Heather Hancock
Master
Research interestsHeather Hancock became Master-Elect of St John’s College in November 2019; her Mastership started in October 2020. Heather returns to St John’s having read Land Economy at the College as an undergraduate. Her career and personal interests have always revolved around urban and rural land-use, making places where people live, work, invest and enjoy, and environments that deliver public good.
Heather chaired the Food Standards Agency, a non-Ministerial government department, and regulator of the food and feed industries, from 2015-2020. Before this, she was a Managing Partner at Deloitte LLP, with UK leadership for innovation, brand and talent; she also served in Deloitte’s global senior leadership. Heather was a Strategy consultant, specialising in governance and strategy for novel ventures, and in complex programme leadership. She headed the firm’s global services to the Olympic movement. Prior to joining Deloitte in 2003, Heather held a series of CEO and senior civil service roles in the public sector, with a consistent theme of large-scale urban and rural regeneration and land management.
Heather was a Trustee of the Prince’s Trust, the UK’s biggest youth charity, for over a decade, chaired the BBC’s rural affairs committee from 2003-2010 and, in 2013-14, was commissioned by the BBC Trust to investigate and report on bias and impartiality in the BBC’s rural affairs coverage. She was Deputy Chair of the World Athletics Championships and Paralympic Athletics Championships from 2013-2016. Heather was appointed Lieutenant of the Royal Victorian Order in the 2012 New Year Honours, and she is a Deputy Lieutenant of North Yorkshire. She currently holds a number of non-executive roles, including as a non-executive Director of Rural Solutions Ltd, and of Urban Logistics REIT plc.
Heather chaired the Food Standards Agency, a non-Ministerial government department, and regulator of the food and feed industries, from 2015-2020. Before this, she was a Managing Partner at Deloitte LLP, with UK leadership for innovation, brand and talent; she also served in Deloitte’s global senior leadership. Heather was a Strategy consultant, specialising in governance and strategy for novel ventures, and in complex programme leadership. She headed the firm’s global services to the Olympic movement. Prior to joining Deloitte in 2003, Heather held a series of CEO and senior civil service roles in the public sector, with a consistent theme of large-scale urban and rural regeneration and land management.
Heather was a Trustee of the Prince’s Trust, the UK’s biggest youth charity, for over a decade, chaired the BBC’s rural affairs committee from 2003-2010 and, in 2013-14, was commissioned by the BBC Trust to investigate and report on bias and impartiality in the BBC’s rural affairs coverage. She was Deputy Chair of the World Athletics Championships and Paralympic Athletics Championships from 2013-2016. Heather was appointed Lieutenant of the Royal Victorian Order in the 2012 New Year Honours, and she is a Deputy Lieutenant of North Yorkshire. She currently holds a number of non-executive roles, including as a non-executive Director of Rural Solutions Ltd, and of Urban Logistics REIT plc.
Office: Master's Lodge
Telephone: 65615