Joint chiefs appointed to Historic England in job share

Claudia Kenyatta and Emma Squire have been appointed as joint chief executives of Historic England in a job share arrangement.

The appointment was announced this week by Neil Mendoza, chairman of the arm’s-length heritage body. Kenyatta and Squire will succeed current chief executive Duncan Wilson, who is retiring in October.

In a statement, Historic England said the recruitment process for a new chief executive had “attracted a strong field of candidates”.

Kenyatta joined Historic England as director of regions in 2018. Before that she spent two years as a director in the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS), where her responsibilities included strategy and planning, governance, evidence and analysis and oversight of the department’s 45 Arm’s Length Bodies. 

She joined DCMS senior civil service in 2007 with roles leading heritage, arts, museums and digital policy.

Squire has been a civil servant since 2009. She joined Historic England in November 2023, starting a job share with Kenyatta as director of regions.

She previously spent nearly six years as director of arts, heritage and tourism at DCMS where she was responsible for policy on the art market, culture, heritage, tourism, libraries, museums, treasure and cultural diplomacy. 

Squire led for government on the £1.59bn Culture Recovery Fund during Covid, which helped more than 5,000 cultural and heritage organisations survive the pandemic, and for which she was awarded a CBE. She has also led on programmes from the UK City of Culture competition to the Cultural Development Fund.

The joint appointment was approved by heritage minister Baroness Twycross and Susannah Storey, permanent secretary at the Department for Culture, Media and Sport.  

Mendoza said: “I’m delighted to announce that Claudia Kenyatta and Emma Squire have been appointed to become the new chief executive of Historic England as a job share. The search process attracted over 200 candidates applying for the role, resulting in a very strong field making it through to the final stages. 

“The panel and I were particularly impressed with their deep knowledge of the culture and heritage sectors, as well as insight and experience of the functioning of government. Emma and Claudia have put considerable thought into their vision for Historic England. I have great confidence that their leadership will guide us through the coming years with clarity and purpose.” 

In a joint statement, Kenyatta and Squire said: “We are absolutely delighted to be appointed as chief executive of Historic England at such an exciting time for heritage. Historic England is an amazing organisation with expert and dedicated staff and a strong track record of supporting and celebrating the historic environment. 

“We’re looking forward to leading the organisation through its next chapter and making sure that heritage plays its full role in supporting people, communities and places.”