News

Chris Townsend OBE joined the Royal Opera House Board as a Trustee on 1 January 2021 to help drive and govern the ROH’s digital transformation. He is a highly experienced executive with more than 25 years’ experience of delivering major technology and infrastructure projects. Chris is a senior partner at KPMG, where he leads the professional services firm’s Infrastructure, Government and Healthcare practice.  

Previously, as Commercial Director at Chelsea Football Club, he was responsible for commercial activities and revenue. Prior to that, when Chief Executive of Broadband Delivery UK (BDUK), Chris oversaw a £1 billion Government investment in improving broadband internet access and mobile infrastructure. Earlier Directorships saw Chris raise £2.4 billion to fund the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games – for which he received an OBE – as Commercial Director for the London Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games (LOCOG), lead the launch of the Oyster card at Transport for London and develop digital TV services as Marketing Director at BSkyB.

The ROH was assisted in recruiting Chris Townsend by Nurole.