Baroness Valerie Amos

Baroness Valerie Amos is the Master of University College Oxford. She previously served as Director of the School of Oriental & African Studies (SOAS) at the University of London from 2015-2020. From 2010, Valerie served as Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator at the UN. She served in a number of roles in the public sector including in local government and as Chief Executive of the Equal Opportunities Commission. Baroness Amos was an adviser to the Mandela Government on leadership and change management issues and was appointed a Labour Life Peer in 1997. She became the first black woman to sit in the British Cabinet as Secretary of State for International Development. Baroness Amos became Leader of the House of Lords and Lord President of the Council in October 2003 and served as UK High Commissioner to Australia before joining the UN.