The Belgrade Theatre's Head of Marketing and Development has announced his intention to leave the theatre later this year.

Simon Daykin, who has been at The Belgrade for two years, has been named as the next Chief Executive of Midlands Arts Marketing, the strategic audience development and arts management agency based in Nottingham. He takes up his new post in November.

Simon Daykin came to The Belgrade in October 1997. He has played a strong role in building the public profile of The Belgrade, developing new audiences for the theatre and maintaining existing support through building close relationships with audiences.

As a member of the theatre's management team, he has also been involved very heavily in driving the theatre's successful business strategies which have seen audience numbers increase by over 20% since 1997.

He has also been responsible for managing pioneering projects such as the theatre's use of new technologies and the Internet and the theatre's Social Audit, the results of which are released later this year.

As Chief Executive of Midlands Arts Marketing he will lead the strategic development and management of the agency, which exists to provide arts marketing and audience development services to a range of clients both locally and nationally.

Simon Daykin says:

"I am a little sad to be leaving The Belgrade and I hope that in my time here I have managed to contribute both to its past and current successes and its exciting future plans, made possible by the building of strong relationships with our customers.

"Nevertheless, the prospect of me leading Midlands Arts Marketing is very exciting indeed and an important and thrilling opportunity for me professionally and personally."

The Belgrade is currently recruiting Simon Daykin's successor.