Alexander Charles Beard CBE (born October 1963)^[1] was the deputy director of the Tate from 2002 to 2013.^[2] In March 2013, he was appointed as the new chief executive of the Royal Opera House, London,^[3] succeeding Tony Hall, who relinquished the post on his appointment as Director-General of the BBC. Beard took up the post at the ROH in September 2013.^[4][5]

He was educated at Manchester Grammar School, Westminster School and King's College London (BA, Classics).^{[citation needed]}

Beard has spent nineteen years with the Tate and previously worked for the Arts Council England for seven years (1986–93) and for KPMG (1985-6).^[3][6] At the Tate, he was responsible for the business plan for the creation of Tate Modern. He has also been a member of the Board of Glyndebourne Productions Ltd since 2008.^[2]

Alex Beard has a son and a daughter, Betty Rose Beard and Alfred John Wells Beard.

He was made a Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) for services to the arts^[2] in the New Year Honours at the end of 2012.^[3][7]