Board of Governors

Lord Sainsbury of Turville

David Sainsbury was Finance Director of J. Sainsbury plc from 1973-1990, Deputy Chairman from 1988-1992, and Chairman from 1992-1998.

He became Lord Sainsbury of Turville in October 1997 and was appointed Minister of Science and Innovation from July 1998 until November 2006.

He was a member of the Dockland Joint Committee from 1978-1981, a member of the Committee of Review of the Post Office (Carter Committee) from 1975-1977, a Trustee of the Social Democratic Party from 1982-1990, Chairman of the Governing Body of the London Business School from 1991-1998, and a member of the I.P.P.R. Commission on Public Policy and British Business from 1995-1997.

The Honourable Jocelyne Bourgon

Jocelyne Bourgon is a Distinguished Visiting Professor of Public Administration at the University of Waterloo and the Center for International Governance Innovation as well as President Emeritus of the Canadian School of Public Service and special adviser to the Privy Council Office in Canada.

From 1989 Mrs Bourgon has held a number of senior positions in the Canadian government.  In 1989 she became Deputy Minister and was responsible for the constitutional negotiations which led to the Charlottetown Accord in 1992. In 1994, she was appointed Clerk of the Privy Council and Secretary to the Cabinet; she was the 17th Clerk and the first woman to hold this position. From 1994 to 1999, she led the Public Service of Canada through some of its most important reforms since the 1940s. Following this, she served as President of the Canadian Centre for Management and in 2003 became Ambassador to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD).

Sir Andrew Cahn

Andrew Cahn has been Chief Executive of UK Trade & Investment (UKTI) since March 2006. Previously, he twice worked in the FCO at the UK's Permanent Representation to the European Union and was Deputy Head of the European Secretariat in the Cabinet Office in the mid-nineties.

From 1984-1988 Andrew also worked for the European Commission where he was part of the team responsible for planning and delivering the 1992 Single Market Programme in the cabinet of Lord Cockfield. He returned to the Commission in 1997 as Chef de Cabinet (Chief of Staff) for Neil Kinnock, and Vice President of the Commission and European Commissioner for Transport. He joined British Airways in 2000 as their Director of Government and Industry Affairs and is also a Trustee of the Gatsby Charitable Foundation.

Lord Currie of Marylebone

David Currie served as the inaugural Chairman of Ofcom from July 2002 until March 2009. A well-known figure in international economic policy, David has published extensively in the field of government regulation of industry and on macroeconomic policy. He was Dean of Cass Business School (2001-2007), and Professor of Economics (1988-2000) and Deputy Dean (1992-95, 1999-2000) at London Business School and Director of its Centre for Economic Forecasting (1988-95) and Regulation Initiative (1995-2000).

David has previously served as Chairman of Independent Audit, on the Board of Abbey National and on the Board of Ofgem, as well as on a variety of UK government advisory bodies including the Treasury's Panel of Independent Forecasters. He is Chairman of Semperian Investment Partners, and a Board member of the Dubai Financial Services Authority, the Royal Mail, BDO Stoy Hayward and the London Philharmonic Orchestra. David also chairs a major project on innovation for NESTA (the National Endowment for Science, Technology and the Arts).

Miranda Curtis

Miranda Curtis is a Non-Executive Director of Liberty Global Inc (LGI) having retired from her executive role as President, Liberty Gobal Japan. Miranda led the sale of LGI's Japanese interests in spring 2010 after managing the company's partnership with Sumitomo Corporation for over 15 years. She has also served on other private and public company boards across Asia and Europe. She is a non-executive director of National Express plc, and a Director of Garsington Opera.

Sir Christopher Foster

Christopher Foster is currently Chairman of the Better Government Initiative and Vice President of the Royal Automobile Club.  He started his career at the Ministry of Transport where he was chief economist and special adviser first to Barbara Castle and then Dick Marsh.  He then held a number of positions at the London School of Economics, including Professor of Urban Studies and Economics, before joining Coopers and Lybrand where he became Public Sector and Economics Partner and Adviser to the Chairman (first of C&L then of PricewaterhouseCoopers (1988-1999).

Christopher's other private sector appointments include, serving as member of the Board of Railtrack (1994-2000 and as Chairman of the RAC Foundation (1999-2003).  He has also held a wide range of public sector appointments including, Economics Assessor of the Sizewell B Inquiry (1982-1986), serving as a member of London Docklands Corporation (1988-96) and as special adviser (non political) to John MacGregor (1992-1994).

The Rt Hon the Lord Heseltine CH

Lord Heseltine was a Cabinet minister in various departments between 1979-86 and 1990 -97. He was Deputy Prime Minister from 1995-97.

