Hippodrome welcomes new chairman
BIRMINGHAM’S Hippodrome theatre has a new chairman.
Andy Hogarth, who has been a trustee since February 2015, has taken over from John Crabtree.
Having held senior roles in a wide range of businesses including retail, healthcare, hospitality and construction, he is currently chief executive of recruitment group Staffline and a trustee of an elderly care charity.
He also owns two boutique hotels in the West Midlands and is a Fellow of the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants.
Mr Crabtree is stepping down after serving for 16 years as a trustee of the city centre venue.
However, he will continue in an informal ambassadorial role for the theatre alongside his other corporate and charitable activities and in his new capacity as Lord Lieutenant of the West Midlands.
Mr Hogarth said: “When I first came to Birmingham Hippodrome many years ago, there was a palpable sense of excitement.
“People have been coming to this great theatre for generations where such amazing performances have been staged.
“As someone from a non-artistic background, to be part of this is a real privilege.
“While the theatre is not reliant on public funding, we appreciate the value of subsidy for our many artistic partners.
“As a charity, we plough all our surplus back in to the business to bring new and ambitious plans to life, ensuring as many people as possible can access the arts.
“I am full of admiration for John Crabtree’s exemplary stewardship and ambition over the last few years and I see our duty now as building on this success to grow the Hippodrome to the next stage.”
Chief executive Fiona Allan added: “Our charitable status makes it imperative that we continue to serve the widest Picture: Simon Hadley possible communities, ensuring that everyone is welcome.
“I look forward to working with Andy and our other trustees and with our amazing team here to take fullest advantage of the wonderful opportunities we now have for expansion, opening audiences’ eyes to new artistic experiences.”