V&A looking for new director

The trustees of the Victoria and Albert Museum (V&A) have announced that they have begun to look for a successor to the current director, Dr Alan Borg, whose contract has been extended for a further sixteen months until he reaches the age of sixty. He had been asked to leave when his contract ended in September, but arrangements to increase his pension that would have made this possible were vetoed by the Treasury and the Culture department. The trustees took the decision to extend his contract and announce it publicly to give them time to begin their search for his successor and to quell undue speculation. The trustees say they are looking for someone who will see the completion of the controversial Daniel Libeskind “Spiral” extension and promote more blockbuster special exhibitions. Robert Anderson, director of the British Museum, is due to leave in 2002.