 Lyons was the Head of Inlogov, the leading Local Government Public Policy school in the United Kingdom at Birmingham University from 2001 to 2006, and was awarded an honorary LL.D by Birmingham University in 2009.He holds an Honorary Doctorate from Middlesex University.Lyons is also a governor of the Royal Shakespeare Company and a non-executive director of Mouchel, Wragge & Co solicitors and SQW Group Ltd. Lyons is a former chairman of the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra and former member of the boards of City Pride, Birmingham Marketing Partnership and Millennium Point Property Trust Company.