Alistair Hardaker | Image: Dr Paul Bate, Chief Executive of the British Library © British Library Board
Former space agency CEO takes role after predecessor left during staff strikes.
The British Library has appointed a new permanent chief executive. Dr Paul Bate will take up his new role on 4 November 2026, succeeding interim chief executive Dr Jeremy Silver.
Dr Bate holds an advisory role as professor in practice at the University of Surrey Space Institute. He was formerly CEO of the UK Space Agency, and from 2011 to 2013 he was a senior policy advisor for 10 Downing Street. Bate has also held a variety of roles in healthcare, including as VP of commercial at health technology company Babylon Health.
The appointment follows The British Library’s former CEO Rebecca Lawrence stepping down from the role last November. Lawrence left the role after less than a year, in the middle of a strike by library staff over pay.
Dame Carol Black, chair of the British Library Board, said Bate had been selected for “his experience leading complex, research-intensive organisations, fostering innovation and building partnerships, which will be invaluable as we deliver our strategy to strengthen the Library’s role as a cultural cornerstone and globally trusted source of knowledge.”
Dr Bate added: “The British Library is one of the world’s great libraries and a vital part of the UK’s cultural and intellectual infrastructure. I am honoured to be leading an organisation of expert professionals that has shared knowledge at its heart, opens up ideas and information to millions of people, and is resiliently overcoming the challenges of recent years.
