Shona McCarthy, the former boss of Derry-Londonderry's year as City of Culture, is to be the new leader of the world's biggest arts festival, the Edinburgh Festival Fringe.
Currently a cultural consultant, she has been also Director of the British Council Northern Ireland.
She will take up the post in early March, taking over from Kath Mainland.
Shona McCarthy said: “I am thrilled to be appointed Chief Executive of the Edinburgh Festival Fringe Society, an organisation I have long admired.
"I have spent 25 years working in the cultural sector and have seen up close and personal the transformative power that art can have on people, on cities and on wellbeing.
"I passionately believe in personal and collective creativity as a force for good in a turbulent world.
"I have visited Edinburgh and the Fringe on many occasions and there is no better outlet for creative expression than the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, the greatest open access arts festival in the world, and I can’t wait to work with and support all those who make up such a wonderful festival.
"Kath Mainland has done a terrific job and there is a brilliant team already in place, I look forward to joining them."
The Chair of the Edinburgh Festival Fringe Society, Sir Timothy O’Shea, said: "I am delighted Shona will be joining the team at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe Society; she brings with her an exceptional resume of experience in the cultural sector and is an experienced and successful chief executive.
"The Fringe Society’s role is to support and nurture the Fringe – the world’s largest and best arts festival – a festival which has seen continual growth for a number of years.
"In response to that, and under Kath Mainland’s leadership, the Fringe Society has expanded its services for both participants and audiences.
"As the Fringe approaches its 70th anniversary year, I have no doubt Shona will provide the vision and leadership to continue and further develop the work the Society does, supporting the Fringe’s reputation as a world leading arts festival."
Ms McCarthy is currently director of Shona McCarthy Consulting, founding director of Culture Trust, chairperson of Oh Yeah music centre in Belfast, and Walk the Plank in Manchester.
She was awarded an Eisenhower Fellowship for Innovation 2014.
From 2011 – 2014 she was Chief Executive of the Culture Company, leading on Derry-Londonderry’s year as UK City of Culture, delivering the citywide cultural programme for 2013 and raising and managing a budget of £20 million.
Previously she was director of the British Council Northern Ireland leading a team of 40 to oversee international programmes of work across schools, arts and Higher Education to build "positive international cultural relations."
Between 2002 and 2008 she was the director of her own company, specialising in cultural collaborations.
Prior to this she was Chief Executive of Imagine Belfast leading on a cultural strategy for the city and producing the Belfast bid to be European Capital of Culture 2008.
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