The new chief executive of Brighton Festival was named today.

Nicholas Dodds is currently the administrative director of the Edinburgh International Festival and will take up the Brighton post this autumn.

His appointment follows the May resignation of Christopher Barron, who is to become the first full-time chief executive of Scottish Opera and Scottish Ballet in October.

During his time with the festival, Mr Barron has been the leading light behind the redevelopment of the Dome complex and the securing of a National Lottery grant.

The Pavilion Theatre and Corn Exchange re-opened this summer in time for the festival to widespread praise from both audiences and performers.

Mr Dodds, 43, has been responsible for the financial, legal and operational success of the Edinburgh Festival since 1990 and it has grown both artistically and financially.

He established The Hub, the Edinburgh Festival Centre, a successful Lottery-funded project which opened in July, 1999.

He was project director and worked closely with architects, contractors and funding partners. The Hub has enabled the festival to develop its educational work and increase its commercial activity throughout the year.

Mr Dodds, who is married with three children, said: "I am very excited about joining The Brighton Dome and Brighton Festival at this key stage in its development.

"The vision and hard work of all the festival team has achieved an enormous amount and I look forward to joining them.

"With these new refurbished venues and a successful festival, Brighton is rapidly becoming a cultural focus in the UK."

Prior to the Edinburgh Festival, Mr Dodds ran Meteorlites Productions Ltd, an event lighting and technical production business.

His early career was with Granada Theatres and as a production manager.

He is a member of the executive committee of the British Arts Festivals Association and a past chairman of the International Festival and Events Association Europe.

Sir Michael Checkland, chairman of The Brighton Dome and Brighton Festival, said today of the move: "We are delighted."