RSA AGM 2024: a round-up

Appointment of Loyd Grossman

The appointment of Grossman as chair was formally ratified at the AGM. Addressing the meeting, Grossman said: “It’s really the greatest honour and such a privilege for someone like me who has been a Fellow for nearly 40 years to be allowed to chair this wonderful organisation.”

In a resolution to approve his appointment as chair, Grossman received 1,247 votes from Fellows in favour, 118 against and 94 abstentions. In a second resolution – to reappoint Ian Ailles as trustee and co-treasurer of the Trustee Board – Fellows voted in favour by 1,272 votes to 90, with 96 abstentions.

Eyles described Grossman as a “longstanding Fellow with an extremely distinguished career – he has truly diverse skills from which the RSA will be a very fortunate beneficiary.”

The future of the RSA

 As the RSA moves into its next chapter, Andy Haldane, RSA Chief Executive, added: “It is fantastic news for all of us. Like his predecessor, Loyd brings a remarkable array of talents to the table, and I can think of no one better to take us on to the next stage.”

 Grossman has led a diverse and dynamic career as an author, broadcaster, musician, entrepreneur and heritage champion. He is a former chair of the Royal Parks, Gresham College, the Heritage Alliance and the Churches Conservation Trust. Originally, Grossman worked in journalism before moving into television as a writer, presenter and deviser. With a successful business career, he also has a passion for music and is an occasional guitarist in rock and punk bands.

 In his acceptance speech, Grossman emphasised the word ‘encouragement’ in the RSA’s full title. “I want encouragement to be a really important theme alongside the overriding principles of optimism and connectivity. I want to encourage more Fellows to get actively involved, and I want to encourage more people to know about what the RSA can do.”

 He described the “difficult context” facing all of us both in the UK and internationally. “People are losing hope – and what we have as an organisation is a belief in the future and, working together, we have the power, we have the talent, we have the will to make things better – and I think we can do that.”

“I want this organisation to be about making life better for so many people – with our international Fellowship we have a global reach, and I think we are about hope and optimism and courage and innovation. And it is going to be a wonderful three years.”

An overview of Key RSA initiatives and interventions

The RSA is proud to continually implement impactful social change guided by Fellow-led feedback and expertise. The AGM covered an overview of some of our key interventions:

• Pay Fellowship Forward – 10 October saw the launch of Pay Fellowship Forward: a scheme funded by donations from current Fellows, which will allow anyone to apply for an RSA Fellowship, regardless of their financial circumstances.
• Playful Green Planet – an exciting new project launched in September which will transform how children connect with nature and community through outdoor creative play.
• RSA Spark – a scheme centred on revolutionising education by turning pupils into entrepreneurs, particularly helping those furthest from learning.

Thanking Tim Eyles

Haldane paid tribute to Eyles’ remarkable six-year tenure as chair, highlighting his “extraordinary contribution” to the RSA and praising his “stewardship, leadership and wise counsel”. Indeed, the RSA is immensely grateful for Eyle’s work and will continue to value his input in the RSA for years to come.

As Haldane concluded, “the transformation and modernisation of the RSA over that six-year period has been incredible, and none of it would have happened without the rock and the leadership that has been Tim. You have provided the foundations on which we are now seeking to build and to build big.”