The Perth Symphony Orchestra has announced that founder and current CEO Bourby Webster, who has been with the orchestra since its launch in 2011, will step down and Catherine Henwood will take over as CEO in early 2022. Henwood comes the West Australian Ballet Orchestra where she currently works as Director of Philanthropy. The announcement coincides with the tenth anniversary of the Perth Symphony Orchestra.

“Every goal, dream, aspiration I had for the orchestra has been shattered in the 10-year deadline I set for bringing Perth Symphony to life. Together with an amazing team of staff, musicians, sponsors, donors, suppliers and board members, we have created a major arts business in WA that has reached thousands of people in hundreds of communities. while also showcasing the amazing musicians we have in WA. . I’m incredibly proud of how far we’ve come, ”said Webster. “It is time for me to step down from the day-to-day management of the organization in order to fully realize our dreams over the next 10 years and we have found the perfect person to take on this role. “

Webster would instead become executive producer and creative director, offering more than 30 performances for the Perth Symphony Orchestra each year, leaving Henwood to run the business.

Henwood has a solid background in the arts, having studied piano at the top level. As an artistic leader, she has held organizational and executive positions with the Boston Philharmonic Orchestra and the Berkeley Symphony. Since 2013, she has been a part of the WA Ballet Philanthropy Team, helping to oversee a tenfold increase in the company’s philanthropic revenue and taking the lead in philanthropy in 2017.

“I am very excited as we enter this new milestone, the second decade of PSO. The potential is limitless, bringing together a partnership of two amazing women, their vast experience, passion and complementary skills will lead us into an era of incredible growth and opportunity, ”said Phil Thick, President of Perth Symphony. “What Bourby has accomplished in the past 10 years is hard to believe, but she can’t go on filling 10 roles anymore. If we can narrow her down to five roles and Catherine takes over the organization, the sky does not ‘t even the limit.

More information can be found here.