Sir Bernard Zissman is to succeed Bob Jordan as chair of the board of Millennium Point at the end of this month.

Sir Bernard, who has been a trustee of Millennium Point since 2003, played a leading role in the 1990s in securing the £50m funding from the Millennium Commission to establish Millennium Point, which opened in 2001.

Worth £114m, Millennium Point is the largest millennium project outside of London and houses the science museum, Thinktank, an IMAX theatre, the Technology Innovation Centre and the Young People’s Parliament.

“The foundations of the entire Millennium Point project have now been firmly established,” said Zissman. “Much of the credit for this is due to the founding organisations and the two chairmen who have led the trust since its establishment, all of whom had the courage to seize the opportunity of the time.

“Sir Peter Rigby, the founder chair, saw the building of the project completed to its opening and beyond; while over the last three years Bob Jordan has guided the trust with integrity and diplomacy and has ensured that the future is strong.

“In the past few months we have made significant strides, we have finalised a 10 year strategic plan and put our finances on firmer foundations. We are also in a key position in relation to the city's ambition in the development of the multi-billion pound Eastside and City Park.

“We now have a real opportunity to continue to develop the original key objectives of Millennium Point and Thinktank.”

Photograph: Millennium Point's new chair, Sir Bernard Zissman with chief executive Nick Winterbotham and retiring chair Bob Jordan