Carole Souter

Carole Souter CBE

Honorary Fellow and former Master of St Cross College

Carole was Master of St Cross from September 2016 until September 2022, during which time she also served as the College's Equality and Welfare Officer. Carole Chaired the Conference of Colleges Equality and Diversity Forum from 2017 and sat on a number of University committees concerned with these issues.

Prior to serving as Master, she was Chief Executive of the National Heritage Memorial Fund and Heritage Lottery Fund from 2003-2016, overseeing the distribution of £400m a year to projects making a lasting difference to people and heritage across the UK.

Carole began her career in the Civil Service and has worked in the Departments of Health, Social Security and the Cabinet Office. She has always been active in the charitable sector, including as a Trustee of Historic Royal Palaces; the Horniman Museum, Oxford Preservation Trust, and the London Emergencies Trust and Chaired the Board of Visitors of the Oxford University Museum of Natural History. She is also a Lay Canon of Salisbury Cathedral. Carole is an Honorary Fellow of Jesus College, Oxford, and was awarded the CBE in 2011 for services to conservation. 

At her retirement from St Cross, Carole was appointed by Her Late Majesty Queen Elizabeth II as Interim Chair of Historic Royal Palaces. From 1 January 2023, she also Chairs the Sulgrave Manor Trust.