Trustee
Quentin Blake is one of the most popular and enduring illustrators in the world today. Since 1960 he has illustrated over 250 books by many writers, including Joan Aiken, Michael Rosen and most famously Roald Dahl. He also writes and illustrates his own picture books. In 1999 he was appointed the first Children’s Laureate, and was awarded a CBE in 2005.
Trustee
Jeremy Carver CBE is an English solicitor and a Consultant at Clifford Chance LLP, where he heads their international law practice. He obtained a degree in Engineering at Trinity College, Cambridge, before changing to a legal career, and joined Coward Chance in 1969. As a lawyer, he has advised governments and States all over the world. Latterly, he is Co-chair of International Rescue Committee UK, and is an Overseer of this leading humanitarian agency in the USA. He is a member of the Board of Transparency International, and contributes actively to this and other bodies working for the highest standards of integrity in public service. He and his wife Anthea share a deep commitment to the art of illustration.
Trustee
Rebecca Eastmond was born in 1973 and read law at Merton College Oxford before joining Allen & Overy as a solicitor specialising in advising private individuals and charities. In 2002, she left to pilot the Prince’s Foundation for Children and the Arts before becoming the charity’s founder director helping some 116,000 children during her tenure. She has recently left to join JP Morgan Private Bank as UK Wealth Advisor with special responsibility for philanthropy.
Trustee
Peter Fineman is the joint founder and senior partner of Fineman Ross, specialists in commercial property investment. He is a trustee of Mercury Musical Developments, which encourages writers and composers of musical theatre in developing new work.
Trustee
Professor Sir Christopher Frayling is an educationalist and writer. He read history at Churchill College, Cambridge and taught history at the University of Bath. 1979 was appointed Professor of Cultural History at London’s post-graduate art and design school, the Royal College of Art. From 1996 to 2009 he was Rector in charge of the College. He was also Chair of Arts Council England from 2004 to 2009.
Trustee
Elizabeth Gibson is an intellectual property lawyer with a particular interest in copyright. She qualified as a solicitor with Lovells, where she worked as a litigator. In 1994 she joined the BBC’s legal department where as well as providing legal advice she lobbies government and trains programme makers on all aspects of copyright.
Chairman
Larissa Joy‘s career spans the private equity, media, advertising, PR and legal sectors. Her previous roles include Partner of Actis LLP, an emerging markets private equity firm; European COO of public relations firm Weber Shandwick; and Vice Chairman, WPP’s Ogilvy UK. In addition to her role as Chair of House of Illustration, Larissa is currently a Partner at strategic communications firm The Assembly and is a Trustee of V, a government and private sector-funded charity dedicated to promoting young volunteers. Larissa holds a B.A (Hons.) in Law from Sidney Sussex College, Cambridge and an MBA from London Business School. She has a personal love for illustration, particularly children’s book illustration, which she loves to share with her three young children. In her spare time she performs regularly as a clarinetist in an orchestra, as a soloist and in chamber ensembles.
Trustee
Ghislaine Kenyon works as a freelance education consultant. She was Deputy Head of the National Gallery’s Education Department. She directed the schools programme and curated exhibitions such as the successful Tell Me a Picture in 2001. Ghislaine writes, broadcasts and lectures on the arts, arts education and the movement for arts in health.
Trustee
Ardi Kolah is independently ranked by the Chartered Institute of Marketing as one of the world’s leading thinkers in marketing and business. He’s worked within the private and public sectors for the past 20 years and holds the prestigious Hollis Award for Sponsorship. A law post-graduate of King’s College and University College London, he’s a Trustee of LSN, the Tongues on Fire Asian Film Festival, and is on the Advisory Council of Super Brands.
Trustee
Patrick Long is a Managing Director at Lazard, one of the world’s preeminent financial advisory and asset management firms. He leads Lazard’s London-based real estate investment banking group. He joined the firm in 1999 after graduating from Merton College, Oxford.
Trustee
Alan Parker is Chairman of the PR Group Brunswick, which was founded in 1987. He has worked on a wide range of assignments, acts as senior consultant on many of the company’s retained accounts and takes an active role in special project work.
Trustee
Michael Wilson CBE worked at the National Gallery for over 30 years. He played a leading role in the design and building of the Sainsbury Wing of the gallery, and coordinated the restoration of the historic main floor galleries. Since leaving the National Gallery he has focused on his own painting as well as continuing to write and advise on exhibitions. In 2004 he was awarded the CBE.
Trustee
Chris Yates qualified as a chartered accountant with PwC (then Coopers & Lybrand Deloitte) and joined the National Gallery in 1998, ultimately becoming the Director of Resources. He moved to the British Museum in 2008 as Director of Administration.
Deputy Chairman
Claudia Zeff started her career in children’s book publishing and was art director for William Heinemann from 1982 to 1989. She then worked as a freelance art director for Fourth Estate and Random House (1989-1992). From 1993 to 2002 she art directed magazines at John Brown Publishing. From 2003 to 2007, Claudia was the House of Illustration’s Project Director.