Luke Johnson to be appointed the next Chair of the RSA

The RSA (Royal Society for the encouragement of Arts, Manufactures and Commerce) is delighted to announce that subject to ratification by RSA Fellows at the RSA AGM on 7th October,   Luke Johnson is to become Deputy Chair of the Society and Chair in 2009 when he takes over from Gerry Acher, RSA’s current Chair.

Luke Johnson has served as Chairman of Channel 4 Television since 2004 and as principal of Risk Capital Partners, a private equity firm, for the last eight years.  He is also an owner/Chairman of Giraffe restaurants, Patisserie Valerie and Synarbor, the UK’s largest teacher recruitment business - previously he built up Pizza Express.

He has written a weekly column on business for eight years - for the last eighteen months with the Financial Times.  He served as a Governor of the University of the Arts London for six years until 2006.

"The RSA is going from strength to strength and, in Luke Johnson, we have chosen a leader with the enthusiasm, skills and reputation to achieve more.  It is a great privilege to chair the Society and I look forward to welcoming Luke as the new Deputy and my successor elect next month and to handing over the reins to him in 2009 to continue our progressive development." - Gerry Acher, Chair, RSA.

"I greatly look forward to contributing to the renaissance of the RSA.  It has an outstanding team, a remarkable heritage, and fantastic resource in its Fellows.  I believe it has a vital role to play in stimulating enterprises of every dimension.  I feel very privileged to have been offered the role." -

Luke Johnson

"It is great news that the RSA will have a new Deputy Chair who is both well known for the quality of his ideas and his entrepreneurial zeal. Following on from the fantastic contribution made by Gerry Acher, I am now looking forward to working with Luke Johnson as we take the RSA forward to its next stage of development." - Matthew Taylor, Chief Executive, RSA.

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