Ros Kerslake OBE will be joining HLF in the summer as our new Chief Executive, taking over from Carole Souter who steps down at the end of April.

Ros joins HLF from The Prince’s Regeneration Trust, where she has been Chief Executive since 2006.

HLF Chair Sir Peter Luff welcomed the appointment, saying: “Ros Kerslake has a rich background in heritage and an impressive commitment to the role it plays in making people’s lives better.  She is the perfect choice to lead HLF. 

“As we welcome Ros, we wish Carole Souter every success in her new roles.  Every part of the heritage world owes Carole a huge debt of gratitude. She has led HLF with skill and commitment and has enabled wonderful things to happen in every corner of the UK.”

[quote=Sir Peter Luff, Chair of HLF ]“Ros Kerslake has a rich background in heritage and an impressive commitment to the role it plays in making people’s lives better.  She is the perfect choice to lead HLF.”[/quote]

Ros Kerslake said: “It is an enormous honour to be asked to lead an organisation which plays such a crucial role in supporting heritage all around the United Kingdom. Ensuring that the funds raised through the contributions of National Lottery players are used in a way that delivers real value to the community as a whole is a challenge that I take up with huge pleasure.”

Ros trained as a solicitor and started her career in legal roles before taking on wider leadership positions in the private sector, including for Gulf Oil and Booker Group. As Property Director of Railtrack, she developed an interest in the issues around place and urban regeneration which have characterised her roles since.  Ros went on to lead RegenCo, an urban regeneration company in the West Midlands.

Amongst her achievements at The Prince’s Regeneration Trust, Ros led the team that saved Middleport Pottery, one of the last working Victorian potteries in the UK.

She was awarded an OBE in this year’s New Year’s Honours for services to British Heritage.