The Trustees of the CRM Society are pleased to announce that Matthew Williams has been appointed as the Director of the Charles Rennie Mackintosh Society and will take up his post at the end of January. He is only the fourth Director in the Society’s 50 year history, succeeding Stuart Robertson who retires in February after 25 years at the helm.
Raised in the north of Scotland, educated in Sutherland and at the University of Aberdeen, Matthew worked in a variety of retail and publishing roles before becoming Bookshop Manager at the Fruitmarket Gallery, Edinburgh. As Head of Retail at the University of Glasgow, he transformed the Hunterian’s retail offer based on the Mackintosh collections, working with artists, designers and makers. In addition he worked with commercial service colleagues on the development of hospitality, venue hire and sport facilities during the western expansion of the University campus.
From 2021 to the present he has held the post of Commercial Development Manager at Aberdeen City Council, responsible for all income generation at Aberdeen Art Gallery and Museums, managing a heritage building and working with VisitAberdeenshire and others to grow the visitor economy. He was also responsible for leading on the annual events programme, most recently the Tall Ships Races in Aberdeen this summer, for which the Press and Journal newspaper named him among the North East’s “People of 2025”.
Michael Dale, chair of the Board of Trustees said: “We were very pleased to receive Matthew’s application. His background, commitment and cultural knowledge will, we very much hope, help build on the last 25 years of achievement under retiring Director Stuart Robertson. In addition to its world-wide membership, the Society owns the Mackintosh-designed church at Queen’s Cross as a visitor attraction and popular event venue. The Society acts as an influential advocate, working with other Mackintosh building owners such as the University of Glasgow, Glasgow City Council and the National Trust for Scotland to help promote Scotland’s most celebrated architect. We have every confidence that Matthew will build on Stuart’s excellent work and take the organisation forward as we make plans for 2028, the centenary of Mackintosh’s death.”
Matthew said “I’m looking forward to working with the Mackintosh Queen’s Cross team, Council members and partner organisations in the arts and heritage sectors. Together, and with the support of the Society’s members, we will ensure that Mackintosh’s creative legacy remains firmly at the heart of Glasgow’s cultural life and the delivery of the national tourism strategy, Scotland Outlook 2030. With the centenary in 2028 fast approaching there couldn’t be a more exciting time to take up the Director role.”
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For further information please contact Michael Dale, chair of CRM Society Trustees on michael@crmsociety.com or Lisa Watt on 07903 206615.