Britten Pears Arts Chief Executive to step down

ROGER WRIGHT plans to step down as Chief Executive of Britten Pears Arts in July 2024.

With over a decade at the helm of the Suffolk-based cultural charity, Wright has overseen the annual classical music event Aldeburgh Festival and the organisation’s venues, The Red and Snape Maltings, where the festival takes place. He has also led the charity’s Britten Pears Young Artist Programme, now into its 50th year, providing performance training to young and emerging talent. 

A former Senior Producer at the BBC Symphony Orchestra, Wright became Controller of BBC Radio 3 in 1998 and Director of the Proms in 2007.

After 15 years at BBC Radio 3, Wright left the station to become Chief Executive of Aldeburgh Music. In 2020, Snape Maltings, formerly Aldeburgh Music, merged with the Britten-Pears Foundation, leading to the formation of Britten Pears Arts.

He holds honorary fellowships at the Royal College of Music, Royal Holloway College, the Radio Academy, and the Royal Academy of Music. 

“We are all delighted to have Roger with us for another 12 months so that he can lead the organisation through our anniversary year after the outstanding success of this year's Festival,” Chair of Britten Pears Arts Sir SIMON ROBEY said. 

“There will be time to acknowledge Roger's extraordinary contribution to our organisation over a decade of transformational change and development.”

Wright added: “It feels that next July, after the 75th Aldeburgh Festival, is the right time for me to move on and enjoy a new more flexible life for the first time in almost fifty years.”

“I look forward to my final year with Britten Pears Arts with ongoing vim and vigour.”

Recruitment for Wright’s successor will begin in autumn.