George Osborne Is the New Chair of British Museum

The Board of Trustees of the British Museum are pleased to announce the appointment of their new Chair, George Osborne. He is currently a Partner at Robey Warshaw and Chair of the Northern Powerhouse Partnership, and was formerly Editor of the Evening Standard and Chancellor of the Exchequer. The Board approved the appointment unanimously.

The British Museum Chair Search Committee, comprising seven Trustees and chaired by one of the Board’s Deputy Chairs Minouche Shafik, led an independent, open and thorough search process for a leader with a global perspective, with a demonstrable interest in culture and history, and a commitment to engaging local, national, and international audiences. George Osborne will be appointed by the Trustees to join the board as of 1 September 2021 and will succeed Sir Richard Lambert as Chair on 4 October 2021.

Hartwig Fischer, Director of the British Museum said, “I am very happy to welcome George Osborne as our Chair. George Osborne knows the Museum well and values the trust the Museum enjoys around the world. He understands the active role the British Museum is playing in the recovery of the country, creating opportunities for everyone to discover the collection as their own - onsite, through loans to their local museums and online.

Under the current leadership of Sir Richard Lambert, we have laid the groundwork for the masterplan, to embark on the biggest transformative project in our history, and to renew our displays. Together with my colleagues I look forward to working with George to continue to ensure that the British Museum is the most innovative, accessible and inspiring museum of the world, for the world.”

Baroness Minouche Shafik, Deputy Chair of the British Museum said, “George Osborne has a long-standing commitment to culture, both personally and in his various public roles. The Trustees look forward to working with him to bring the Museum to ever larger audiences and to expand its contribution to public understanding of our collective history. He brings enthusiasm for the Museum combined with extensive national and international networks and experience with finance and fundraising on a global scale. With the masterplan, the Museum is undergoing a major programme of renewal and his experience will prove invaluable as we work to deliver even more wonderful opportunities for everyone to enjoy the Museum’s collection.”

George Osborne, Incoming Chair of the British Museum said, “I am absolutely thrilled to be joining the team at the British Museum - and so honoured to have had the opportunity to apply for this role, and to have been chosen by the Trustees to become their Chair. All my life I have loved the British Museum. To my mind, it is quite simply the greatest museum in the world. It’s a place that brings cultures together and tells the story of our common humanity. Richard Lambert will be a very hard act to follow, but I look forward to working with Hartwig and the impressive team he leads at the museum. I hope to bring my experience, energy and passion to this incredibly exciting role.”