Darren Henley to succeed Alan Davey

The new Chief Executive of Arts Council England (ACE) will be DARREN HENLEY, the author of two Government reviews into music and cultural education who has led Classic FM since 1999. He chairs the government’s Cultural Education Board and the Mayor of London’s Music Education Task Force; is a trustee of the exam board ABRSM; a Commissioner for the University of Warwick Commission on the Future of Cultural Value; and a board member and vice president of the Canterbury Festival. From 2007 to 2010 he chaired the Music Manifesto, a government-backed national campaign to improve music education. He will take over from ALAN DAVEY, who is leaving ACE after seven years. No date has yet been announced for Henley to take up the role, but ALTHEA EFUNSHILE will be acting as Chief Executive until then.