Darren Atkins Elected President of the Society of London Theatre; Becky Barber and Patrick Murphy Join Board
The LW Theatres Co-CEO oversees six West End venues and a team of more than 900 staff.
Darren Atkins has been elected as the next President of the Society of London Theatre (SOLT), with his three-year term set to begin at the organization's 2027 Annual General Meeting.
Atkins, who serves as Co-CEO of LW Theatres alongside Jules Arnott, will succeed current President Kash Bennett, Executive Director of Sonia Friedman Productions. Beginning June 24, 2026, Atkins will serve as SOLT Vice-President, taking over the role from Eleanor Lloyd OBE.
Since being appointed Co-CEO of LW Theatres in 2023, Atkins has overseen the operation and programming of the organization's six West End theatres, while also leading the conservation and development of its historic venues. His career in the theatre industry began at age 21 selling ice cream at the Dominion Theatre before progressing through management positions at the London Palladium, the Cambridge Theatre, Nimax Theatres, and LW Theatres.
Claire Walker and Hannah Essex, Co-CEOs of the Society of London Theatre and UK Theatre, welcomed the appointment, saying, "We are thrilled to welcome Darren as the next SOLT President. At such a pivotal time for our industry, his leadership and deep understanding of both production and venue operations will be invaluable to SOLT and our members."
Atkins said, "Having spent more than twenty years as a member, it is an honour to be elected as the next President of the Society of London Theatre. For the last decade, working for Andrew and Madeleine Lloyd Webber, I have had the privilege of operating and programming some of the world's greatest theatres, which has instilled a deep commitment to our sector. As President, I look forward to working closely with SOLT and its sister body, UK Theatre, to champion a thriving, collaborative and forward-looking industry."
Walker and Essex also paid tribute to outgoing Vice-President Eleanor Lloyd, thanking her for her leadership during the COVID-19 pandemic and the industry's recovery.
SOLT also announced changes to its Board of Directors. Becky Barber, Executive Producer of Jonathan Church Theatre Productions, and Patrick Murphy, Director of Production EMEA for Disney Theatrical Group, have been elected to the board. Griselda Yorke, Executive Producer at the Old Vic Theatre, and Rebecca Quigley, Producer and Co-Founder of Rodeo Productions, have been re-elected.
Patrick Gracey of Patrick Gracey Productions and Ed Snape of Fiery Angel have stepped down from the SOLT Board after completing their terms.
