CBE
An alumnus of Oriel College (Geography, 1978), Neil took up his post as Provost in 2018 after a career building businesses in the creative and finance sectors.
In 2020 he was appointed by the government as Commissioner for Cultural Recovery and Renewal, in response to the impact of the COVID-19 epidemic on the cultural sector. Neil was conferred with a Life Peerage by Her Majesty the Queen in October 2020, and holds the title of The Lord Mendoza of King’s Reach in the City of London. He was awarded a CBE in the New Year Honours list in December 2022.
Neil is focused on successfully preserving, protecting and enhancing college life for 675 students and 250 academic and support staff as Oriel approaches its 700th anniversary in 2026.
At the University, Neil is a member of the Committee to Review Donations and Research Funding, the Joint Student Number Planning Sub-Committee and on the Vice-Chancellor’s Cultural Advisory Board. Previously he was Chair of the Electors for the Slade Professor of Fine Art and a member of the Innovation Working Group. Neil is the Senior Member for student-run societies, the Oxford University Film Foundation (OUFF) and the Stubbs Society. He is a Trustee for the Mitsubishi Trust on behalf of the Oxford University Society Trust.
Prior to joining Oriel, Neil led the year-long Mendoza Review of Museums in England on behalf of the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) and a review for the Cabinet Office on the national museums in 2016-2017.
Neil is Chair of Historic England, The Illuminated River Foundation and Civic Future. He continues to chair the research-led government Culture and Heritage Capital Board for DCMS.
He joined the Board of Meira GTx, a US-based gene therapy company, in 2015.
Previously he held roles as a non-executive director at DCMS, chairman of The Landmark Trust and vice-chairman at Soho Theatre.