UKIC Executive Director Appointed

David Leigh has been appointed to the new post of Executive Director of UKIC. This appointment continues his lifelong involvement in the field of professional conservation. He comes to UKIC from being Principal of West Dean College, with its specialist courses in conservation and restoration, where he established two new conservation programmes: the Building Conservation Masterclasses (in association with English Heritage) and Professional Conservators in Practice, both designed for mid-career practitioners. Prior to West Dean, David was Director of the (then) Museum Training Institute where, among other things, he helped to formulate the conservation standards which have influenced the design of the profession's new accreditation process.

Prior to that, as Head of the Conservation Unit of the Museums & Galleries Commission, he helped establish several important programmes, including a conservation grants scheme, internships, the Conservation Register and the Conservation Awards.

Trained as a conservator at the Institute of Archaeology, following a degree in physics, he first dealt with the finds from excavations run by the University of Southampton Archaeology Department, before becoming Lecturer in Conservation at University College Cardiff, where he was joined by David Watkinson. He compiled the first edition of First Aid for Finds, a useful handbook for archaeologists to this day, promoted research into corrosion mechanisms, and has papers to his name on various aspects of conservation, education and training. He has contributed to the work of numerous advisory bodies, including English Heritage, the Council for the Care of Churches, and the Mary Rose Trust. His main non-conservation interest is in the art history and technology of Anglo-Saxon jewellery, the subject of his PhD.

David says " I am extremely pleased to have been given this new appointment. It brings full circle my interests in the profession, right from the days when I helped compile the Conservation Facilities report for what was then the UK Group of IIC, through to this new phase for UKIC which is now well established as a formal and serious entity. The profession has taken a significant step forward in having successfully launched accreditation; and the creation of this new post itself marks an imaginative leap by UKIC, a tribute to the Council and officers, and especially Robert White and Chris Woods, the previous and current Chairmen.

I look forward enormously to working with Chris, his new Council, and with much pleasure Diane Copley and her team.

It is too early for a manifesto of my hopes for the organisation, and indeed it is the Council which will continue to dictate policy. I have to bring myself up to speed with recent developments, and listen to those in the profession who have important things to say about our future direction. Suffice for the moment to say I believe that among the important cornerstones of the new UKIC are a public face which properly reflects the importance of this profession; a re-invigorated and professionally marketed Conservation Register, increasingly populated by accredited members of the profession; closer working with cognate professional bodies, particularly those belonging to the National Council of Conservation-Restoration, NCCR; and last, but not least, a strong administration which supports members, Council, its committees, and the Sections."

David Leigh begins his new work full-time in January, and he and UKIC Chairman Chris Woods, welcome the views of membership on the future of the Institute which will contribute to a review by Council of its objects and purpose.