Matias Tarnopolsky is departing soon for the Philadelphia Orchestra, and today Cal Performances announced interim leadership. There's nothing in the press release about a search committee (but there has to be one) or the timeline for finding a successor to Tarnopolsky. The 2018-19 season has already been announced, and it's a safe bet that much of the planning for 2019-20 is already done.
UC Berkeley Chancellor Carol T. Christ today announced the appointment of S. Shariq Yosufzai, a vice chair of Cal Performances’ Board of Trustees, as interim executive director of Cal Performances, effective June 15. Reporting to the Chancellor, Mr. Yosufzai assumes the leadership of Cal Performances from Matías Tarnopolsky, who departs this summer after a distinguished nine-year tenure, to serve as president and CEO of the Philadelphia Orchestra. Rob Bailis, Cal Performances associate director, will serve as interim artistic director, and will be a senior member of Mr. Yosufzai’s team. The Chancellor will lead the search for the next permanent director of Cal Performances in collaboration with Cal Performances Board of Trustees co-chairs Susan L. Graham and Helen Meyer.
The balance of the press release is after the cut.
Passionate about the performing arts, Shariq Yosufzai has been a vital member of Cal Performances’ Board of Trustees since July 2014 and has served as a vice chair of the board since July 2016. He also serves as president of the Board of Directors of the Berkeley Symphony and as an executive committee member of the San Francisco Opera’s Board of Directors. Previously he was on the board of directors and was chair of the corporate council of the Houston Grand Opera. In March 2018 Mr. Yosufzai retired from the Chevron Corporation, where he served as vice president of global diversity, a position he held since 2013, and in which he was responsible in part for Chevron’s relationship with UC Berkeley. Over the course of his distinguished 43-year career at Chevron, Mr. Yosufzai has had significant experience in board membership, leadership, and in senior executive roles at publicly traded companies. He served as president of several Chevron global businesses and oversaw large, multinational operating companies in global markets including Asia, North America, Central and South America, Africa, Europe, and the Middle East.
Shariq Yosufzai is the recipient of numerous business and nonprofit awards, including the 2017 Outstanding 50 Asian Americans in Business Award by the Asian American Business Development Center, and recognition as outstanding foreign-born leader by the World Affairs Council. He was named by The Economist’s Global Diversity List as one of the 2015 “Top 50 Diversity Professionals in Business” in the world. Mr. Yosufzai earned a Bachelor of Science in Chemical Engineering from Texas A&M University, which has recognized him as a Distinguished Alumnus, Outstanding International Alumnus, and Outstanding Engineering Alumnus.
“Shariq Yosufzai has been a key member of Cal Performances’ Board of Trustees,” said Cal Performances co-chair Susan Graham. “He has a lifelong dedication to the performing arts and brings significant leadership experience from his board roles at leading organizations. The combination of his business acumen and arts lover’s sensibilities positions him perfectly to help lead Cal Performances in this important transition. Rob Bailis has played an integral role in shaping the artistic vision and programming of Cal Performances over many years. We look forward to his continued artistic imprint on Cal Performances in his role as interim artistic director. My co-chair Helen Meyer, and our board and staff, join me in thanking Shariq and Rob wholeheartedly for their stepping into these roles while we begin the search for a new permanent director.”
UC Berkeley Chancellor Christ commented, “I am delighted with the interim leadership plan for Cal Performances. Shariq Yosufzai is a dedicated cultural, civic, and business leader and has the talents and skills to ensure Cal Performances maintains its world-class standards and deep campus and community connections during this transition. Rob Bailis knows the artistic soul of our community, from Berkeley and Oakland to the greater Bay Area, and has worked with extraordinary integrity to bring important, timely, challenging work to the stages of Cal Performances. I extend my deep gratitude to Shariq and to Rob, for stepping into these important roles.”
Rob Bailis joined Cal Performances in June 2013 and was promoted to associate director soon after. He has been instrumental in shaping many defining artistic initiatives, including Berkeley RADICAL; the curation of programming for dance, theater, and world stages; directing the Student Curators of Cal Performances in their annual presentation of Front Row; and overseeing the fundraising, communications and marketing, and education departments. A professional clarinetist with extensive experience in arts management, Mr. Bailis served for eight years as director of ODC Theater. He has received numerous awards in recognition of his presenting and residency programs and has served as a peer review and policy specialist for many of the nation’s leading foundations to assist in their grant making, including: Doris Duke Charitable Foundation, Creative Capital, New England Foundation for the Arts, MAP Fund, Chamber Music America, WESTAF, and the Center for Cultural Innovation. A frequent public speaker on arts and culture, he has been heard at the Commonwealth Club in San Francisco and on NPR’s West Coast Live, and has been a speaker and content provider at national conferences such as Dance USA and the Association of Performing Arts Presenters. He holds degrees from Northwestern University and Yale School of Music.
No comments:
Post a Comment