(Credit: ©2018 ROH. Photograph by Luke Hayes)

The Royal Opera has announced the appointment of David Ross as the new Chair of the Board of Trustees, succeeding the late Ian Taylor, who sadly passed away earlier this year.

The appointment was made by the Nominations Committee, chaired by Julian Metherell and included fellow Board members Dame Vivien Duffield, Danny Wyler, Sue Hoyle OBE, and Indhu Rubasingham MBE, Artistic Director of the Kiln Theatre.

In a statement about his appointment, Ross said, “I am passionate about creating opportunities for all and ensuring that everyone can enjoy our great cultural institutions, artists and musicians. So I am honored to be appointed to lead the Board of Trustees at an institution as well regarded as the Royal Opera House and will continue the fantastic success achieved by my predecessors. In particular, I want to focus on building upon the great education programs that have been put in place to bring the arts to children across the country. The Open Up project has provided a wonderful foundation for the future and I look forward to continuing this tremendous work and maintaining the Royal Opera House’s position at the heart of British cultural life, as we steer a course through the undoubted challenges ahead.”

Ross is a UK-based entrepreneur and arts philanthropist who has been Chair of the Board at the National Portrait Gallery and is known for co-founding The Carphone Warehouse Group. He is the founder of Nevill Holt Opera and established David Ross Education Trust (DRET), with over 30 Academies across Yorkshire, Lincolnshire, and Leicestershire.