Baroness Jan Royall

Honorary President

Jan Royall is Principal of Somerville College Oxford.  Under the last Labour Government she was Leader of the House of Lords and a member of Gordon Brown’s cabinet. She then served for 5 years as Leader of the Opposition in the Lords.  She was appointed to the Lords in 2004 and became a Government whip with responsibility for health, international development, Foreign Affairs, Equality and Northern Ireland. She previously worked in the European Commission, for Neil Kinnock and for the Labour Group in the European Parliament. Jan is still an active backbencher with an interest in education, young people, housing, health and social care, social justice, women, diversity and foreign affairs. In addition she is Chair of the Oxford Strategic Partnership, Vice Chair of
the Conference of Colleges and is associated with many charities and voluntary organisations.

Lord Jack McConnell

Honorary President

Lord Jack McConnell was First Minister of Scotland from 2001 to 2007. He served as UK Special Representative for Peacebuilding from 2008 to 2010, when he was appointed to the House of Lords. Lord McConnell is currently Co-Chair of the UK All-Party Parliamentary Group on the UN Global Goals for Sustainable Development; Vice President of UNICEF UK; and Chair of the McConnell International Foundation. He is Deputy Chair of the UK-Japan 21st  Century Group, Chancellor of the University of Stirling, Chair of the Sustainable Development Panel of SSE and a global adviser to PwC. He serves as Ambassador or Patron for a number of development and children’s charities, Chairs the Peace Direct Awards and has advised in the implementation of peace agreements including the Bangsamoro Agreement in the Philippines.