IT is obvious from the passion in his voice that Keith Jeffrey loved his time at Quad.
In seven-and-a-half years as chief executive, he helped take the Derby arts centre from a hole in the ground to one of the most exciting venues in the UK.
He left the organisation last month and spoke to the Derby Telegraph about his time at the Market Place venue.
"The other week," he said, "we had people from all over the world for the Format portfolio review. The reach that Quad has is worldwide now.
"There have been reviews in the New York Times and Italian Vogue. Derby is being spoken about across the globe because of Quad."
Born in the north east, he then worked across the UK before moving to Derby.
The 51-year-old said: "I knew before coming here that the city had a history with photography.
"We have worked very hard at Quad to find out what people want and give them things they may not necessarily have thought of."
Nowhere was this more obvious than in the now much-loved Festé event.
Keith said: "Stephen Munn, from Deda, and I had no idea what was going to happen.
"But then we saw thousands of people lining the streets of Derby to watch Spanish puppets and we knew that it would be a success."
For Keith, the success of Quad was certain from the outset.
He said: "I always thought we had the potential to get it right. It was very much a thing of, 'Build it and they will come'."
Working with actor John Hurt, whom Quad managed to bring in as a patron, is a personal highlight for Keith.
But it is the success working with locals that he feels is his greatest achievement.
He said: "Quad represents Derby and I think it allows the people of the city to be ambitious and innovative.
"It is a day-to-day facility that is used by hundreds of thousands of people.
"I think it took some time for people to work out how they would use it."
Adam Buss, previously the deputy director of Quad, has stepped in as acting chief executive as Keith moves on to teach students at Coventry University about setting up social enterprises.
Keith sees a bright future for Quad. However, there is a note of caution, particularly when it comes to funding.
He said: "Money is a problem. I don't think that people can make assumptions that Quad can just be self-funding.
"It currently receives money from the Arts Council and Derby City Council and we are all aware of the funding difficulties they are having.
"But what Quad brings to the city is something tremendous that should be nurtured, cherished and looked after.
"It offers so much to the city."
