Appointment of Interim Chief Executive for the Arts and Humanities Research Council

Science Minister announces the appointment of Professor Andrew Thompson as interim Chief Executive of the Arts and Humanities Research Council.

Universities and Science Minister Jo Johnson today (30 November 2015) announced the appointment of Professor Andrew Thompson as interim Chief Executive of the Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC).

Universities and Science Minister Jo Johnson said:

I am pleased to be able to appoint Professor Andrew Thompson as interim Chief Executive of the AHRC. His academic knowledge and experience will serve him well in leading the AHRC with its key role of funding world-class research in the Arts and Humanities.

Sir Drummond Bone, Chair of the AHRC said:

Ahead of finalising arrangements for a new permanent CEO, it is vitally important for the Arts and Humanities research community that the AHRC has the highest quality of interim CEO who will be able to engage immediately with the post spending review agenda – in Andrew we have just such a person who given his current work for the AHRC will be up to speed immediately.

The AHRC has moved from strength to strength under the leadership of Professor Rick Rylance. I have worked closely with Rick in recent years and look forward to taking on the role of interim CEO at this vital time.

The interim appointment will run from 1 December 2015 until a new CEO is recruited to replace Rick Rylance.

The AHRC is a national funding agency supporting arts and humanities research and study in the UK. In the 2015 Spending Review, the government protected science funding of £4.7 billion in real terms over the Parliament. This will include a new £1.5 billion Global Challenges Fund.