Vikki Heywood

Vikki was appointed executive director of the Royal Shakespeare Company in 2003 after a colourful theatre career which she started by undertaking a diploma in stage management at the Central School of Speech and Drama.

After qualifying she worked as a stage manager for the Royal Shakespeare Company before changing direction to work in theatre management as a development director for a touring company.

She is also a governor and member of the board for the company based in Stratford upon Avon, a board member of the Society of London Theatre, Warwick University, the Cultural Leadership Programme and The London 2012 Cultural Olympiad. She is also a fellow of the Royal Society of Arts and a member of the Chartered Management Institute.

Prior to taking up her post with the RSC, Vikki was joint chief executive of the Royal Court theatre where she was responsible for a £20m redevelopment and producing 100 world premieres.

She has advised stakeholders and arts boards including the Arts Council and has been vice chairman of both the Lyric Theatre Hammersmith and The Young Vic Theatre.

In October 2007 she received the Vitalise Midlands Woman of Achievement Award. She was also awarded an honorary doctorate from the University of Birmingham and became a Doctor of Letters in December 2009.

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