Taylor, John Mawson and John Gibney, Cross-border collaboration in the Transmanche: Brexit - Where next? (1), RSA Annual Winter Conference, Driving Regions Forward: Transitioning to Brighter Regional Futures, November 2024, London. 

Co-convenor - Leadership & Politics & Governance in Turbulent Times: Global and Geopolitical Challenges in a Changing Europe, for the Place leadership in Europe research network seminar series, 14-15 March 2024, Prague University of Economics and Business, Prague, Czech Republic. 

John Gibney, Joyce Liddle and John Shutt,  Leadership and change in transborder regional development across the North Sea; for the Place leadership in Europe research network seminar (2), ESSCA/EU Asia Institute, Angers, France, October 2023.

Co-convenor - Leadership & Sustainability in Europe: Where Now, What Next? Place leadership in Europe research network seminar (2), ESSCA/EU* Asia Institute, Angers, France, 12^th - 13^th October 2023.

Gibney, J., Liddle, J. and Shutt, J. Leadership in transborder regional development in Europe: a relational-adaptive perspective, Place leadership in Europe research seminar (1), Northumbria University, Newcastle (UK), May 2023.

Co-convenor – Leadership & governance in transnational city and regional development: new uncertainties, new prospects? (Research seminar 1, for the Place leadership in Europe research seminar series 2023-2025), The Newcastle Business School, Northumbria University (UK). May 2023.

John Gibney, John Shutt, Joyce Liddle and Ignazio Cabras, (November 2022) Round Table on Leadership & governance in transnational city and regional development, Regional Studies Association Annual Winter Conference 2022 (#RSAWinter), Regions in Transition: Balancing Economic, Social and Environmental Priorities for Better Regional Futures, Bloomsbury, London, UK.

Co-convenor (forthcoming Autumn 2022) – Disability and leadership confidence, a bespoke leadership development workshop for Business School students, with Result-CIC (leadership coaching), Birmingham Business School, UK.

Co-organiser, Disability & leadership: new challenges – new possibilities? A Work Inclusivity Research Centre (WIRC) Zoom webinar held in association with the (UK) National Association of Disabled Staff Networks (NADSN) and PurpleSpace, 2^nd June 2021, University of Birmingham, UK.

John Gibney (February 2021) Laughing with leaders: reflective humour and critical insight in the leadership learning space, Department of Management research seminar series, Birmingham Business School, UK.

John Gibney (9^th November 2020) Place Leadership as Social Purpose, Place-based leadership panel, RSA Global Webinar series, Worldwide Online.

John Gibney (October 2020) Teaching about Leadership: How does the Comedy Gaze Contribute?, a webinar for Staffordshire Business School, Staffordshire University (UK).

John Gibney, Still friends across frontiers? City and regional (transnational) dialogue in Europe and relational leadership dilemmas, an interactive seminar for the Joint University Council (JUC) of Applied Social Sciences, Annual 2019 Conference, Newcastle Business School, Northumbria University (UK): 16^th-18^th September,  2019.

John Gibney, Gazing beyond Brexitland, for the Public Policy and Public Management (3PM) Research Interest Group, 22^nd May 2019, Newcastle Business School, Northumbria University (UK).

Joyce Liddle, John Gibney & John Shutt, City & Regional Development Beyond Brexit: A Relational Perspective (2), for a Regional Studies Association International Place Leadership Research Network Seminar, Combining State and Non-State Partnerships for Effective Place Leadership, Manchester Metropolitan University (MMU) Business School, UK: 23rd to 24th October 2018. 

Joyce Liddle and John Gibney, City & Regional Development Beyond Brexit: A Relational Perspective (1) , XXII Annual Conference of the International Research Society for Public Management (IRSPM), University of Edinburgh, 11^th to 13^th April 2018.

Co-convenor & Session Chair - Linking Urban & City Leadership: Making Connections and Identifying Leadership Needs: A Regional Studies Association International Research Network Seminar held in association with IMPGT/ CERGAM, University of Aix-Marseille, France. 20/22 October 2016. View the report here.

John Gibney and Alyson Nicholds (October 2016) Re-imagining Leading in City & Regional Development as an Emancipatory Enterprise: Possibilities & Limits (1), for a Regional Studies International Research Network Seminar (on Leadership in Urban & Regional Development) in association with IMPGT/ CERGAM, University of Aix-Marseille, France.

Governing and Leading Successful Regions – John Gibney & Chris Collinge – a presentation to a Combined Local Authorities seminar ; an INLOGOV/Public Services Academy learning event on new models and solutions to sub-national working, University of Birmingham 21^st January 2016.

Co-Convenor – Exploring Varieties of Leadership in Urban and Regional Development. A joint Birmingham Business School/Regional Studies Association international leadership research network seminar; held in association with the Enterprise & Diversity Research Cluster and City-REDI. University of Birmingham 12th and 13th November 2015. Read the full report of this event here (PDF - 874KB).

Convenor - Leadership in Urban and Regional Development: Debates and New Directions. A joint Birmingham Business School and Regional Studies Association international research network seminar, Birmingham Business School, 5th and 6th February 2014. Read the Bowden review.

Leadership, Territoire et L'Economie de la Connaissance. For le groupe franco-britannique de recherche sur l’aménagement et l’urbanisme; Conference theme "Ville, université et projet métropolitain". University of Lille (at SKEMA), Lille, France. 3rd April 2012.

What Leadership for the European Knowledge Era? Europe 2020 Conference, University of Aston (UK) Centre for Europe (ACE), Birmingham June 2011.

Co-convenor – the Place Leadership stream at the annual international Regional Studies Association conference, Newcastle (UK) April 2011.

Convenor - The Regional Studies Association international research network workshop on Leadership in Urban and Regional Development: exploring the debates and challenges, University of Birmingham, UK. 23rd/24th November 2010.

The Leadership of Luck: Planning and Spontaneity in the Local Innovation Process, a jointly developed presentation by Chris Collinge and John Gibney (delivered by Chris Collinge), Strategic Leadership for the Future Conference, Port Macquarie, NSW, Australia, October 2010.

Re-thinking Leadership for 21st Century European Cities and Regions. EC Commission University ‘Open Days’. 8th European Week of Regions and Cities. 6th October 2010. Brussels.

Leadership and Place: A Research and Knowledge Transfer Agenda. The Regional Studies Association Annual Conference, Pècs, Hungary. May 24-25th 2010. 

Mobilising the Power of Knowledge in Place: What does it mean for Leadership in the Further Education Sector? The Learning and Skills Improvement Service (LSIS). ‘Making an Impact through Leadership’ Conference. Tate Modern Art Gallery. London. 26th March 2010.