Dawn Airey CBE has been appointed Chair of Arts Council England for a four-year term from 1 August 2026, succeeding Sir Nicholas Serota. Airey brings more than 30 years of experience in the media and creative industries, having served as Chief Executive of Channel 5, Chief Executive of Getty Images, and in senior roles at Sky, ITV and Yahoo!. She currently chairs the National Youth Theatre and was awarded a CBE for services to theatre and charity in the 2024 King’s Birthday Honours.
David Burke will step down as Chief Executive of the London Philharmonic Orchestra at the end of 2026, bringing to a close 17 years with the organisation. Burke joined the LPO as General Manager and Finance Director before becoming Chief Executive in June 2020. During his tenure he led the co-production of Ravi Shankar’s Sukanya with the Royal Opera House, oversaw the orchestra’s debut at London Fashion Week and steered the LPO through the pandemic. Prior to joining the LPO, he served as Director of Administration and Finance at English Touring Opera, where he produced 14 tours including its first Baroque and Handel festivals.
Lane Sugata has been appointed Chief Executive Officer of the San Francisco Gay Men’s Chorus and The Chan National Queer Arts Center, taking up the role on 24 August 2026 for an initial two-year term. Sugata succeeds Christopher Verdugo, who steps down after a 10-year tenure. Currently a Senior Program Officer at the Ford Foundation, where they have managed more than $270 million in grants advancing creativity, civic engagement and social justice, Sugata previously served as Executive Director of Dance/NYC.
Kyu-Young Kim has been appointed Artistic and Executive Director of Schubert Club in Saint Paul, succeeding Barry Kempton, who steps down after nearly 15 years. Kim joins from the Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra, where he served as Principal Violin since 2011 and Artistic Director from 2016 to 2024, becoming the first playing member to be chosen as artistic leader of a major American orchestra. During his SPCO tenure the orchestra commissioned 50 new works, appointed 10 artistic partners and won a GRAMMY Award for its recording of Schubert’s Death and the Maiden.
Jeremy S. Rothman has been appointed President and Chief Executive Officer of the Seattle Symphony and Benaroya Hall, taking up the role on 1 September 2026 as the organisation prepares to celebrate the reopening of Benaroya Hall. Rothman joins from The Philadelphia Orchestra and Ensemble Arts, where he has served as Chief Artistic Officer since 2008, overseeing a programming portfolio of more than 300 presentations annually and playing a key role in the recruitment of Music Director Yannick Nézet-Séguin. He previously led artistic planning at the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra, where he was instrumental in the appointment of Marin Alsop as Music Director.