The Queen’s Hall, Edinburgh is delighted to announce Emma Mortimore as the new Acting Chief Executive Officer.
Emma was officially appointed by the Board to start in post on Friday 1st November, taking over from Evan Henderson, who has led the organisation since 2017, and retires after over seven years in post.
Evan has overseen a seismic change in the business which is now in relatively robust health having successfully weathered cuts to funding and a 525-day closure during the pandemic. He has spearheaded work on the exterior and interior of the 250-year-old building, improving facilities for both audiences and performers alike, whilst broadening the scope of the programming and encouraging more users to the venue.
Emma also joined The Queen’s Hall in 2017 and has worked alongside Evan as part of the small senior management team driving forward changes in the Grade A-listed venue which is a favourite amongst local, national, and international audiences and performers. She has most recently overhauled the brand and improved accessibility to ensure the Hall is welcoming to all, whilst working closely with Evan and the Board on the Artistic Strategy.
On her appointment, Emma says, “The Queen’s Hall is such a special and important part of Edinburgh’s music scene, and it’s been a real privilege to see it through so many changes in the last few years. I look forward to building upon existing relationships with our partners and promoters over the next six months during this transitional period. Evan has been a great friend and colleague over the last few years, and will be sorely missed by the whole team.”
Evan Henderson, outgoing Chief Executive of The Queen’s Hall, says, “I’m happy to be leaving The Queen’s Hall in Emma’s very capable hands. We have worked closely together for many years, she has been an invaluable colleague throughout that time. Emma has the skills and understanding to lead The Queen’s Hall into the future. I look forward to supporting her and the venue as an audience member in the years ahead.”
Announcing the appointment, Rosamund West, Chair of The Queen’s Hall’s board and Editor in Chief and Managing Director of Radge Media and The Skinny, said, “The Board could not be happier to appoint Emma as the new Acting Chief Executive of The Queen’s Hall. As Head of Marketing and Development, she’s been instrumental in shaping the new brand over the last few years, and has an exciting strategic vision for the venue, rooted in a complex understanding of the business. I’d like to thank Evan on behalf of the Board and myself for his years of hard work, and for the way he has steered the venue through the challenges of the last few years.”
Notes for editors
Emma Mortimore bio
Emma Mortimore moved to Edinburgh in 2011 to manage the Cameo Cinema which she took from loss-making to profit within her first six months. After freelancing within Scotland’s film and event industry for several years, notably working with musicians when producing the Hippodrome Silent Film Festival, she joined The Queen’s Hall in 2017. During her tenure as Head of Marketing and Development, part of the venue’s small senior management team, she has worked on many aspects of the business, including implementing a new ticketing system, website and brand and developing the Hall’s accessibility. She is on the Boards of the Scottish Youth Film Foundation and French Film Festival and volunteers with East Lothian mental health charity Keep The Heid.
About The Queen’s Hall
The Queen’s Hall (Scottish Charity No SC012294) is a unique and valuable resource in Edinburgh’s cultural life having been a key venue for international music, comedy, and spoken-word acts, and as a home for the city’s many festivals and local amateur and professional groups since 1979. It was set up by, and is the current home of, the Scottish Chamber Orchestra. An independent charity managed by a Board of Trustees, the Hall successfully emerged from a lengthy period of closure during the pandemic with a reconfigured foyer space and new facilities, and a packed calendar of events. Recent artists to have performed at the venue include Lewis Capaldi, Self Esteem, Tim Minchin, Erland Cooper, Bat for Lashes, Nadine Shah, Scottish Ensemble, Scottish National Jazz Orchestra, and the Edinburgh International Morning Concert series. It is home to the award-winning AMPLIFI series of events which give upcoming Global Majority and LGBTQIA+ a performance platform.
