Houston Grand Opera elects Claire Liu as chairperson of Board of Directors

Houston Grand Opera (HGO) has announced the election of Claire Liu to the role of chairperson of its Board of Directors. Liu’s two-year term in the role start on 1 August this year, succeeding current board chairperson Allyn Risley, who will step down at the end of July.

Liu’s election follows the appointment of Khori Dastoor to the role of general director and CEO in August last year. Since her appointment Dastoor has established a new seven-member executive leadership team and has started the HGO’s search for a new chief audience officer.

Dastoor said: ‘Now is the time to be bold, and we are doing just that with Claire as our new board chair. She brings to the table invaluable expertise gained during an impressive career as a corporate finance executive with a staggering track record leading growth and positive transformation.’

Liu worked at Bank of America for more than 20 years before moving on to lead the corporate finance team at LyondellBasell. She retired in 2015 and joined the HGO board of directors the same year.

Liu said: ‘From the years I’ve already spent in service to this board, I know that the world-class art on stage is matched by HGO’s world-class leadership and staff. I want to thank Allyn Risley for the remarkable job he has done guiding HGO through a difficult and transitional time.’

During his two-year tenure, Risley led the company through the pandemic with projects including HGO’s first fully digital season and the search for a new general director and CEO. Risley comented: ‘I’m so excited for the future of this company, and I know that when she takes over, Claire Liu will meet the moment brilliantly.’

Houston Grand Opera aims to develop and advance opera as an art form, as well as to support the Houston community. It is the only opera company to have won a Tony, a Grammy, and an Emmy.

You can find out more about Houston Grand Opera here.