Richard Shannon is a playwright, radio drama director and lecturer, working mainly in theatre and radio. He read English at New College, Oxford and studied theatre direction at the Bristol Old Vic Theatre School. He is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts and is Head of Radio at Goldsmiths, University of London. Richard is the Chair of the Myanmar Group at Goldsmiths. This group is working to create links with arts organisations and universities in Myanmar.

In 2018, he co-produced a podcast called Rainbow Dads with the writer Nicholas McInerny. The podcast has won awards and in 2022, a second series has been produced.

With an interest in furthering the cause of understanding and co-operation world-wide, Richard is also an Advocate of Civil-isation: http://civil-isation.com