Alex Beard (arts manager)
Chief Executive of Royal Opera House
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Sir Alexander Charles Beard CBE (born October 1963)[1] is a British arts manager, currently serving as the chief executive of the Royal Ballet and Opera (RBO) in London.[2]
Alex Beard | |
|---|---|
| Born | October 1963 (age 62) |
| Education | King's College, London |
| Occupation | Chief Executive |
| Organization | Royal Ballet and Opera |
Previously, Beard was the deputy director of the Tate from 2002 to 2013.[3] He has also worked for Arts Council England and KPMG.
Early life
He was educated at Manchester Grammar School, Westminster School and King's College London (BA, Classics).[4]
After graduating, Beard worked for Arts Council England for seven years (1986–1993) and for KPMG (1985–1986).[2][5]
Tate (2002–2013)
Beard spent eighteen years with the Tate in a number of roles, including as its Deputy Director from 2002. During his time there, he worked closely on the creation of Tate Modern, while also running the four Tate galleries.[6]
Royal Ballet and Opera (2013-Present)
Prior to joining the RBO, he was also a member of the Board of Glyndebourne Productions from 2008 to 2013.[4]
Beard succeeded Tony Hall, who relinquished the post on his appointment as Director-General of the BBC. He took up the post at the RBO in September 2013.[7][8]
During his tenure as Chief Executive, Beard has overseen a significant transformation of the Royal Opera House:
- He led the delivery of the Open Up project, a major refurbishment of the Royal Opera House to transform the space into an all-day venue.[9] This included the creation of the new Linbury Theatre, which opened in 2019.[10]
- Beard led the organisation through the pandemic, the largest financial challenge in the organisation's history. This included a far-reaching restructuring programme and a major fundraising campaign.[11]
- Across his tenure, the educational role and impact of the RBO has grown significantly, through a suite of new nationwide learning programmes.[12] The organisation now reaches over 140,000 children throughout the UK via its RBO Schools programme.[13]
During his tenure, Beard served as Chair of High House Production Park, an international centre of excellence for the creative industries located at Thurrock in the Thames Gateway.[14]
Family
Alex Beard married Katharine Betty Warde-Aldam in 1993.[4] He has a daughter, Betty Rose Beard, and a son, Alfred John Wells Beard.
Honours
He was made a Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) for services to the arts[3] in the New Year Honours at the end of 2012[2][15] and was made a Knight Bachelor, again for services to the arts, in the King's Birthday Honours of 2025.[16]
