The Fellows of Wadham College are delighted to announce their intention to elect Lord Macdonald, one of the country’s top criminal lawyers and a former Director of Public Prosecutions, as their next Warden.
Ken Macdonald QC has had a distinguished career as a criminal lawyer. One of the founders of Matrix Chambers, he was Director of Public Prosecutions from 2003 to 2008. In 2007, he was knighted for services to the law. In July 2010, Ken Macdonald became a Liberal Democrat Peer and a member of the House of Lords, with the title Lord Macdonald of River Glaven QC. In January 2011, he became Chair of Reprieve, the human rights charity, in succession to the late Lord Bingham of Cornhill.
His election as Warden, which is subject to formal ratification by the College, will take effect from 1 September 2012, following the retirement of Sir Neil Chalmers.
Lord Macdonald said: "I am thrilled and honoured to have been selected as Wadham’s next Warden. The College has a worldwide reputation for the quality of its scholarship and research, and is well known for its determination to ensure that the very best students have every opportunity to study here, regardless of their background or means. I look forward to working with the fellowship to strengthen these values in the years ahead.”
Sir Neil Chalmers said: "I am delighted that Lord Macdonald has been chosen as the next Warden of Wadham. I have hugely enjoyed my eight years as Warden, and I look forward very much to assisting Ken in any way I can to prepare for his new role."
Lord Macdonald was born in Windsor and read PPE (Politics, Philosophy and Economics) at St Edmund Hall Oxford. Aged 58, he is married to Linda Zuck and they have three children.
For more information contact the University of Oxford Press Office: 01865 280528, press.office@admin.ox.ac.uk
Notes to editors:
- Wadham is one of 38 colleges at the University of Oxford and was founded in 1610 by Dorothy Wadham. With around 450 undergraduates, 150 graduate students and 56 teaching Fellows, Wadham is one of Oxford’s largest colleges. The Fellows contribute to the academic reputation of the College as tutors as well as to the University as Lecturers. Encouraging a liberal, analytical and creative intellectual environment is part of Wadham’s heritage and is strongly fostered today. Wadham has over 6000 current alumni including broadcaster Melvyn Bragg, authors Patrick Marber, Iain Pears and Flora Fraser, journalist Anne McElvoy, actress Rosamund Pike and Archbishop Dr Rowan Williams. Sir Christopher Wren, Michael Foot, and Cecil Day-Lewis are also amongst Wadham’s illustrious alumni. Website: www.wadham.ox.ac.uk
- The Warden is the senior officer of the College who chairs Governing Body and represents the College both within the collegiate University and externally. It is a full-time role.
- Lord Macdonald was chosen by the Fellows of the College at a meeting chaired by Professor Christina Howells, following advertisements in the press plus a worldwide search by recruitment consultants Russell Reynolds, and a detailed short-listing and interview process. Lord Macdonald’s name will be put before Governing Body for formal election on 22 June 2011. He will take up the post on 1 September 2012.
- Sir Neil Chalmers continues as Warden until July 2012. He is leading the College’s 2010 Campaign which has secured £21m of its £25m first phase target to support academic posts, student bursaries and scholarships and the College environment.
Ken Macdonald was appointed a Recorder of the Crown Court in 2001, and a Deputy High Court Judge in 2010. He was elected Chairman of the Criminal Bar Association of England and Wales in 2003, and became a Bencher of the Inner Temple in 2004. He was Director of Public Prosecutions, 2003-2008, the first leading defence lawyer to have been appointed to that post. Widely praised by commentators for combining outstanding success in prosecuting serious crime with an outspoken attachment to due process, fair trials and defendants' rights, he was described in an editorial in The Times on the day he stepped down as 'an exemplary figure' who had transformed his office into a 'respected public role'. As DPP, Ken Macdonald established the Organised Crime Division, the Counter Terrorism Division, the Special Crime Division and the Fraud Prosecution Service. These quickly became world leaders with conviction rates of up to 95%. He played a major role across Whitehall in the development of criminal justice policy, especially in relation to international treaties and jurisdiction, mutual legal assistance, extradition, fraud reform, terrorism and grave cross border crime. He conducted highly sensitive discussions and negotiations in many countries, including with senior ministers and with heads of government. Prior to his appointment as DPP, Ken Macdonald was regarded as one of the country's top defence lawyers. Chambers and Partners directory repeatedly listed him as a starred silk in criminal law and fraud and described him as 'possessing terrific gravitas', and as being 'premier league' and 'completely fantastic'. He writes regularly for The Times on law, security and politics, and he has a special interest in emerging international criminal liabilities.
