Henry Timms has been appointed the new President of CEO of the famed Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts. Timms succeeds Debora Spar, who stepped down from the position in April 2018 after one year in the job.
The 11th person to hold this position, Timms brings expertise in arts and culture as well as the non-profit realm, having served as the President and CEO of the 92nd Street Y and having launched the #GivingTuesday social movement.
#GivingTuesday, the dedicated day of philanthropy, has consequentially incited over $1 billion in online donations in the U.S. alone, though over 60 countries across the globe have participated in charitable giving as part of the digital movement. During his time at the 92Y, Timms supervised programming such as 92Y Talks, the Harkness Dance Center, the Unterberg Poetry Center, and more. He led their most recent capital campaign to secure over $160 million. According to a release, “Timms was also responsible for eliminating an historic deficit at the 92Y, delivering a balanced budget and healthy operating surpluses, and developing new relationships with major corporations and foundations, including the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and the Templeton Foundation.”
While at 92Y, Timms co-created an innovation center with Chief Innovation Office Asha Curran, which developed into the Belfer Center for Innovation and Social Impact. The Center consequently launched programs such as the Social Good Summit and the Women in Power Initiative.
Timms is the co-author of New Power: How Power Works in the 21st Century — and How You Can Make It Work for You, which was named the 2018 Book of the Year by Bloomberg, Inc., Fortune, and the Financial Times. A visiting fellow at Stanford University’s Center on Philanthropy and Civil Society, he is also a fellow of the Royal Society for the Arts, where he is the chair of the nominated committee for their Benjamin Franklin Medal.
“The performing arts transform lives, forge mutual understanding and strengthen societies,” said Timms in a statement. “The vision and commitment of Lincoln Center’s board, and the talent of the leaders and organizations on campus, are unparalleled. The privilege of collaborating with these remarkable individuals and of leading this unique institution is an extraordinary honor.”
Timms will be charged with leading the institution in its development of initiatives, engagement of new audiences, and the still impending redesign of David Geffen Hall. He will join Lincoln Center in May 2019; acting president Russell Granet with continue to serve in the interim alongside Chair of the Board Katherine Farley and COO Liza Parker.
