Painter Christopher Le Brun is stepping down as President of the Royal Academy of Arts in December after eight years.
He has overseen the multi-million pound transformation of the Piccadilly site as well as the organisation’s 250th anniversary celebrations last year.
Le Brun, who is returning to his studio full time ahead of exhibitions in Shanghai and New York, said he left the academy “bigger, brighter and better”.
RA members including Tracey Emin and David Hockney will vote for his successor in December.
The Portsmouth-born artist took over the post from Sir Nicholas Grimshaw on his retirement in 2011 .
