Alex Beard announced as new Royal Opera House Chief Executive

19 March 2013, 16:35 | Updated: 18 September 2014, 14:48

Deputy director of the Tate, Alex Beard, has been announced as the new Chief Executive of the Royal Opera House, replacing the outgoing Tony Hall.

The Royal Opera House has announced Alex Beard as the new Chief Executive. Beard, who is currently the deputy director of the Tate gallery, will replace the outgoing Tony Hall.

Chairman of the Board of Trustees at ROH Simon Robey commented: "I am confident he will forge excellent partnerships with our artistic leadership and our executive team, and that they will, together, lead the Opera House to still greater heights."

49-year-old Beard also declared his enthusiasm for the new position: "I’m absolutely delighted to have been appointed Chief Executive of the Royal Opera House.  To have the opportunity to build on Tony Hall’s achievements and strengthen the Royal Opera House’s reputation as one of the world’s leading artistic and creative forces is hugely exciting."

Joining the Tate in 1994, Beard has bee deputy director since 2002. He has served on the board of Glyndebourne Productions, and was awarded a CBE for his services to the arts.

Beard's first challenge will be the Opera House's 2013/14 season, which includes Wagner's Parsifal, Bizet's Carmen, Mozart's Marriage of Figaro and anniversary celebrations of Wagner, Verdi and Strauss.