Image: New Chief Executive of Historic England 2025 (Mary Ward House Portraits)
The pair, who have previously served in joint roles, will become joint chief executives following Duncan Wilson’s retirement
Two Historic England employees have been promoted to chief executive of the organisation, sharing the role.
Claudia Kenyatta CBE and Emma Squire CBE will become the chief executive of Historic England as a job share following the retirement of Duncan Wilson in October 2025.
Kenyatta joined Historic England as director of regions in 2018, after two years as a director in the Department for Culture, Media and Sport, most recently as director of corporate strategy where she was responsible for strategy and planning, governance, evidence and analysis and oversight of the Department’s 45 Arm’s Length Bodies.
She joined DCMS senior civil service in 2007 with roles leading heritage, arts, museums and digital policy, sponsoring bodies such as Arts Council England, Museums, Libraries and Archives Council and national museums, and delivering national commemorative and ceremonial events.
Previously she worked in a range of Government Departments, with roles on social exclusion policy, neighbourhood renewal and in private office. Claudia was awarded a CBE for services to heritage, including her leadership of the Historic England’s groundbreaking high streets renewal programme.
Alongside her role at Historic England, Claudia is Chair of the Board of Trustees at Battersea Arts Centre in London and, with Emma, a member of the Mayor of London’s Cultural Leadership Board.
Squire joined Historic England in November 2023 starting a job share with Claudia Kenyatta as director of regions. Before this, Squire spent nearly six years as director of arts, heritage and tourism at the Department for Culture, Media and Sport where she was responsible for policy on the art market, culture, heritage, tourism, libraries, museums, treasure and cultural diplomacy.
Her role included sponsoring 28 Arm’s Length Bodies and agencies such as Arts Council England, national museums like the National Gallery and the V&A, VisitBritain, Historic Royal Palaces and The Royal Parks as well as the National Lottery Heritage Fund and Historic England itself.
She led for Government on the £1.59bn Covid pandemic Culture Recovery Fund that supported over 5,000 cultural and heritage organisations for which she was awarded a CBE. She also led on programmes from the UK City of Culture competition to the Cultural Development Fund.
She has been a senior civil servant since 2009, with roles on local growth, trade and as Principal Private Secretary to the Business Secretary. Alongside her role at Historic England, Emma is Chair of the Board of Trustees at Bridport Museum in West Dorset and, with Kenyatta, a member of the Mayor of London’s Cultural Leadership Board.
The appointment was approved by Baroness Twycross, the Heritage Minister, and Susannah Storey, Permanent Secretary at the Department for Culture, Media and Sport.
Lord Mendoza, chairman of Historic England, announced the appointment.
“Emma and Claudia have put considerable thought into their vision for Historic England. I have great confidence that their leadership will guide us through the coming years with clarity and purpose,” said Lord Mendoza.
The new appointments said in a joint statement: “We’re looking forward to leading the organisation through its next chapter and making sure that heritage plays its full role in supporting people, communities and places.”
Duncan Wilson, the outgoing chief executive, said the new appointments were “colleagues I absolutely depend on for wise advice”, describing the pair as “widely respected throughout the organisation and outside.
“I look forward to managing with them a smooth transition over the next six months.”
