Tracy Chevalier

Tracy Chevalier FRSL is the author of ten novels. She is best known for the international bestseller Girl with a Pearl Earring, which has been translated into 39 languages, sold over 5 million copies worldwide, and made into a film. Her most recent books are the historical novel At the Edge of the Orchard, and New Boy, a retelling of Othello for the Shakespeare Project. Her new novel, A Single Thread, will be published in 2019. She is President of the Royal Literary Fund, a Trustee of the British Library, former Chair of the Society of Authors and of the Public Lending Right Advisory Committee, and holds honorary degrees from her alma maters, Oberlin College and the University of East Anglia. She grew up in Washington DC and in 1984 moved to London, where she lives with her husband and son.

Dr. Simon Thurley

Dr. Simon Thurley is a leading historian, curator and heritage expert. Between 2003 and 2015 he was chief executive of English Heritage. Previously he ran the Museum of London and before that was Curator of the Historic Royal Palaces. He is a Senior Research Fellow at the Institute of Historical Research and Visiting Professor of the Built Environment at Gresham College. His books include The Building of England, Men from the Ministry, Houses of Power and Whitehall Palace. He holds several non-executive posts including being a member of the shadow board for the Restoration and Renewal of the Palace of Westminster. In 2012 was awarded a CBE for services to heritage.

This appointment has been made in accordance with the Cabinet Office’s Governance Code on Public Appointments. The appointments process is regulated by the Commissioner for Public Appointments. Under the Code, any significant political activity undertaken by an appointee in the last five years must be declared. This is defined as including holding office, public speaking, making a recordable donation, or candidature for election. Tracy and Simon have declared no such activity.

Trevor’s background is in law enforcement, in which he spent 40 years across local policing and national agencies. He began his career in the Kent County Constabulary before moving on to the National Crime Squad, Serious Organised Crime Agency, and National Crime Agency, spending the majority of his time in specialist investigation and intelligence roles. Trevor is also Chair of UK Anti-Doping, a Trustee of Canterbury Oast Trust, a charity providing residential and other services to adults with learning difficulties, where he also chairs the Care committee and a trustee of Stop the Trafik, a charity working to prevent human trafficking. Since concluding his law enforcement career, during which time he was Director General of both the National Crime Squad and the Serious Organised Crime Agency, Trevor has focused on regulatory roles and risk management. Trevor brings significant experience of running large complex organisations, dealing with international serious and organised crime, and investigation and intelligence practices, including those around anti-money laundering.

This appointment has been made in accordance with the Cabinet Office’s Governance Code on Public Appointments. The appointments process is regulated by the Commissioner for Public Appointments. Under the Code, any significant political activity undertaken by an appointee in the last five years must be declared. This is defined as including holding office, public speaking, making a recordable donation, or candidature for election. Trevor has declared no such activity.

Sir Stephen is Professor of Geology in the School of Earth Sciences at Bristol University and his research has been highly influential in the field of volcanology and petrology. He became a fellow of the Royal Society in 1988, was awarded a CBE in 2012 for services to environmental sciences and became a Knight Bachelor in 2018 for services to geology. His research has been recognised by several awards including the 2015 Vetlesen Prize and the 2018 Royal Medal. He has served as President of the Geological Society of London (1994-196) and the International Association of Volcanology (1999-2003).

This appointment has been made in accordance with the Cabinet Office’s Governance Code on Public Appointments. The appointments process is regulated by the Commissioner for Public Appointments. Under the Code, any significant political activity undertaken by an appointee in the last five years must be declared. This is defined as including holding office, public speaking, making a recordable donation, or candidature for election. Sir Stephen had declared no such activity.

The UK, alongside other European partners, met with the Iranian authorities on 8 January 2019.

Charity regulator investigation into charity which failed to submit accounts for 4 years