Birmingham Hippodrome chief executive Stuart Griffiths is to leave after 12 years to become programming director for the Ambassador Theatre Group.
Griffiths led the Hippodrome to become “the most popular single theatre in the UK”, with record-breaking paid admissions in 2014 totalling more than 625,000.
He has also established the theatre as a centre for dance, co-producing the award-winning International Dance Festival Birmingham since 2008 with the Hippodrome’s resident partners DanceXchange.
His career in regional theatre management also included ten years as chief executive of the Swan Theatre, High Wycombe.
He was awarded an OBE in the new year honours list for service to the arts in Birmingham.
Griffiths said, “I feel hugely privileged to have had the opportunity to work with a fantastic team at Birmingham Hippodrome for over 12 years which have been the most exciting and rewarding of my career.
“I’m also grateful for the opportunity to have been involved with a number of city projects and organisations, all of whom are working to ensure Birmingham is a vibrant, dynamic and prosperous city with a thriving cultural sector.
“I’ll be very sorry to leave Birmingham and the Hippodrome, especially as it’s so well positioned with ambitious plans in the pipeline. However, I’m delighted to be joining ATG at an exciting time in its development.”
Griffiths will take up his new role in July 2015 and aims to deliver top-quality productions to the group’s 39 venues.
John Crabtree who chairs Birmingham Hippodrome Theatre Trust said, “I know I join many Hippodrome supporters in my praise and admiration for Stuart who has grown the theatre beyond all our expectations.
“His knowledge and expertise in the sector along with his inspirational leadership and ambition have been of unparalleled benefit to artists, audiences and participants, and for the city’s wider cultural reputation.
“Today Birmingham Hippodrome has growing and diverse audiences, enviable education and community programmes, strong financial reserves, dedicated and supportive trustees and is respected across the arts world.
"On behalf of my fellow trustees, I thank Stuart sincerely for his commitment and loyalty, and I wish him all the very best in his new role. We now start the search for a suitable replacement in earnest.”