Krishnendu Majumdar Named New Chair of Trustees at Bush Theatre
The award-winning BAFTA chair succeeds Uzma Hasan, joining co-CEOs Taio Lawson and Angela Wachner.
Bush Theatre has announced the appointment of Krishnendu Majumdar as its new Chair of Trustees. He steps into the role this month, following Uzma Hasan's five-year tenure. Krishnendu, an award-winning film and television producer, was the first person of colour to Chair the internationally renowned arts charity BAFTA. His lifelong love of theatre combined with twenty-five years of creative and governance leadership, will support the Bush in delivering its mission to produce groundbreaking and challenging new work as diverse as its audiences.
Krishnendu Majumdar said: ‘I am delighted and honoured to be announced as the new Chair of the Bush Theatre. I'm excited to work with the brilliant board of Trustees and support the dynamic duo of co-CEOs, Artistic Director Taio Lawson and interim Executive Director Angela Wachner, to deliver visionary work. This theatre has spent over fifty years finding writers before the world was ready for them - from Jonathan Harvey and Jack Thorne to Michaela Coel, Benedict Lombe, and Richard Gadd - and giving them the conditions to ask the big questions fearlessly, to push the boundaries of what new work can be. A distinctly local voice with a resonant national impact: that is the Bush I've long admired. I have come to take that mission to new heights, and I intend to protect it not carefully, not cautiously, but fiercely.'
Krishnendu co-founded and co-runs Me+You Productions with Richard Yee. They produce award-winning, distinctive, and bold stories, including Close To You, the BIFA-nominated feature film directed by Dominic Savage, starring Elliot Page. For television, they recently produced Alice & Jack, for Channel 4/Masterpiece starring Andrea Riseborough and Domhnall Gleeson. He also produced three critically acclaimed series of I Am, created, written, and directed by Dominic Savage for Channel 4. The feature-length film, I Am Ruth, starring Kate Winslet, won multiple awards, including 2 BAFTAs and two Royal Television Society awards. The latest two-parter, I Am Helen, starring Nicola Coughlan and Joe Cole, will broadcast on Channel 4 later this year.
In June 2023, Krishnendu finished a ground-breaking 3-year term as Chair of BAFTA. He is the first person of colour to be appointed to the role in the Academy's 79-year history. He presided over seismic changes when he personally led the ‘BAFTA 2020 Review', which led to over 120 changes to BAFTA's awards campaigning, voting, and membership, marking a cultural shift from passive to proactive and progressive in tackling inequality. In his time as Chair, he oversaw the final stages of the £40m redevelopment of 195 Piccadilly, launched BAFTA North America, and championed new talent initiatives. Other industry roles include terms on the boards of Directors UK and PACT (the Producers Alliance for Cinema and Television). He has been featured five times by Variety in their annual V500 list as one of the ‘most influential business leaders shaping the global media industry'.
Taio Lawson, Artistic Director and Co-CEO of Bush Theatre, said, ‘With Krish joining, we have an incredible opportunity to build on the strong foundations Uzma set during her five years as Chair. As an industry titan with a passion for innovation and platforming marginalised voices, Krish is a great appointment for the Bush. We are keen to bounce off each other to ensure that new work in this country remains as vibrant and resonant as possible.
Uzma has enabled this theatre to go from strength to strength and guided the executive teams through unprecedented periods of challenge and success. I am so grateful to her for supporting this leadership transition; both Angela and I will miss her sharp mind, brilliant sense of humour, and warm heart. We're ready to run into this next chapter, alongside Krish and our other fantastic trustees, to keep pushing the boundaries of what theatre can be.'
Neil Darlison, Arts Council England's Director of Theatre, said, ‘The Bush is a vital part of London's theatre landscape, and we are delighted to welcome Krishnendu Majumdar as its new Chair. He clearly brings a wealth of leadership experience to the board, and we look forward to working with him and the wider board to support the Bush's continued success.'
Uzma Hasan said, ‘Chairing the Bush these past five years has been one of the great chapters of my professional life; I arrived in the midst of a pandemic and leave it stronger and more itself than ever before. My utmost thanks go to the extraordinary artists, staff, and trustees who make us who we are and have poured themselves into this building. In Krish, the Bush gains a Chair of rare calibre and ambition - I cannot think of better hands to take the baton. With Taio and Angela leading with such clarity and heart, the Bush is in a moment of real possibility and becoming. And in exactly the right company.'
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