Molly Rosenberg will step down as director of the Royal Society of Literature (RSL) at the end of March to pursue new career opportunities, and chair Daljit Nagra will also step down.
Rosenberg will step down from the charity on March 31 to coincide with the close of the RSL 200 bicentenary festival.
The news comes as the historical writers’ organization prepares to share the results of a governance review led by Rosenberg and Nagra at its annual meeting.
Nagra, whose four-year term ends at the annual general meeting on January 15, will present the results and recommendations of the first governance review in RSL’s 204-year history to his fellow writers at the meeting. Later, elections will be held for his role and other vacancies on the RSL Council. Bookseller understands that Ruth Scurr will serve as interim chair until the next annual general meeting at the end of 2025.
The news follows some controversy over the past year. In February, the organization referred the postponement of the publication of the annual magazine to the Charity Commission due to concerns raised, Review.
Rosenberg, who joined the RSL in 2010 as a trainee, took on the director role in 2017 and has “overseen modernizing changes over the years”, the RSL said.
Rosenberg said: “I am very proud of all that I have achieved during my time at RSL, working for and with the brilliant writers across the Fellowship. I am particularly proud of all that I have achieved through the efforts of the council during my tenure, and I am grateful for the dedication and imagination of the trustees and the incredibly hardworking RSL management team.
Nagra said: “The RSL has made significant progress over the last four years with our increased outreach projects, many new awards, an extensive program of events and significantly improved audiences. I am proud to oversee the first governance review in our 204-year history – an achievement that will improve governance and increase transparency for the future . I look forward to seeing RSL continue to grow and flourish.”
RSL President Bernardine Evaristo said: “I would like to extend my heartfelt thanks to Molly and Daljit for their enormous contribution to the Club over many years. I wish them every success in their new endeavours.”
During his time as Director, Rosenberg oversaw a number of major initiatives, including the RSL’s 40 under 40 initiative, which introduced a new generation of writers to the Society’s Fellowship. In 2020, he also presided over the launch of the RSL’s five-year anniversary festival, the RSL 200, which featured several new programs such as the RSL Open. Rosenberg has also championed the excellence of writers from communities under-represented in British literary culture, doubling the number of vice-presidents of the RSL, including the likes of Simon Armitage, Mary Beard and Jackie Kay.
During this period of the RSL’s expansion, Rosenberg worked with the RSL’s first two female presidents and introduced the first pens of female writers used at signing ceremonies (George Eliot, Jean Rhys and Andrea Levy). The RSL said: “Retaining a sharp focus on supporting and celebrating writers, in 2019 he commissioned A Room Of My Own report, which highlighted the challenges writers face in making a living through their writing, and launched the RSL’s first ever census of fellows in 2023.”
“He also oversaw the launch of six new RSL awards and prizes as director: the Sky Arts RSL Writers Awards, the RSL Christopher Bland Award, the RSL Jerwood Poetry Awards, the Entente Littéraire Award, RSL International Writers and RSL Scriptorium Awards. During the years that he has been a director, the RSL’s funds have grown to their strongest point ever.