Bristish Library
Sir ROLY KEATING has announced that he will leave his role as Chief Executive of the British Library in April next year.
Keating was appointed to the post in 2012 following a broadcasting career at the BBC, where launched BBC Four and served as Controller of BBC Two and Director of Archive Content.
He is a trustee of the Clore Leadership Programme and chairs the Steering Committee for the AHRC-funded research programme Towards a National Collection. He has also served as a board member of Channel 4 and the Barbican and was chair of the Conference of European National Librarians.
Keating said: “Being at the helm of the British Library has been – and continues to be – the greatest privilege of my life. The Library is an extraordinary institution, and it is impossible not to feel a daily sense of wonder at the collective dedication, knowledge and passion of its staff and the sheer scale, depth and quality of its collections.
“The years I have served here have seen great achievements as well as times of challenge, including a global pandemic and a major cyber attack. Over the next 12 months, my priority is to ensure that our recovery programme succeeds in its goal of leaving the Library even stronger and more resilient than it was before—able to serve new communities and new generations of users and continue to be a national library that is truly for everyone.”
Chair of the British Library board, Dame CAROL BLACK, said Keating's leadership had enabled the library to "steer a steady course of growth and engagement through often turbulent times".
She continued: “As well as presiding over a massive expansion of our digital collecting, he has also overseen a transformation in our public engagement programmes – both online and onsite – and set in motion the next phase of the long-term development of our sites at St Pancras and Boston Spa, along with steps towards a permanent presence in Leeds city centre.”
Culture Secretary LUCY FRAZER added: "The British Library is a vitally important national institution, and Sir Roly can depart knowing that he has made a hugely positive contribution to its continued success."
The British Library board has begun the process of recruiting Keating's successor.