The UKNCC Advisory Board comprises citizens from U.K. business, political and civic life. The Board’s role is to provide insight and guidance in supporting the goals of the UKNCC. It also advises on existing and proposed activities of the UKNCC and Members may, on occasion, act as external ambassadors.
The Advisory Board holds decision making authority over which sources of funding the UKNCC may accept in order to ensure the UKNCC protects its independence.
Members serve as individual citizens and in no way represent any organisation, company or political party with which they may be otherwise associated. The composition of the Advisory Board reflects a wide range of perspectives in the U.K. on China to ensure that the UKNCC is informed by a plurality of views. Advisory Board membership is not remunerated and members serve entirely on a volunteer basis. Terms of Reference for the Advisory Board are freely available on request.
Sir Malcolm Rifkind KCMG
Former Cabinet minister under Prime Ministers Margaret Thatcher and John Major, including; Secretary of State for Scotland; Defence Secretary; and Foreign Secretary.
Wendy Alexander
Scottish Government International Trade Envoy for Higher Eduction. Member of the British Council Higher Education Group, Board Trustee of the British Council.
Sir Victor Blank
Businessman and philanthropist.
Former Chairman of Lloyds TSB Bank.
Chairman of several charitable organisations.
Sir Andrew Cahn KCMG
Former CEO of UK Trade and Investment at the UK Government. Former Chair of the Audit and Risk Committees Huawei Technologies (UK).
Ellie Chadwick
Chairman, National Advisory Board for the Performing Arts. Former strategy advisor to, inter alia, TPG Group, Barclays and The Ditchley Foundation.
Carma Elliot CMG OBE
College President of UWC South East Asia. Former Director, China, British Council. Former Minister (Culture and Education) at the British Embassy to China.
Brent Hoberman CBE
Co-Chair, Prime Minister’s Business Sector, Council for Scale-ups and Entrepreneurs. Co-Founder and Executive Chairman of Founders Forum and firstminute capital.
Carol Potter
Former President & CEO of global communications companies running businesses across Asia, Europe, the Middle East and Africa. Non-Executive Director, Ordnance Survey.
Benjamin Speyer
Founder & CEO of technology & financial advisory Serica. Chair, Technology & Innovation Committee, BritCham Shanghai. Northern Powerhouse International Champion.
Sir Tim Smit KBE
Co-founder of the Eden Project. Executive Vice Chair of Eden Project Ltd. Executive Chairman of Eden Project International Ltd.
Ting Zhang
Founder and CEO of crayfish.io
Co-Vice-Chair, UK-China Tech Forum
Kui Man Gerry Yeung OBE
Entrepreneur in hospitality, property and education. Former President Greater Manchester Chamber of Commerce.
Our values are rigour; independence; transparency and engagement. As an educational non-profit organisation, we are flexible, open, questioning and relentless in the pursuit of improving understanding.