Mary Francis


Mary Elizabeth Francis is member of the board of directors of several institutions including Barclays and Valaris plc.
She is also a senior advisor to Chatham House, a member of the advisory council of the Institute of Business Ethics, a member of the Panel on Takeovers and Mergers, and an ambassador for the Almeida Theatre.

Early life and education

Growing up in Petts Wood, Kent, she was educated at Crofton Primary School and James Allen's Girls' School in Dulwich, London, and studied history at Newnham College at the University of Cambridge.

Career

After graduating, she became a research assistant to Professor Max Beloff at All Souls' College, Oxford. She subsequently joined the Civil Service and held successive posts in the Civil Service Department and HM Treasury.
She was seconded to investment bank Hill Samuel from 1984 to 1986, led one of the Treasury privatisation teams from 1986 to 1988, and had policy responsibility for European Union matters in the Treasury from 1988 to 1990.
She was Financial Counsellor in the Embassy of the United Kingdom, Washington, D.C. from 1990 to 1992, Private Secretary to Prime Minister John Major with responsibility for economic and business policy from 1992 to 1995, and Assistant/Deputy Private Secretary to Elizabeth II from 1995 to 1999.
She became Director General of the Association of British Insurers in 1999 and since 2005 has held several non executive directorships including at the Bank of England, Centrica, Aviva, Cable & Wireless Communications and Swiss Re.