Gibraltar Cultural Services has announced that Seamus Byrne has been promoted to the post of Chief Executive Officer. Mr Byrne is taking over from Yvette Zarb Bensusan who recently retired after 40 years public service.

Seamus Byrne commenced his employment as a civil servant in 1999 at the Department of Social Services. He was subsequently transferred to the Ministry of Culture, where he worked up the ranks for over 14 years.

During this time Mr Byrne has been responsible for the organisation of many major cultural and social events in Gibraltar and abroad, both as Events Director of GCS and during his years as PA to His Worship the Mayor. Mr Byrne graduated from the Open University with a Degree in Humanities in June 2015.

His promotion came into effect as from today.

Gibraltar Cultural Service says it wishes to publically thank Yvette Zarb Bensusan for her invaluable contribution to Culture and the Arts throughout her 8 years as CEO at the Ministry of Culture and subsequently at Gibraltar Cultural Services.

A statement continued: “Mrs Zarb has been responsible to lay the foundations for a brighter cultural future with the many programmes she has introduced including the digitisation of our public library; the establishment of two national art galleries; cultural exchanges including the Royal Academy of Art project, the Little Constellation Network and the recent Berlin exchange; as well as holding major landmark exhibitions, that we organise on an annual basis.

“With Yvette at the helm we have been able to benefit from her professionalism, care, and the attention to detail she has instilled into Culture, not only as a department but also into our community at large. GCS wishes Yvette a happy retirement!”