Sixteen trustees have been appointed to the boards of the British Museum, Victoria & Albert Museum (V&A) and Tate.
Announced by the UK Government this week, the appointments include a host of well-known names from TV, politics and business, from Claudia Winkleman, the presenter of The Traitors and Strictly Come Dancing, at the British Museum, to the broadcaster and author Mariella Frostrup at the V&A.
The sociologist and cultural commentator Tiffany Jenkins, known for her 2016 book, Keeping Their Marbles: How the Treasures of the Past Ended Up in Museums…and Why They Should Stay There, was also appointed to the British Museum, along with Conservative peer and The Times columnist Daniel Finkelstein, historian and podcaster Tom Holland and Newsnight editor Martha Kearney.
The museum’s chair of trustees, George Osborne, said: “I'm delighted that this all-star collection of thinkers and communicators are becoming trustees. It says something about the excitement and momentum at the museum right now that we can attract such talented people to become part of our team.”
The British Museum board comprises up to 25 members, 15 of which are appointed by the prime minister.
Along with Frostrup, the V&A’s appointees include luxury retail executive Andrew Keith; Akshata Murty, the philanthropist and wife of former prime minister Rishi Sunak; Bloomsbury Publishing founder Nigel Newton; media presenter and author Vick Hope; and media executive Pedro Pina.
Four new trustees joined the Tate board on four-year terms on 24 March – private equity executive Nick Clarry, artist and filmmaker Isaac Julien, businessman Jack Kirkland, and TV presenter June Sarpong. A fifth new trustee, Tim Richards, the founder and chief executive of Vue Entertainment, will begin his term on 23 June.