Dame Vikki Heywood DBE, FRSA

Alumni

2013 – 2020

Dame Vikki is Chair of Unboxed Creativity in the UK and a board member of the National Theatre. Until 2018 Vikki was Chairman of the Royal Society of Arts, the first in its history to be invited to return for a second three-year term. She was the Chairman of 14-18 NOW – a programme of First World War Centenary arts commissions that reached over 35 million people over five years.

Vikki was the Executive Director of the Royal Shakespeare Company from 2003 until 2013, and before that Joint Chief Executive of the Royal Court Theatre. She trained as a Stage Manager at the Central School of Speech and Drama. 

Vikki was awarded an honorary doctorate from the University of Birmingham, becoming a Doctor of Letters in December 2009 and was made a Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire in the Queen’s Birthday Honours in 2020 for services to drama and the RSA.

Chairman