After nearly ten years as the theatre's executive director, Jessica Hepburn is to leave the Lyric Hammersmith.
Her final challenge in post will be to swim the English Channel to raise money for the theatre’s work for disadvantaged children and young people, before she continues her career as a writer.
Jessica Hepburn first joined the Lyric Hammersmith as head of development and was appointed as executive director and joint chief executive in 2006. In this role she has overseen the venue's £20m capital redevelopment and served on the board for UK Theatre and London Theatre Consortium.
She has said, "I am very grateful to the Lyric’s Board for giving me the opportunity to run the theatre when I was relatively young and inexperienced. I hope that over the last decade I have returned their belief in me.
"In many ways it is a very difficult decision to leave because the Lyric is at such an exciting moment in its history but I believe that Chief Executives of our major cultural buildings shouldn’t stay too long and it’s the right time to find someone new to lead the next phase of the Lyric’s life.
"I am immensely proud of what I have achieved, especially leading our capital project to a triumphant conclusion, and I leave knowing that my love for the theatre will always be within these walls."