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Mrs Heather Hancock

Mrs Heather Hancock

Position(s):
Master of St John's College
Email:
master@joh.cam.ac.uk
Association(s):
St John's College
Central committee memberships Membership type
Term end
Advisory Committee on Committee Membership and External Nominations ​Class (a) - Members of Council ​31 December 2024

University Council

Class (a) - Heads of Colleges

31 December 2026

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About this member:

Heather Hancock has been Master of St John’s College, since October 2020, having graduated from the College in 1987 with a degree in Land Economy.   She was previously an Honorary Fellow of St John’s, and is an Honorary Fellow of Darwin College and of Trinity College Dublin. 

Prior to the Mastership, Heather chaired the Food Standards Agency and held a portfolio of non-executive roles.  She spent 11 years as a strategy consultant in Deloitte, serving as Managing Partner for the UK and Swiss firms and in Deloitte’s global leadership team.  Her advisory work focused on strategic governance in novel and complex situations.  In the 1990s, Heather held a series of senior roles in national, local and regional government.

She is Chair of the Prince’s Countryside Fund and the Agricultural Forum, and holds non-executive directorships for a FTSE250 and a private property company.  Former roles include Trustee of the International Business Leaders Forum and of The Prince’s Trust, Deputy Chair of the World Athletics Championships, and 15 years providing independent advice on the BBC’s rural affairs output. Within Cambridge, Heather is President of CUMS and currently chairs a University/Colleges’ working group on sport and physical activity.

 

Heather aims to apply her experience in strategy, government/political relations, regulated environments and communications to helping shape the University’s strategy, ensure a successful landing for the incoming VC, and supporting the interim VC to achieve a smooth transition.  ​