Taryn Nixon has today announced that she will be stepping down as the Chief Executive of MOLA in the autumn of 2016, as she has decided that it is now time to turn to her own projects and archaeological research interests.
She will, however, continue to contribute to the organisation by taking up an appointment as a non-Executive Trustee on MOLA’s Board.
This July, Taryn will have been leading MOLA for 19 years. In that time MOLA has expanded into one of the best regarded and biggest heritage practices in Europe, been recognised as an accredited Independent Research Organisation and launched as an independent charitable company.
Taryn Nixon said: “It has been an extraordinary privilege to lead the incredible team at MOLA – surely the best job in British archaeology. I have worked with great archaeologists and with some of the most inspiring businesses in the world, shared in extraordinary archaeological discoveries every day and been part of the evolution of our profession and the vital role archaeology plays at the heart of developing for our future. MOLA is in a great place, and I look forward to seeing its work continue to develop and flourish under new leadership.”
MOLA’s Chairman, Michael Hoffman, said “Taryn has made a remarkable contribution to the archaeology profession and to heritage. She has driven MOLA through extraordinary economic times, always pushing forward to achieve MOLA’s great potential as a business and heritage practice and as a contributor to society at large. She has worked unstintingly to make MOLA a valued professional partner of the development world. During her time as Chief Executive, MOLA has become a robust and ambitious organisation which blends a commercial approach with academic and public benefit excellence. We look forward to having Taryn’s continuing input as a non-executive member of the MOLA Board.”
The process for recruiting Taryn’s successor will begin in the coming weeks, and Taryn will be working closely with our Board and the Senior Team at MOLA to support the succession plan.
Taryn joined MOLA (the then Department of Greater London Archaeology) in 1987 as an Archaeologist in the field, after serving with the Hong Kong Government’s Antiquities and Monuments Office. Ten years later, she was put in charge of the organisation as its Managing Director and she has steered MOLA over the last 19 years. Taryn is a former Chair of the Chartered Institute for Archaeologists and currently serves on the Board of the Federation of Archaeological Managers and Employers. She is a Fellow of the Society of Antiquaries of London and of the Royal Society of Arts.
Please direct any questions about this announcement to Jessica Tovey: jtovey@mola.org.uk
