The Eden Project names Andy Jasper as its new group chief executive officer, replacing Rob Chatwin who will step down later this year after a nearly three year tenure.

Jasper will join the Eden Project in September from the National Trust where he is currently director of gardens and parklands.

He joins at an “exciting” new phase in the Eden Project’s history, with the recent planning approval of Eden Project Dundee and the Eden Project Morecambe about to go to tender.

In his current role, Jasper is responsible for more than 500 years of horticultural heritage across 222 gardens and parklands in the National Trust.

He heads-up a team of more than 750 horticulturists – over 100 of whom are head gardeners – and around 50 apprentices.

This will be Jasper’s second period at the Eden Project, having previously spent 13 years as the Project’s head of research and evaluation.

He also gained experience in his roles as programme director at RHS Garden Wisley and as director of the National Trust Tropical Botanical Garden in Hawaii.

Jasper says as a “Cornishman” he is looking forward to returning to the Eden Project in Cornwall, where he laid the “foundations of a global career”.

Orna NiChionna, chair of the Eden Trust adds:

“[Jasper’s] career is completely aligned with our mission, ethos and level of ambition and he comes with a compelling track record of leading, motivating and empowering teams as well as delivering major capital projects that result in true transformation.”