The Royal Academy of Dance (RAD) has announced the appointment of Elizabeth Horner CB as its new chief executive, who will take up the role from 21 January. Honer succeeds Tim Arthur, who will step down from the role at the end of 2024.
Honer has had a lifelong love of dance, starting her career in Sadler’s Wells and more recently through classes at RAD Headquarters, London Ballet membership, Acosta Dance Center of supporters and most relevant identities to participate in the world of dance.
Horner had a distinguished career in the public service and later as chief executive of HM Treasury’s commercial arm, where she led 500 staff across more than 40 sites and successfully developed a compelling vision with diverse stakeholders. , leading to business growth and significant increases in employee engagement and customer satisfaction. Prior to that, she served as director of the Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office, where she was responsible for high-level global affairs. Throughout her career, she has been involved in developing strategy, organizational transformation, stakeholder and employee engagement, and financial performance improvements.
Horner has also served on the global boards of professional bodies and so has a good understanding of international membership bodies, and her expertise in strategy, governance and improving organizational performance led to her appointment as a Visiting Fellow at Cranfield School of Management. Her roles in charity include serving as trustee of the Vision Foundation and the Dartington International Summer School Foundation, and her early career also involved fundraising for St Martin’s College. Horner was awarded the Order of the Bath in the 2024 King’s Birthday Ceremony. The opportunity to serve as Executive Director of RAD perfectly combines her love of dance with her extensive international leadership experience.
Chairman Stephen Moss commented: “We look forward to working with our new CEO, Elizabeth Honorer. After a comprehensive search, we found that Elizabeth’s extensive experience, love of dance and strong financial and strategic capabilities make her an outstanding candidate. Elizabeth is excited to move forward with the development of the new strategy initiated by her predecessor, Tim Arthur.
Horner said: “I am delighted to be taking on the role of Chief Executive of the Royal Academy of Dance. The RAD is dear to my heart, I took RAD exams as a child and continue to do so today. The RAD has an exciting future and I look forward to leading the organization new strategy and build on our incredible history.
For more information about the Royal Academy of Dance, visit www.royalacademyofdance.org.
