The National Gallery has hired a venture capitalist who contributed more than £200,000 to the Conservative Party in 2017.

Tony Hall, the previous director general of the BBC, stepped down as chair in May as a result of the controversy surrounding Martin Bashir and the Diana, Princess of Wales interview.

Booth has been characterized as a businessman and philanthropist. He is the chairman of the Prince's Trust and Pallant House Gallery in Chichester, West Sussex, as well as the communications firm Maintel and the Nicholas Hytner and Nick Starr-founded London Theatre Company.

For those who accuse Boris Johnson's administration of attempting to load the boards of cultural organizations with loyalists, his ties to the Conservative party will raise red flags.

“Any significant political activity undertaken by an appointee in the last five years must be declared,” according to the Cabinet Office's governance rule on public appointments. In Booth's instance, it was a recordable £207,000 contribution to the Conservatives in 2017.

He succeeds Sir John Kingman as chair of the National Gallery, who served as temporary chair following Lord Hall's retirement.

The appointment comes at a crucial moment for the gallery, which is preparing a £30 million renovation to commemorate its 200th anniversary in 2024. The project includes upgrades to the Sainsbury Wing's foyer, which now accommodates twice as many people as it did before.

The goal is to make the space "more open, inclusive, and enjoyable for visitors."

It also plans to build a new research center and enhance Trafalgar Square's open area.

“I'm thrilled to be taking on this role as the National Gallery approaches its 200th anniversary in 2024,” Booth remarked. The gallery's incredible collection, which includes many of the world's most famous paintings, belongs to the whole country, and we look forward to sharing it with people again as we recover from the epidemic and expand our worldwide internet presence.”

The National Gallery has a history of selecting powerful individuals to its board of trustees. Previous chairmen include Hannah Rothschild, a writer and philanthropist, and Mark Getty, a businessman and the son of Sir John Paul Getty Jr., a wealthy art collector and benefactor.

“All of us at the National Gallery are enormously looking forward to working closely with John Booth,” said Gabriele Finaldi, director of the National Gallery. As we create our plans for the gallery's bicentennial in 2024, he will serve as our chair of trustees, bringing a wealth of knowledge and expertise to help us realize them for the benefit of the public.”

Booth has only been a member of the National Gallery of Art's board of directors since February. He started out as a liaison trustee at the Tate, where he was also the deputy chair.

In August, the prime minister named him a trustee of the National Gallery.

Except for the Tate appointment, he was appointed by the current board of trustees, which are all chosen by the current prime minister. His term will last until 2025, when he will be eligible for re-election.

Thanks to Mark Brown at The Guardian whose reporting provided the original basis for this story.