John Shakeshaft

John is a merchant banker, international company director and former diplomat. He has significant commercial experience in leading financial strategies, promoting responsible governance and as a trustee and chair in the Arts and Higher Education.

He is chair of the Museum of the Home, a national museum, also of the Council for British Research in the Levant, trustee and treasurer of the Institute of Cancer Research, and trustee of the London Symphony Orchestra Trust and Gladstone’s Library. He is a member of the investment and audit committees of Trinity College, Cambridge and chair of the acceptance of funds group of the British Academy.

He is also deputy chair of Freeport Solent Ltd and an adviser to certain UK investment funds.

He was senior independent trustee and lay chair of the Council of Cambridge University, a board member and audit chair of Kinnevik, AB and chair of The Economy Bank, NV. He also served as a director of TT electronics, plc, Tele2 AB, Questair, Inc, Carnegie, AB and chaired three UK listed investment funds. He was a managing director and partner of Lazard and Baring Brothers. He served in Brussels, Tehran and Addis Ababa in HM Diplomatic Service. He was educated at Cambridge, Princeton, Berkeley and SOAS.