John Shakeshaft

John is a banker, company director and diplomat by formation. He has significant and current experience in leading boards as a director, trustee and chair both commercially and in the Arts and Higher Education.

As a trustee and director he is treasurer of the Institute of Cancer Research (University of London), chair of the Council for British Research on the Levant (British Academy), chair of the Diocesan Board of Finance, Chelmsford, of the London Symphony Orchestra Endowment Trust,  and Gladstone's Library.

He is a member of the investment board of Trinity College, Cambridge and chair of the Acceptance of Funds Group of the British Academy.

He is deputy chair of Freeport Solent, Ltd, and a senior adviser to Corestone, AG as well as certain private funds.

John has served as chair of The Museum of the Home, a national museum, as senior independent trustee and lay chair of the Council of Cambridge University, director and audit chair, Kinnevik and Tele2AB, director and SID, TT electronics plc, Questair, Inc, Carnegie, AB and chair of three UK listed investment funds.

He was a partner and managing director of Lazard and Baring Brothers and served in HM Diplomatic Service in Brussels, Tehran and Addis Ababa. He was educated at Cambridge, Princeton, Berkeley and SOAS.