The British Museum has appointed an interim Deputy Director while it carries out an internal investigation into thefts from its collection.
According to the Daily Telegraph, which first reported the story, the museum’s chairman George Osborne informed the institution’s staff about the appointment in an email.
Dr. Carl Heron, the museum’s director of scientific research, will temporarily replace Dr. Jonathan Williams, who ‘took a step back’ from normal duties last week while an independent review into the thefts at the museum is carried out.
Heron joined the British Museum in 2016 after more than 25 years at the University of Bradford.
Williams took the step back last week shortly after its Director, Hartwig Fischer, announced his resignation.
Citing the attention surrounding the missing items from the museum, Fischer said in a statement “…I have come to the conclusion that my presence is proving a distraction. That is the last thing I would want”.
Per The Telegraph report, Osborne also informed British Museum staff that the board of trustees are going through the process of appointing an interim director.
