Paul chairs Sunderland Music City, which led Sunderland’s entry into the Music Cities Network alongside other global cities, including Groningen, Berlin, Sydney, and Manchester. He also chairs the Music, Arts, and Culture Trust, which has developed Sunderland’s £20 million cultural quarter, including the restored 1908 Fire Station and an 800-capacity auditorium. He has led several public, educational, and charitable organisations, including Live Theatre Newcastle, England’s Regional Development Agencies, and the University of Sunderland. He chairs the Leighton Group of technology companies, which he founded. The Group includes Leighton.com, Salecycle.com, Workcast.com, and Footy.com. The companies are based in North England and have offices in Europe and the USA.