The London Symphony Orchestra is seeking an outstanding Managing Director to join us as we enter an exciting new chapter. Under the musical leadership of Chief Conductor Sir Antonio Pappano, with audiences at record highs and a major capital project completed, this is a remarkable opportunity to shape the future of a thriving cultural institution with global reach.
The LSO is more than an orchestra. We are a creative powerhouse spanning concert performance, community and education, recording, and international partnerships. Our mission to inspire hearts and minds through world-leading music-making reaches millions annually through our Barbican residency, international tours, LSO Live’s recordings and LSO Discovery’s transformative education and community programme. With annual revenues exceeding £20m, we are building for the future while maintaining our position at the pinnacle of orchestral excellence.
As Managing Director, you will be a full member of our Board of Directors, working at the heart of an organisation in which musicians are shareholders and artistic excellence drives everything we do. You will lead a dedicated team of 85 staff while building relationships across our diverse ecosystem of conductors, soloists, funders, artistic partners, government and audiences worldwide.
This role demands someone with profound musical understanding and passion who can engage authentically with world-class artists while driving strategic growth. You will need exceptional diplomatic skills to work effectively within our unique musician-led governance structure and our broader diversity of stakeholders, entrepreneurial vision to identify new opportunities, and the resilience to tackle complex challenges.
We seek a leader who embodies the LSO's entrepreneurial spirit – someone with the intellectual rigour for sophisticated business strategy, the heart for artistic excellence, and the energy for our community mission. You will need proven leadership experience, exceptional and instinctive collaboration skills, and the ability to represent the LSO with distinction on the international stage.
The successful candidate will join us at a pivotal moment. The Orchestra is thriving. Our newly refurbished venue, LSO St Luke's, reopens this autumn with state-of-the-art facilities. Our international partnerships are stronger than ever. The foundations are strong – we need a visionary and pragmatic leader to build upon them.
This permanent, full-time position based at the Barbican Centre offers competitive remuneration reflecting the role's significance, comprehensive benefits, and the opportunity to shape the future of one of the world's great cultural institutions.
How to Apply
The LSO has engaged the services of Perrett Laver to assist with the appointment of the Managing Director (8007). Further information, including a full candidate brochure, is available by clicking on the 'Request More Information' link at the bottom of the page.
Application is by submission of a curriculum vitae and a covering letter of application, addressing the job description and person specification. The closing date for applications is 9am BST on Monday 13th October.
There will be two rounds of interviews: the first round will take place on Monday 1st December with the final shortlisted group invited to interview on Friday 12th December.
To confidentially get in touch about this role or for advice on your application, please contact George Hourmouzios on George.Hourmouzios@perrettlaver.com.
If you require any reasonable adjustments to assist you in the selection process, please advise us of these so that we can make appropriate arrangements.
Should you require access to these documents in alternative formats, please contact Esther Elbro on Esther.Elbro@perrettlaver.com.
If you have comments that would support us to improve access to documentation, or our application processes more generally, please do not hesitate to contact us via accessibility@perrettlaver.com.
We welcome applications from candidates at any career stage who combine the skills, experience, and passion to lead the LSO into its next chapter of growth and excellence.
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