LONDON, ENGLAND.-Charles Saumarez Smith has been appointed the new Secretary and Chief Executive of the Royal Academy of Arts it was announced today. He will take up his new post in the autumn.

The General Assembly endorsed the appointment by acclamation at a meeting this afternoon and Her Majesty the Queen has signified her approval. The new appointment has the full support of the Trustees of the Royal Academy Trust.

MaryAnne Stevens, the Acting Secretary of the Royal Academy for the past two years, who chose not to apply for the post, will continue to play a pivotal role in the academic and curatorial areas of the Royal Academy.

Sir Nicholas Grimshaw, President of the Royal Academy said: “The Academy has been working hard on Governance issues over the last two years. We now have a clear structure with the Secretary and Chief Executive’s role well defined. We felt it was the right time to search for a candidate and we are absolutely delighted that Charles Saumarez Smith has accepted. He comes with a wealth of experience which will be particularly valuable to us, both on the development of our buildings and on our future exhibition programme”.

Charles Saumarez Smith said: “After thirteen years running two major national galleries, I am looking forward to working closely with the President and the Council of the Royal Academy, as well as with the community of contemporary artists, architects and sculptors which the Royal Academicians represent. The National Gallery and the Royal Academy have had long associations, having shared the same building in Trafalgar Square in the nineteenth century, although one is now state funded and the other a successful, independent institution. An obvious challenge is to ensure that the Royal Academy’s programme of major international exhibitions is sustained, as well as to create a twenty-first century vision for this outstanding centre for art in the heart of London”.

The National Gallery issued a statement following the announcement of Charles Saumarez Smith as the new Secretary and Chief Executive of the Royal Academy of Arts.

From Peter Scott QC, Chairman of the National Gallery: “The Chairman and Trustees are sorry indeed to see the departure of Charles Saumarez Smith to the Royal Academy. He will be a great loss to the National Gallery. He has enjoyed nearly five years of remarkable achievement as our Director.

He displayed extraordinary determination and campaign planning in securing the Madonna of the Pinks for the nation. He has overseen a run of hugely successful exhibitions such as Titian, Raphael, Caravaggio and Vel�zquez and his focus on improving visitor services resulted in the opening of the east wing and a complete refurbishment of the new spectacular entrance area - a legacy that will be of enormous benefit for future generations of visitors.

He has expanded the Gallery’s contemporary artists’ programme which has delivered new kinds of audiences and he leaves the National Gallery in robust health with an increase in visitor numbers of 9% last year.

We have enjoyed working with him and wish him every success at the Royal Academy.”