Carole Souter is Master of St Cross, a graduate College of the University of Oxford, with 550 students, 70% of whom come from outside the UK. She was Chief Executive of the National Heritage Memorial Fund and Heritage Lottery Fund from 2003-2016, overseeing the distribution of £400m a year to projects making a lasting difference to people and heritage across the UK.
She began her career in the Civil Service and has worked in the Departments of Health, Social Security and the Cabinet Office. She has always been active in the charitable sector and is currently a Trustee of Historic Royal Palaces; the Horniman Museum, Oxford Preservation Trust, and the London Emergencies Trust and Chairs the Board of Visitors of the Oxford University Museum of Natural History. She is also a Lay Canon of Salisbury Cathedral. She is an Honorary Fellow of Jesus College, Oxford, and was awarded the CBE in 2011 for services to conservation.
This role is not remunerated. This extension has been made in accordance with the Cabinet Office's Governance Code on Public Appointments. The process is regulated by the Commissioner for Public Appointments. The Government's Governance Code requires that any significant political activity undertaken by an appointee in the last five years is declared. This is defined as including holding office, public speaking, making a recordable donation or candidature for election. Carole has made no such declarations.
