The British Library has appointed Dr Paul Bate as its new Chief Executive, bringing the former head of the UK Space Agency into one of the country’s biggest cultural and knowledge institutions.
Bate will take up the role on 4th November 2026, succeeding Interim Chief Executive Dr Jeremy Silver.
It’s an appointment from well outside the conventional museum and library world. A former particle physicist, Bate was CEO of the UK Space Agency from 2021 to 2026, where his role covered research, technology, international partnerships and the expansion of the UK’s space sector.
During his tenure, the British Library says national civil space funding reached record levels, while Bate led two negotiations with the European Space Agency that secured increased investment and UK leadership of missions. He also chaired the international Committee on Earth Observation Satellites.
Before moving into the space sector, Bate worked across healthcare, technology and government. His previous positions include Vice President, Commercial at Babylon Health, Executive Director of Strategy and Intelligence at the Care Quality Commission and senior policy adviser for health and adult care to the Prime Minister. He also holds an advisory position as Professor in Practice at the University of Surrey Space Institute.
The move comes as the British Library continues to develop its physical and digital infrastructure, including new spaces in London and Yorkshire, while overseeing a collection of more than 170 million items spanning books, newspapers, maps, sound recordings, patents, journals and the UK’s digital publishing record.
“The British Library is one of the world’s great libraries and a vital part of the UK’s cultural and intellectual infrastructure,”
Bate said.
“I look forward to working alongside the Library’s dedicated staff, Board, leadership team and partners to build on that bedrock of trusted knowledge, strengthening the core services of our national library and ensuring its relevance to researchers’ needs and the next generation of users.”
Dame Carol Black, Chair of the British Library Board, said Bate’s experience of “leading complex, research-intensive organisations, fostering innovation and building partnerships” would be important as the Library develops its strategy.
The appointment also puts someone with extensive science and technology experience at the head of an institution increasingly concerned with how knowledge is collected, preserved and accessed in a digital world.
Interim Chief Executive Dr Jeremy Silver said he expected the Library to continue developing “new spaces in London and Yorkshire, developing our core services and engaging with the problem solvers of the future” under Bate’s leadership.
Dr Paul Bate will become Chief Executive of the British Library on 4th November 2026.
