Gurr’s appointment has been rubber stamped by the Museum’s board of trustees and the Prime Minister, with the former chair of Science Museum set to join the institution later this year.
The Amazon UK country manager’s “academic background, considerable experience in working with public service organisations and digital understanding make him ideal to lead our treasured Museum in our mission to create advocates for the planet,” says Natural History Museum chair Lord Stephen Green.
Who is Douglas Gurr?
The country manager of Amazon UK, he was formerly president of Amazon China between 2014 and 2016. Gurr also has experience in the museums sector, having chaired Science Museum’s board from 2010 to 2014 and served as a National Gallery trustee.
He is currently chairman of the British Heart Foundation alongside roles with the Landmark Trust and the Land Registry.
Gurr has also taught mathematics and computing at Denmark’s University of Aarhus and worked for the likes of McKinsey, Asda-Walmart and Blueheath.
“The Natural History Museum’s vision of a future where people and planet thrive has never been more relevant and it is a privilege to be invited to lead this globally important cultural and scientific institution,” notes Gurr.
“I am passionate about the work the Museum is doing to tackle the planetary emergency by using its unrivalled collection and leading scientific research to connect millions of people a year with nature.”
