Dawn Airey, one of the most influential executives in the UK media industry, has been appointed the new chair of Arts Council England, the government-funded body responsible for promoting the development of the arts and culture in England.
Airey will take office in August for a four-year term, succeeding Sir Nicholas Serota. With more than three decades of experience in television, digital media, and the creative sectors, she brings to the role extensive management experience at some of the UK’s leading companies.
Her career includes leadership roles at Channel 5, where she became its first director of programming and later CEO, as well as executive responsibilities at Sky, ITV, and Yahoo! for Europe, the Middle East, and Africa. She has served on the board of Channel 4 since 2021 and served as interim chair of the public broadcaster from 2022 to 2025.
Honored in 2024 with the title of CBE (Commander of the Order of the British Empire) for her contributions to theater and philanthropy, Airey is also actively involved in organizations such as the Royal Television Society and the Royal Society of Arts.
British Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy highlighted that the executive combines solid experience in broadcasting and the arts with a strong conviction about the transformative role of culture. For her part, Airey emphasized that, in an era marked by artificial intelligence and automation, creativity and human experience are more valuable than ever. She also noted that the agency is entering a new phase focused on expanding support for the sector, with a more equitable distribution of resources and more agile and transparent management.
