Rachel Tackley to step down as Chichester Festival Theatre executive director

Rachel Tackley will step down as executive director of Chichester Festival Theatre at the end of the venue's current season, it has been announced.

Tackley, who has been at the venue since September 2016, has overseen artistic director Daniel Evans' two seasons at the venue, including a number of West End transfers for productions such as Quiz, Caroline, or Change and King Lear.

She was previously director and CEO of English Touring Theatre, chief executive of Milton Keynes Theatre and head of programming for the Ambassador Theatre Group.

Tackley said: "After working with Daniel Evans to produce two hugely successful festivals, I have decided to step down at the end of Festival 2018. I have loved being part of Chichester Festival Theatre, and it has been thrilling to drive the theatre forward to its next chapter. However, despite our achievements over the last two years, Daniel and I agree that our differing leadership styles are not the right combination for the theatre at this point. I have therefore decided that the time is right for me to step down.

"I am proud of what we have achieved in diversifying the work and placing the theatre firmly in the community it serves, whilst continuing to enjoy success in transferring productions to the West End, and I wish all my colleagues at CFT the very best for the future."