Misan Harriman, chairman of London’s Southbank Centre, has announced he will step down from his role several months earlier than planned, amid ongoing controversy related to his social media remarks. Harriman, 48, who has led the institution since July 2021, will leave his post this autumn, after just over five years in the position, rather than serving out his potential nine-year tenure.

In a video statement shared on Instagram, Harriman said he had initially intended to complete two terms as chair, with his second term concluding in July 2024. He noted that his early departure was part of a planned transition and forthcoming succession arrangements. A spokesperson for the Southbank Centre emphasized that Harriman’s decision was reached in January, prior to public scrutiny of his online conduct, and is not linked to the recent controversy. “Succession planning is under way,” the spokesperson added.

The controversy centers around several remarks Harriman made on social media, which critics have characterized as antisemitic or inflammatory. Among the most contentious was a claim that news outlets had excluded a Muslim victim from coverage of attacks in Golders Green, north London. Harriman was also accused of drawing a comparison between the electoral success of Reform UK in local elections and the Holocaust. These posts have prompted investigations by regulatory bodies including The Charity Commission and Arts Council England.

The Charity Commission has opened a regulatory compliance case “to continue assessing concerns raised in the media” about Harriman’s comments and their possible impact on the Southbank Centre. Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy took an active role this month, ordering “urgent investigations” after receiving a letter from 64 Members of Parliament urging government action. In her correspondence with Lord Mendelsohn, a Labour peer, Nandy indicated that Arts Council England, which awarded the Centre £18 million in public funding last year, could withdraw its support should the investigations find breaches of funding agreements.

Harriman, an Oscar-nominated photographer and former City headhunter, strongly defended his conduct, asserting that the complaints were unfounded and damaging to the institution he leads. His position has garnered support from some quarters, including barrister Jolyon Maugham and the Good Law Project, which has organized an online petition advocating on his behalf; the petition has collected more than 33,000 signatures.

Meanwhile, the Campaign Against Antisemitism criticized Harriman’s record, stating that his history of inflammatory statements raises serious questions about his suitability to chair a prominent publicly funded arts institution. The organization and others continue to call for scrutiny of his leadership amid the ongoing investigations.