Victoria Pinnington has been appointed as Chief Executive of Crystal Palace Park Trust. Currently Interim Chief Executive of the Horniman Museum and Gardens, she will take up the new post in June.
Victoria has been a member of the senior leadership team at the Horniman, a much-loved attraction with collections of anthropology, musical instruments and natural history alongside gardens and living collections, since 2012 when she joined as Director, Communications & Income Generation. Over this time, she has helped the Horniman transform its public reach and impact, significantly expanding audiences, income streams and programming, and win the prestigious Art Fund Museum of the Year award, the world’s biggest museum prize.
Prior to joining the museum and heritage sector, Victoria enjoyed leadership roles in international education including as Head of International Marketing at King’s College London. Outside of work, Victoria is a trustee at Kids in Museums, a governor at Forest Hill School and a trustee of HOME, Manchester’s centre for contemporary theatre, film, art and music.
She joins Crystal Palace Park Trust as it embarks on one of the most exciting place-making projects in the UK. After 25 years of campaigning, this new community-led charity has been handed the keys to the internationally significant, 200-acre Park for the next 125 years, with the aim of becoming a national exemplar of how communities can lead the way in saving historic, environmental and cultural assets. This has coincided with the establishment of major festivals, recent funding from Historic England, the National Lottery, and the Mayor of London, the announcement of a major regeneration of the National Sports Centre, and the imminent regeneration of the Park itself.
On joining the Trust, Victoria said:
“I am incredibly excited to be joining the fantastic team at Crystal Palace Park Trust. I feel immensely privileged to have been given the opportunity to work with them, alongside partners and the local community, on the regeneration of such a historically significant and special place. I cannot wait to get started.”
Welcoming Victoria, co-chair of Crystal Palace Park Trust Philip Kolvin KC said:
“The Board of Crystal Palace Park Trust is thrilled to welcome Victoria Pinnington as our Chief Executive Officer. Victoria is a leader, with a perfect blend of experience in heritage, green space, community engagement and commercial development. With her at the helm of our brilliant and committed staff team, we can plan the Park’s future with confidence.”
Victoria takes over the role from Val Shawcross CBE, who has been interim CEO of the Trust since July 2023. Val, an Upper Norwood resident, has previously been voluntary Chair of the Trust and had retired from a long career in London and local politics. In the 90s she was Council Leader for Croydon before being elected as a London Assembly member for Lambeth and Southwark in the 2000s – she chaired the London Fire and Emergency Planning Authority for 8 years and was also appointed by Ken Livingstone as his lead member for Crystal Palace Park. Sadiq Khan then appointed her as Deputy Mayor for London Transport and Deputy Chair of Transport for London.
Martin Tempia, co-chair of Crystal Palace Park Trust said:
“Val’s contribution to the Trust has been tremendous. As Chair, she laid the foundations of the organisation, ensuring that it was both able to meet its obligations and take on the responsibility of governing the Park. As interim CEO she oversaw the handover of the Park and the Trust’s development as an effective and financially stable organisation, capable of regenerating the Park and serving the communities who use it. She leaves with our heartfelt thanks and best wishes for her retirement.”