Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts has announced that Robert Van Leer has been named as its new Executive Director and Chief Executive Officer.

Effective April 1, 2023, Leer will head one of the nation’s largest performing arts venues. He brings with him years of experience, most recently as Senior Vice President of Artistic Planning at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, where he oversaw a $90 million budget and expanded the organization’s classical and contemporary programming.

Starting his career at Lincoln Center, Leer has held administrative positions at Wigmore Hall, the Barbican Centre, Nederlands Dans Theatre, and boutique cultural consultancy Wonderbird UK.

“The Wallis’ search committee and our dedicated Board of Directors are confident Robert van Leer is the most qualified person to lead The Wallis in its next evolutionary stage,” said Board Chair Michael Nemeroff, who helmed the international search, in an official press statement. “As an extremely talented performing arts executive, having run performing arts centers and built teams in various CEO, Managing Director, and senior level leadership roles, he has had the experience and impact we sought. His artistic planning and presenting work has been at the highest levels. He is also tremendously skilled in strategic planning, community relations, fundraising, and board development.

“As The Wallis heads into its 10th Season, we’ve undergone tremendous artistic growth and achieved notable fiscal and organizational stability, so we believe that Robert, with his visionary leadership, keen creative thinking, and broad world view, will build upon that solid foundation, further elevating The Wallis as a cultural institution of international renown.”