Royal Society of Literature director Molly Rosenberg leaves after 15 years to pursue new opportunities

Molly Rosenberg is leaving her role as director of the Royal Society of Literature (RSL) at the end of March to pursue new career opportunities, with chair Daljit Nagra also stepping down.

Rosenberg is stepping away from the charity on 31st March, to coincide with the conclusion of the approaching RSL 200 bicentenary festival. 

The news comes as the historic writers’ organisation prepares to share the results of its governance review, commissioned under Rosenberg and Nagra’s leadership, at its annual general meeting.

Nagra, whose four-year term comes to an end at the AGM on 15th January, will introduce the results and recommendations of the governance review, the first in the RSL’s 204-year history, to its fellowship of writers at the meeting. Subsequently elections will be held for his role and additional vacancies on the RSL’s council. The Bookseller understands that Ruth Scurr will be interim chair until the next AGM at the end of 2025.

The news follows some controversies over the last year. In February, the organisation referred itself to the Charity Commission following concerns raised around the postponement of its annual magazine, Review.

Rosenberg, who joined the RSL in 2010 as an intern, took on the role of director in 2017 and has “overseen a roster of modernising changes in the years since”, the RSL said.

Rosenberg stated: “I am hugely proud of all that I have achieved in my time at the RSL, working for and with brilliant writers across the Fellowship. I am especially proud of all that has been achieved through the efforts of council over the years of my tenure and am grateful for the dedication and imagination of trustees as well as the incredibly hardworking RSL executive team.”

Nagra said: “The RSL has made remarkable strides in the past four years with our increased outreach projects, many new prizes, extensive events programme and a significantly improved engagement with the public. I am proud to have overseen the first ever governance review in our 204-year history – this achievement will improve governance and increase transparency for the future. I look forward to watching the RSL continue to grow and prosper.” 

RSL president Bernardine Evaristo said: “I’d like to extend my heartfelt thanks to Molly and Daljit for their immense contribution to the Society over many years. I wish them well with their new ventures.” 

During her time as director, Rosenberg oversaw several major initiatives, including the RSL’s 40 Under 40 initiative, which introduced a new generation of writers to the Society’s Fellowship. In 2020, she also oversaw the start of the RSL’s five-year bicentenary festival RSL 200 which encompassed a number of new programmes, such as RSL Open. Rosenberg has also championed the excellence of writers from communities under-represented in UK literary culture and doubled the number of RSL vice-presidents to include figures such as Simon Armitage, Mary Beard and Jackie Kay.

During this time of expansion for the RSL, Rosenberg worked with the RSL’s first two women presidents and introduced the first pens of women writers to be used in signing ceremonies (George Eliot, Jean Rhys and Andrea Levy). The RSL said: “Retaining a sharp focus on supporting as well as celebrating authors, she commissioned the A Room Of My Own report in 2019, which highlighted the challenges authors faced in sustaining a living through their writing and initiated the RSL’s first ever census of fellows in 2023.

“She also oversaw the launch of six new RSL awards and prizes during her tenure as director: the Sky Arts RSL Writers Awards, the RSL Christopher Bland Prize, the RSL Jerwood Poetry Awards, the Entente Littéraire Prize, RSL International Writers and the RSL Scriptorium Awards. Over the years she has been director, the RSL’s funds have grown to their strongest point on record.”