He is chairman of the Haymarket Group, which he founded in 1957. He is also a Fellow of the 48 Group Club, Gold Medallist of the Institute of Sheet Metal Engineering (1999) and received the Institute of Public Relations’ Presidents Medal in 1998. In 1991 he was made Honorary Fellow of the Royal Institute of British Architects.

Lord Heseltine has also been presented with the Publicity Club of London Cup (2005), National Business Awards’ Lifetime Achievement Award (2005) and the PPA Marcus Morris Award (2003).

He has authored Where There’s a Will (1987), The Challenge of Europe: Can Britain Win? (1989) and his political autobiography, Life in the Jungle (2000).

Currently he is chairing an independent advisory panel for a £1 billion Regional Growth Fund.

Susan Hitch

Susan Hitch is the manager of Lord Sainsbury of Turville's pro bono programme and a board member for the Centre for Cities, Policy Network and the Centre for European Reform. She is a trustee of the Sigrid Rausing Trust and a member of the advisory board of the Weidenfeld Scholarships. She is also a critic and broadcaster on arts and culture on BBC radio and television.

Sir Andrew Likierman

Andrew Likierman is Dean of the London Business School. He is also Chairman of the National Audit Office and Director of Barclays Bank plc. Andrew's career has spanned work in both the public and private sectors.

He was a member of the Cabinet Office Central Policy Review Staff and spent ten years as one of the Managing Directors of the UK Treasury and Head of the UK Government Accountancy Service. He has also been a Non-Executive Director of the Bank of England and in the Health Service was Non-Executive Deputy Chairman of the Tavistock and Portman NHS Trust.  Andrew has advised a number of House of Commons Select Committees, was President of the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants and has been a member of a number of official inquiries, including the "Cadbury Committee" on corporate governance.

Neil Sherlock

Neil Sherlock is the partner in charge of public and regulatory affairs at KPMG.  He joined KPMG in 1985 as an economist and worked in a variety of roles, including heading the office of Lord Sharman when he was Chairman of KPMG International. He is a continual supporter of the Liberal Democrats, advising its leaders Paddy Ashdown, Sir Menzies Campbell and Nick Clegg. Neil is also Chairman of Working Families, Vice-Chairman of the KPMG Foundation and Secretary to the Every Child a Chance Trust.  Neil is also a member of the Management Board of the CentreForum, a Trustee of Demos and was a member of the Armed Forces' Pay Review Body. He has recently joined Alan Milburn's Panel on Access to the Professions.

Lord Stevenson of Coddenham

Dennis Stevenson is Chairman of Aldeburgh Music, Director of Glyndebourne Productions and Chancellor of the University of the Arts, London.  He spent the first 20 years post-university as a serial entrepreneur, then for 15 years chaired large companies (Pearson plc, GPA plc and HBOS plc).  He has now reverted to his entrepreneurial roots, mainly through a Venture Capital company, Loudwater Investment Partners, and is a Non-Executive director of The Western Union Company and The Economist.

Lord Simon of Highbury

Currently  a non-Executive Director of the GDF Suez Group.   Lord Simon is also Senior Adviser of Morgan Stanley International, a member of the International Advisory Board of  Dana Gas, and is Chairman of the Advisory Board of Montrose Associates. He is Deputy Chairman of the Council of Cambridge University, and is a member of the Board of Governors of the Institute for Government.. 

Former Deputy Chairman of the Unilever Group 2006 - 2009, having joined the Unilever Board in 2000. Lord Simon was also a Trustee of the Cambridge Foundation, having been the Foundation's Chairman from 2001 - 2005.  Former Minister for Trade and Competitiveness for Europe at the Department of Trade and Industry and H.M. Treasury 1997 - 99.  Former Chairman of British Petroleum from 1995-97, Group Chief Executive from 1992-95, having joined the Board in 1986. He was appointed CBE in 1991, knighted in 1995 and created a Life Peer in 1997.

Lord Wolfson of Aspley Guise

Simon was educated at Radley and Trinity College, Cambridge where he graduated with a degree in law.

He started working for NEXT in 1991 as a Sales Assistant and joined the Board as Sales & Marketing Director in 1997. In 1999 he was made Managing Director and was appointed Chief Executive in August 2001. Since becoming Chief Executive profits have doubled to £500m, earnings per share have grown at 16% per annum compound and the share price has more than doubled from £10 to over £20. Next operates in over 500 shops and employs over 46,000 people.

Simon has always had an active interest in Politics and was a member of David Cameron's Economic Recovery Committee in the run up to last year's general election. In May 2010 he was created a Peer by the incoming Government.