Mark Jones was today appointed the new interim director of the British Museum as the institution tries to restore its reputation after artefacts from its collection were stolen.

“I am delighted and honored to be offered the opportunity to work with the board and colleagues at the Museum to ensure the future safety of the collections and restore the reputation of this great museum,” said Jones.

Jones replaces German art historian Hartwich Fischer, who resigned last month over lapses in the investigation into the theft of artifacts from the museum.

The British Museum, one of London’s most popular attractions, announced last month that a member of its staff had been fired after it was found that various items, which included jewelery and precious stones dating back to the 15th century BC. by the 19th century AD, they had been removed from storage.

The appointment of Jones, who previously served as director of the National Museum of Scotland and the Victoria and Albert Museum (V&A), was approved by the British government.

“This is a critical time for the British Museum and I can think of no one better placed than Sir Mark Jones to help us move forward,” museum chairman George Osborne said in a statement.