English Heritage has appointed Tim Reeve CBE as its next Chief Executive, marking the return of one of the sector’s most experienced museum leaders to the organisation where his career first began.
Reeve will take up the role in November, succeeding interim Chief Executive Geoff Parkin, who has led the charity since July 2025. He joins from the Victoria and Albert Museum, where he has served as Deputy Director and Chief Operating Officer since 2013, helping steer one of Britain’s most ambitious periods of museum expansion.
His appointment brings him back to English Heritage nearly three decades after he joined the organisation as a Registry Assistant in 1996. Rising through the ranks, he became Director of Historic Properties in 2005, overseeing the conservation and management of more than 400 historic sites, including chairing the project board for the Stonehenge Visitor Centre before leaving for the V&A in 2013.
During his thirteen years at the V&A, Reeve played a central role in reshaping the museum into an international network of institutions. His tenure saw the opening of V&A Dundee, the development of V&A East Museum and Storehouse in Stratford, the launch of the V&A Gallery at Design Society in Shenzhen and the delivery of the museum’s most successful programme of ticketed exhibitions, including Alexander McQueen: Savage Beauty and Marie Antoinette Style. Under his leadership, the V&A was named Art Fund Museum of the Year in both 2015 and 2024. He was awarded a CBE in the 2025 King’s Birthday Honours for services to museums.
As Chief Executive, Reeve will lead the independent charity responsible for caring for more than 400 sites across England. Its portfolio ranges from Stonehenge and Hadrian’s Wall to Osborne House, Kenwood, Whitby Abbey and Kenilworth Castle. English Heritage also manages the nationally recognised blue plaques programme and cares for a collection of more than one million artefacts.
Announcing the appointment, English Heritage Chair Tony Hales CBE described Reeve as “one of the most outstanding and capable leaders in the culture and heritage sector,” adding that his experience at both the V&A and English Heritage made him uniquely qualified to lead the organisation through its next chapter.
Reeve said he was honoured to return, describing the post as “one of the most important roles in UK cultural life.” He said the charity’s historic places offered opportunities for discovery, connection and enjoyment while preserving what he called “the great outdoor museum of the nation’s story.”
His departure from the V&A marks the end of a transformative period for the museum. Director Sir Tristram Hunt credited Reeve with helping drive the institution’s recent expansion, from the acquisition of the Wedgwood Collection and the refurbishment of the Cast Courts to the creation of V&A Dundee and the opening of V&A East. Hunt said the museum owed Reeve “a great debt of gratitude” for his leadership and public service.
Since becoming an independent charity in 2015, English Heritage has invested more than £40 million annually in the conservation of the National Heritage Collection. Supported by more than 1.1 million members, the charity welcomed over five million visitors to its staffed sites during the 2025/26 financial year, while more than 200,000 schoolchildren and learners took part in educational programmes at its historic properties.
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