LONDON (CelebrityAccess) — The Royal Albert Hall announced the appointment of James Ainscough to the position of Chief Executive Officer at the historic London performance venue.
Ainscough, who will assume his new duties in the late Spring of 2023, joins Royal Albert Hall from Help Musicians, a charity for professional musicians where he served as CEO.
During his tenure at Help Musicians, Ainscough played a key role in helping to distribute £20m of financial hardship funding, providing a multi-million-pound career-rebuilding support program and launching the Music Minds Matter charity providing mental health care for the entire music industry.
His resume includes a previous stint at Royal Albert Hall, where from January 2008 to December 2017 he served in a variety of roles, including Director of Finance and Administration and then as Chief Operating Officer.
Ainscough will replace Craig Hassall, who stepped down from the CEO role at Royal Albert Hall in December. Dan Freeman, the Hall’s Chief Operating Officer, will continue to act as Interim CEO until Ainscough takes up his new role this Spring.
Craig Hassall stepped down from being CEO on 16 December 2022. Dan Freeman, the Hall’s Chief Operating Officer, will continue to act as Interim CEO until James starts.
“The Royal Albert Hall has always been close to my heart. It has been a privilege to lead Help Musicians for the past five years and the charity is in now in good spirit with a clear strategy, a strong sense of purpose, and a wonderful team of staff, trustees and partners. Only a really special opportunity, like ‘coming home’ to the Royal Albert Hall, could have tempted me to leave. There are multiple challenges ahead but those are what most energize me. I could not be more excited to return to work with the Hall’s dedicated team. Together we will ensure the Hall offers the most amazing events and experiences to the most diverse audiences. And recognizing its privilege as a prominent and much-loved venue, we will do all we can to support and nurture the wider music ecosystem of which we are an integral part,” Ainscough said.
“James combines a passion for the promotion of music and cultural enlightenment with the vision and business skills required to lead the Hall through its next phase, applying financial prudence to extending our reach and our artistic ambitions. The Royal Albert Hall will benefit greatly from James’ experience, talent, enthusiasm and determination. We are delighted that he will soon be re-joining the team,” added Ian McCulloch, President of Royal Albert Hall.
