About the author

Dame Fiona Reynolds was appointed as Chair of the NAO in January 2021 following confirmation by Parliament and HM The Queen. She was reappointed as Chair of the NAO by HM The King for a further three-year term commencing on 10 January 2024.

Dame Fiona Reynolds has had a long career in the voluntary and public sectors, including as Director-General of the National Trust from 2001 to 2012. Before joining the National Trust, she was Director of the Women’s Unit in the Cabinet Office from 1998 to 2000, Director of the Council for the Protection of Rural England (now Campaign to Protect Rural England) from 1987 to 1998 and Secretary to the Council for National Parks (now Campaign to Protect National Parks) from 1980 to 1987. Between 2012 and 2021, she was Master of Emmanuel College, Cambridge. She was Chair of the International National Trusts Organisation from 2012 to 2021, a non-executive director of Wessex Water Services from 2012 to January 2025 and Chair of Bennett’s Management Board (University of Cambridge) from March 2021 to May 2025.

Dame Fiona holds a number of other non-executive roles. She is Chair of the Governing Council of the Royal Agricultural University, the Food, Farming and Countryside Commission, the Cathedrals Fabric Commission for England, Cambridge University’s Botanic Garden Syndicate. She is a trustee of the Grosvenor Estate and an Honorary Fellow of the British Academy.