Heather Hancock elected as first female master of St John’s College at the University of Cambridge
Heather Hancock credits her time as a student at St John’s College with changing her life - and has now been named as its first female master.
Currently chair of the Food Standards Agency, she will take up the position on October 1, 2020.
Heather succeeds Professor Sir Christopher Dobson, who was due to retire from the role at the end of the 2019/20 academic year, but died in September 2019 after 12 years as master.
She said: “I am deeply honoured to have been elected as the next master of St John’s College.
“I arrived at St John’s as an undergraduate from a northern comprehensive, the first in my family to go to university, and the first pupil from my school in Colne to reach Oxbridge.
“I know from personal experience the life-changing impact that St John’s can deliver.
“I’m looking forward to sustaining the college’s global renown for scholarship and excellence, and to championing its pioneering work on access – such as the St John’s Studentships offered to students from lower- and middle-income households.”
Heather has more than two decades of experience in senior leadership in the private and public sectors.
As chair of the Food Standards Agency, a non-ministerial government department, she helps to regulate the food and feed industry.
Before her current role, she spent 11 years at Deloitte, where she was a managing partner for the UK and Swiss firms, leading its global services to the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games. A partner in the strategy consulting business and part of the firm’s global leadership team, Heather had executive oversight of innovation, talent, brand and communications.
She began her career as a land agent before joining the Government Economic Service.
Her posts in Whitehall including serving as private secretary to three home secretaries. She was chief executive of The Millennium Commission, and chief executive of the Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority.
Professor Deborah Howard, who chaired the college committee which led the search for the new master, said: “We are delighted to announce the election of Heather Hancock as the next master of St John’s College. She is a highly distinguished leader who will build on the college’s international reputation as a supportive, inclusive, and ambitious academic community.”
St John's, founded in 1511, is one of the largest colleges of the University of Cambridge.
It has more than 150 fellows, about 900 students and 250 members of staff.
Heather becomes the 45th master of the college and the first woman to hold the role, which involves providing overall leadership.
Dr Steve Edgley, president of St John’s, said: “Heather has an extremely impressive track record of being an innovative and inspirational leader, and she will draw on her expertise to guide the college in addressing the challenges and opportunities of academic life.
“Heather will undoubtedly be an exceptional ambassador for the college as we continue to strive to attract the very brightest students and researchers to St John’s from around the world.”
Heather delivered a key report in 2014 to the BBC Trust on bias and impartiality in the BBC’s rural affairs coverage.
She has also spent more than a decade as a trustee of The Prince’s Trust, introducing its first programmes specifically aimed at young people in rural areas.
She also served as deputy chair of the World Athletics Championships and Paralympic Athletics Championships from 2013 to 2016.
Appointed Lieutenant of the Royal Victorian Order in the 2013 New Year Honours, Heather is a deputy lieutenant of North Yorkshire.
Last year, she was elected as an honorary fellow of St John’s last year in recognition of her ‘exceptional contribution’ to her field.
Other roles include president of the Johnian Society, a global network of alumni that works to support the college, and chair of the St John’s College Campaign Board. She has been a member of the college’s development committee for several years, and a member the St John’s College communications group.
Heather has also served as president of the Land Society, the alumni network for Cambridge land economists.
Sir Christopher, who was diagnosed with cancer earlier this year, died on Sunday September 8, 2019, at the Royal Marsden Hospital in Surrey. He was a leading scientist working at the interface of the physical and biological sciences.
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Professor Sir Christopher Dobson, master of St John’s College, Cambridge, dies at 69
