CEO of Stratford’s Shakespeare Birthplace Trust Tim Cooke to step down later this year

TIM Cooke, the CEO of the Shakespeare Birthplace Trust, is to step down from the role later this year.

Tim will leave in November after leading the trust for almost seven years.

He said it had been “a huge honour to lead the Shakespeare Birthplace Trust” and share the Shakespearean heritage of Stratford and the museum’s programmes with the world.

Tim joined SBT in March 2018 having led museums in Cornwall and Northern Ireland.

“I have been truly blessed to work with passionate and inspirational colleagues and I wish them and the trust every success in the future,” he added.

Shakespeare Birthplace Trust chair, Lady Cobham, said: “The board are enormously grateful to Tim for his leadership in what has been a significant period for us, especially when faced with the challenges of the pandemic.

“Tim’s vision has been vital to redefining the next stages of our strategy, our future direction and the longer term capital projects that are required for our future success.”

During his time at the trust, Tim has also worked with Stratford District Council on a vision for the Gateway Project in Stratford and a new Shakespeare museum, leading to an announcement earlier this year that the West Midlands Combined Authority is to invest millions of pounds in the initial scheme.

The search for a replacement for Tim, who is a former senior broadcasting executive with the BBC, will now begin, the trust said.