Bath Preservation Trust is delighted to announce the appointment of Eve Salomon CBE as its new Chair. On 1 November 2023, Eve took up the role to lead the charity’s board of trustees and to drive forwards BPT’s ambitions outlined in its “Vision to 2030”. BPT’s previous Chair Thomas Sheppard DL stepped down on 31 October following 7 years as Chair and a total of nearly 20 years of service as a trustee.

Eve has a long history in the arts and heritage sectors. She formerly led as Chair of the Horniman Museum and Gardens in London where she served two four-year terms, navigating the museum through the COVID-19 pandemic, the return of the Benin bronzes in its collections, and winning the coveted Arts Fund Museum of the Year award in 2022. She also acted as a trustee for the Ovalhouse (now Brixton House) theatre and arts centre for 20 years. This year Eve received a CBE for services to the Arts and Heritage.

Eve, a solicitor, is an international legal expert on media law and regulation for interstate bodies such as the Council of Europe, UNESCO and the OSCE. She has advised governments, regulatory authorities and international organisations on human rights and media-related issues. She has also worked as a regulator, notably as Chair of the Regulatory Board of RICS, and as a Commissioner of the Press Complaints Commission, the Gambling Commission, and Chair of the Internet Watch Foundation. More recently she chaired the board of  Privacy International and currently chairs the board of trustees at the British Institute of International and Comparative Law.

Eve Salomon comments: “Having returned to live in Bath after many years’ absence, there is no better way for me to contribute to the city than by being involved with BPT. There is a real opportunity for Bath to become the exemplar of how to bring ‘heritage’ into the present and future. With BPT’s expertise in the built environment, its commitment to sustainability, and its dedication to telling the stories of Bath, I am excited to be working with staff and trustees to continue to cherish all that Bath has to offer.”

Alex Sherman, CEO of Bath Preservation Trust says: “We are thrilled to welcome Eve to Bath Preservation Trust. Her appointment comes at an incredibly exciting time for BPT as we are in the process of making our “Vision to 2030” a reality. With Bath’s residents feeling the dual impact of climate change and rising energy costs, our advocacy and campaigning work now often centres around promoting sustainable solutions such as retrofitting just as much as it does traditional planning and development challenges. We are also revitalising our museums offering, most notably Beckford’s Tower, which is currently undergoing a capital works project to restore the Tower and install brand new interpretation, telling the story of William Beckford’s involvement in the transatlantic slave trade along with other important themes. As BPT and its museums continue to pivot to meet the changing needs and interests of Bath’s residents and visitors, I am confident that Eve’s extensive heritage knowledge and experience, along with her legal expertise, will provide essential guidance and support.”