Honorary degrees for leading lights of politics and finance
Release Date 13 July 2015
The University of Reading is delighted to have presented The Rt Hon. the Lord Waldegrave of North Hill and Dame Minouche Shafik with honorary degrees.
William Waldegrave (Lord Waldegrave of North Hill) is the Provost of Eton College, a post he has held since 2009. Lord Waldegrave served as a Conservative Member of the British Parliament from 1979 to 1997 of which seven years were as a Cabinet Minister (Minister of Agriculture, Chief Secretary of the Treasury, Secretary of State for Health, and Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster with responsibility for the Civil Service Reform and Science).
Educated at Oxford University and Harvard (a Kennedy Scholar), before entering Parliament he worked in the Cabinet Office in Whitehall; as Political Secretary to Prime Minister Edward Heath; and for GEC Ltd. From 1998-2008 he worked in the City, first at Deutsche Kleinwort Benson and then UBS. Lord Waldegrave was appointed Chairman of Coutts in January 2014. He is the Director of a number of companies.
Lord Waldegrave is Chairman of the Royal Mint Advisory Committee, former Chairman of the Rhodes Trust, a Founder Trustee of the Mandela Rhodes Foundation (South Africa), a former Trustee and Chairman of the National Museum of Science and Industry and a Trustee of Cumberland Lodge. He is also a Distinguished Fellow of All Souls College, Oxford and an Honorary Fellow of Corpus Christi College, Oxford.
'I have known and admired the University for many years and believe it to be one of the best managed and most effective Universities in the country.' -- Lord Waldegrave
Lord Waldegrave said: "I was delighted and honoured to be awarded an honorary degree by the University of Reading. I have known and admired the University for many years and believe it to be one of the best managed and most effective Universities in the country in terms both of student experience and academic rigour. I am proud to be associated with it."Lord Waldegrave was presented for the Honorary Degree of Doctor of Laws by Mr Christopher Fisher, President of the University Council.
Christopher Fisher, President of the Council of the University of Reading, paid tribute to Lord Waldegrave's "commitment to public and educational life [that] has involved great distinction."
He said: "For an individual with a powerful intellect, we admire his lack of ego, his grounded approach, his endurance under pressure, his integrity, his capacity for self-deprecation and the centrality to him of family life. However opportunities arise, he sets an example to us all as to how one might respond."
Dame Minouche Shafik
Dame Nemat (Minouche) Shafik became Deputy Governor of the Bank of England in August 2014. She is a member of the Monetary Policy Committee, and attends the Financial Policy Committee and the Bank's Court of Directors.
In September 2014 Dr Shafik was appointed to the Board of the Prudential Regulation Authority. She is also responsible for reshaping the Bank's operations and balance sheet, leading work on building fair and effective markets, and jointly responsible for the Bank's international surveillance, analysis and engagement.
Prior to joining the Bank, she was Deputy Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund where she was responsible for policy and programmes in Europe and the Middle East, the IMF's $1 billion budget, human resources policies for staff and training and technical assistance. She also regularly chaired the Board of the IMF.
As Permanent Secretary of the Department for International Development from 2008-2011, Dr Shafik was chief executive of the department responsible for all UK development efforts. Prior to joining DFID, she was Vice President at the World Bank where she was responsible for policy advice and the performance of portfolio of investments worth about $50 billion.
'It is such a privilege to receive an honorary degree from a university that has done so much for education across a variety of fields.' -- Dame Nemat Shafik
Dame Nemat Shafik said: "It is such a privilege to receive an honorary degree from a university that has done so much for education across a variety of fields. The University of Reading's academic excellence, breadth of exposure to practical learning opportunities and global perspective make it a wonderful place to learn. I am grateful for the recognition and the chance to join its honorary alumni."
Dr Shafik was presented for the Honorary Degree of Doctor of Laws by Professor Dominik Zaum, Head of the School of Politics, Economics and International Relations.
Professor Zaum said: "Professor Zaum said: "It was a great pleasure to present Dame Minouche Shafik for her Honorary Degree. This award recognises not only Minouche's professional and academic achievements, but also her commitment to addressing some of the world's most pressing issues - most notably poverty, and the regulation of the global financial system.
"As Deputy Governor of the Bank of England, she has been an outspoken critic of the behaviour of some staff in the financial sector, and has made important efforts to increase transparency in the relations between the central bank and the city."