René Olivieri appointed as Interim Chair of the The National Heritage Memorial Fund

René Olivieri is currently Chair of the RSPCA. Until December 2019, René was a Trustee at The National Lottery Heritage Fund, where he chaired both the Finance, Staff and Resources Committee and the Investment Committee. He was also Chair of the Wildlife Trusts (2012-17) and, before that, Chair of Tubney Charitable Trust.

For many years René was the Chief Executive of the international scientific and scholarly publishing company, Blackwell Publishing. Under his leadership, Blackwell became the foremost publishing partner for scientific, academic, and professional societies world-wide. Today, he designs and delivers courses on innovation, business models and cultural change for senior executives in both commercial and non-profit organisations.

Originally from the US, René has developed a huge appreciation and passion for the UK’s rich heritage and the positive impact it has on people’s lives and in strengthening local communities. He has a keen interest in wildlife and the natural environment, as well as in young people and in education, having served on the Board of the Higher Education Funding Council for England and in the Chancellor’s Court of Benefactors at Oxford University.

René has a BA in political science from the University of Oregon and an MA in International Relations from Johns Hopkins University. He has published numerous peer-reviewed articles and was the principal author of ‘Giving Our All: Reflections of a Spend Out Charity’.

He and his wife, Anne, live in rural Worcestershire. They are major supporters of the Royal Shakespeare Company which receives all admission fees to their Morton Hall Gardens.

The role is remunerated with an annual salary of £42,964. A competition to appoint a substantive Chair will be launched in the new year. This appointment has been made in accordance with the Cabinet Office’s Governance Code on Public Appointments. The process is regulated by the Commissioner for Public Appointments. The Government’s Governance Code requires that any significant political activity undertaken by an appointee in the last five years is declared. This is defined as including holding office, public speaking, making a recordable donation or candidature for election. Rene has not declared any Political Activity.