New Director of the Royal Geographical Society announced

A few months ago, Rita Gardner announced that she was stepping down as Director of the RGS-IBG after 22 years, and a search for her replacement began.

The new Director has now been announced, and it is somebody who I have met a few times, and who has a strong education background, which is always good to see.


Joe Smith is currently Head of Geography at the Open University.

Joe Smith was ‘thrilled’ with his appointment. ‘The breadth and scale of the Society’s reach is extraordinary and makes this a rare and compelling role’ he says.

‘The Society is well positioned with an ambitious and comprehensive strategy in place, a loyal membership base and secure finances. I look forward to building on these foundations and taking the Society on to the next phase of its illustrious history.’

The very first meeting I had after being appointed as Secondary Curriculum Development Leader of the GA back in 2008 was over at the Open University, and alongside Clive Barnett and Doreen Massey from the OU, and David Lambert from the GA, Joe Smith was also involved in the meeting. We were discussing potential collaborative work, and about four years later I started working with the OU, managing their VITAL Geography portal for teachers as part of a very successful multi-million pound project.  (Sadly, when the funding ended all the material was mothballed...)

This is a terrific appointment for the RGS-IBG, and I look forward to continuing to support the Society as much as I can

Image credit: Royal Geographical Society