The British Council is pleased to announce that Rachel Lomax has been appointed the new Deputy Chair of the British Council, as from 1 December. She will succeed Baroness Prashar (2012 – 2018).
As Deputy Chair, Ms Lomax will act as a high-profile ambassador for the British Council both in the UK and overseas. She will also deputise for the Chair in his absence. This appointment follows an open competition. The role is unremunerated.
Rachel Lomax said: “I feel privileged to be joining the British Council as its Deputy Chair. The world, and the UK’s place in it, is changing at dizzying speed, in ways that are both thrilling and sometimes alarming. The British Council’s mission to promote cultural relations in the broadest sense, and to build understanding of different cultures, has never been more relevant or more important. I look forward to helping the Council to make an effective contribution in this critical area.’
Rachel Lomax is a British economist who served as Deputy Governor of the Bank of England between 2003 and 2008. Previously she was permanent secretary of three government departments (Transport, Work and Pensions and the Welsh Office) and held senior positions at the World Bank, in Washington DC, the Cabinet Office and the Treasury. Since 2008 she has held non-executive directorships at several companies, including HSBC Holdings where she was senior independent director until 2017, as well as non-profit organisations, including the National Theatre and Imperial College. She is currently a non-executive director of Heathrow Airport, SERCO and Setl, and a trustee of Bruegel and Ditchley Park. She is a member of the Panel of Senior Policy Advisers at Chatham House.
Ms Lomax was educated at Cambridge University and the London School of Economics.
Welcoming her appointment, Christopher Rodrigues, Chair of the British Council said: “Rachel’s wide-ranging experience in both the public and the private sectors combined with a clear passion for arts and education makes her an ideal Deputy Chair for the British Council. Together with my fellow Trustees, I look forward to working closely with Rachel to further promote a friendly knowledge and understanding between the UK and the world and thereby increasing the stability, security and influence of this country.”