Douglas Gurr appointed director of Natural History Museum

Gurr is the head of Amazon UK and was the president of Amazon China from 2014 to 2016. The British businessman has also worked for management consultancy firm McKinsey & Co and supermarket chain Asda. He started his career teaching mathematics and computing at the University of Aarhus in Denmark and has held senior roles in the civil service.

“The Natural History Museum’s vision of a future where people and planet thrive has never been more relevant and it is a privilege to be invited to lead this globally important cultural and scientific institution,” Gurr said. “I am passionate about the work the museum is doing to tackle the planetary emergency by using its unrivalled collection and leading scientific research to connect millions of people a year with nature. I can’t wait to join the team.”

Although he has never worked in a museum, Gurr was chair of the board of the Science Museum from 2010 to 2014 and is a trustee of the National Gallery and the Landmark Trust.

“Doug’s academic background, considerable experience in working with public service organisations and digital understanding make him ideal to lead our treasured museum in our mission to create advocates for the planet,” says Stephen Green, chair of the Natural History Museum.