New Chair of the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland

Published: 06/05/2016

The Royal Conservatoire of Scotland has announced NickKuenssberg is to be its next chair, taking over from Lord Vallance, in December 2016.

Nick has extensive experience of arts leadership and higher education having chaired Glasgow School of Art for seven years and having been a trustee of the Scottish International Piano Competition, Citizens Theatre and Pitlochry Festival Theatre.

As a business leader he held senior roles in the UK, Europe and South America across a range of industrial sectors. He has also held an executive role at Coats Viyella, as well as ahost of non-executive director roles in organisations such as Bank of Scotland West Board, Standard Life, Scottish Power, Scottish Legal Aid Board, Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education and the Scottish Environment Protection Agency.Nick also holds an Honorary Professorship from the University of Glasgow.

Professor Jeffrey Sharkey, Principal of RCS, made the announcement on Friday 6 May.

“It will be a real pleasure to welcome Nickto the dynamic world of the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland. This is an exciting time for us as we work towards achieving the goals of the new strategic plan and we look forward very much to benefiting from his extensive and cross sectorial international experience of leadership, as well as his personal passion for the arts.

Lord Vallance has provided wise and thoughtful leadership throughout his chairmanship of the RCS board and has been the most wonderful proponent for the performing arts and for RCS as a national and international leader in learning and teaching. I know our staff and students will you will join with me in celebrating the contribution of Lord Vallance and in welcoming Nick Kuenssberg to RCS when the formal transition takes place in December.”