The architect of austerity in the years following the noughties financial crash, Osborne is currently a partner at Robey Warshaw and chair of the Northern Powerhouse Partnership.

His appointment follows what the British Museum describes as an “independent, open and thorough search process for a leader with a global perspective, with a demonstrable interest in culture and history, and a commitment to engaging local, national, and international audiences”.

This process was led by Baroness Minouche Shafik, deputy chair of the British Museum, who says Osborne has a “long-standing commitment to culture, both personally and in his various public roles”.

The former Conservative MP for Tatton and editor of the Evening Standard, she continues, “brings enthusiasm for the Museum combined with extensive national and international networks and experience with finance and fundraising on a global scale”.

The new chair has also been welcomed by British Museum director Hartwig Fischer, who asserts that Osborne “understands the active role the British Museum is playing in the recovery of the country”.

Osborne, who will succeed Sir Richard Lambert on 4th October, says he is “thrilled to be joining the team” at the “greatest museum in the world” and realises that the outgoing chair will be a “very hard act to follow”.

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