James Thole is a Malawian based international expert of the cultural and creative industry. He holds a deep understanding of the Malawian culture and creative sector. Thole has been in the creative industries since 2003, working in the Arts Management sector within the Malawi Public Service. He has collaborated with various stakeholders, both public and private, in carrying out research on the arts throughout Malawi. His experiences include working with independent and state-actors. Currently Thole, is working as an expert of the respective UN Agency responsible for education, science and culture. He therefore works on national and get to be consulted on regional assignments under the 2005 UNESCO Convention on the Protection and Promotion of the Diversity of Cultural Expressions Expert facility.