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The Design Museum in London is pleased to announce three new appointments to its senior leadership team.

Josephine Chanter has been appointed the museum’s Deputy Director. The role has been established to drive innovation, accessibility and ongoing strategic change at the museum.

Before taking up the position of Deputy Director, Josephine had been the museum’s Director of Audiences for the past 7 years.

As Deputy Director she will oversee departments which deliver significant external impact for the museum, including the exhibitions, communications and learning teams, as well as the institution’s international activity.

Lycia Lobo will join the museum in February 2025 as the new Chief Operating Officer.

Lycia is currently Commercial Director at English Heritage and will come to the Design Museum to lead its commercial expansion, as well as overseeing the estates and IT teams.

Liyun Ye has recently joined the executive team as Chief Finance Officer — having previously been Finance Director at one of Europe’s leading film schools — with a responsibility for organisational resilience through managing the Finance and People departments.

These three new appointments join the Design Museum’s seven strong Senior Leadership Team who are focused on implementing the museum’s enhanced mission, vision and strategy.

Tim Marlow, Director and Chief Executive of the Design Museum said, “Following on from one of the Design Museum’s most successful ever years, I am delighted to welcome Lycia and Liyun to the team. Their wealth and range of experience will help us go on to even greater things in 2025 and beyond.

“I am also delighted to appoint Josephine Chanter as the museum’s new Deputy Director. She has been a vital part of establishing our Kensington home since the move in 2016, and in her new role I know she will continue to show the energy and vision she brings to her work, helping ensure the museum continues to evolve.

“I look forward to working with all three alongside the rest of the Senior Leadership Team as we work towards our vision of a world in which design enables this planet and its inhabitants to thrive.”

Josephine Chanter, Deputy Director

Josephine Chanter has spent over two decades inspiring audiences to connect with transformative ideas. Beginning her career in public affairs, she has since contributed her expertise to leading cultural institutions championing innovation and accessibility at every step.

In 2016, she played a pivotal role in launching the Design Museum’s new home in Kensington, expanding its reach and impact. In 2021, she co-founded Future Observatory, the museum’s national research programme dedicated to supporting a green transition through design-led innovation.

As a Bloomberg Tech Fellow, she continues to advance the museum’s strategic transformation work fostering new opportunities, reach and impact.

Lycia Lobo, Chief Operating Officer

Lycia is currently Commercial Director at English Heritage, where she oversees the strategic direction of the Commercial proposition across the expansive portfolio of sites — from Stonehenge to Whitby Abbey.

She has previously held leadership positions across the cultural sector and on the high street, including the Ashmolean Museum, the V&A, Signet Jewelers and Thorntons.

She is a trustee at Chiswick House and Gardens Trust, a non-executive director for Charles Dickens Museum Trading Limited and chairs the trading board at Queer Britain Museum.

Liyun Ye, Chief Financial Officer

Liyun joins the Design Museum after three years as Finance Director of Met Media including the prestigious Met Film School.

Liyun has been a qualified Chartered Accountant for over a decade, with experience in audit and transaction services. She has worked with several contemporary art charities in London, as well as global corporations across Europe and the US.

Liyun is a Trustee of the Rambert Dance Company.