Paul Ruddock

Early life and education

Sir Paul was born in Solihull, West Midlands. He attended King Edward's School, Birmingham from 1969–76 and subsequently read Law at Mansfield College, Oxford, where he received a first class BA (Hons) degree and an MA (Hons). He is a Bancroft Fellow at the College.

Personal life

He is married to Jill Shaw Ruddock, originally of Baltimore, Maryland; the couple have two daughters. Jill Ruddock is a Board member at the Bowdoin College Museum of Art and a trustee of Mousetrap Theatre Projects. She is founder and chairman of the Second Half of Your Life Foundation, author of the book 'The Second Half of Your Life' and a former member of the Board of the Donmar Warehouse theatre.

Sir Paul was knighted in the 2012 New Year's Honours List for Services to the Arts and Philanthropy. At the time of the award, some commentators called for the New Years Honours List to be made more transparent, particularly where, as in the case of Sir Paul, recipients are linked to political parties. Sir Paul himself provided written testimony on the subject to a House of Commons Public Administration Select Committee, in which he advocated that the honours system explain the basis for each individual award.

Business career

Sir Paul is a former CEO of Lansdowne Partners, an alternative investment management firm he co-founded in 1998. He retired from Lansdowne in March 2013. He was a managing director and head of international business at Schroders & Co. Inc. (1984-1998) and was at Goldman Sachs from 1980-1984.

In April 2013, Sir Paul was awarded an 'Outstanding Contribution' award for his contribution to the hedge fund industry at the HFM Week awards. In November 2013 he was given a Hall of Fame Lifetime Achievement award by The Compliance Register. His wealth has been estimated to be about £270m. He is believed to have donated £570,000 to the Conservative Party between 2003 and 2011.

In October 2015 the Chancellor of the Exchequer appointed Sir Paul as a Commissioner of the National Infrastructure Commission, an independent body that enables long-term decision making in UK infrastructure projects. The Commission is chaired by Lord Adonis.

Philanthropy and the arts

Sir Paul is closely involved with numerous charitable institutions and is a noted philanthropist in the arts and in education.

Sir Paul served as Chairman of the Victoria & Albert Museum from 2007 to November 2015. He was made an honorary senior research fellow at the Museum and is a trustee of the V&A Foundation. He is also a former Chairman of the museum's Trustee Finance and Development Committees. He was the lead private donor for the renovation of the V&A's Renaissance and Medieval galleries, a £32m project and the museum's largest in more than 100 years.

At the British Museum, Sir Paul and Jill Ruddock funded the renovation of the European Medieval gallery. In March 2014 the British Museum opened a second gallery funded by the couple: The Sir Paul and Lady Ruddock Gallery of Sutton Hoo and Europe 300-1100, an early medieval collection that includes objects from the Sutton Hoo ship burial in Suffolk.

In January 2011, Sir Paul was appointed a Trustee of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, where he serves on the merchandise, acquisitions and external affairs committee.

He is a member of the International Advisory Board of The Walters Art Museum, Baltimore, Maryland.

In collaboration with King Edward's School, Birmingham, Sir Paul and Jill funded a new performing arts centre, which the couple formally opened in 2012.

Sir Paul is an ambassador for AfriKids, through which he has been involved in several educational and charitable projects in Africa. He has donated substantial funds and helped the charity connect with other donors.

Sir Paul is a Fellow of the Society of Antiquaries of London, a former Trustee of the Samuel Courtauld Trust and a former Chairman of the Gilbert Trust for the Arts. He continues to actively support the Courtauld Institute for Art. His further charitable involvement includes commitments to the Donmar Warehouse and The National Trust.

In April 2014 Sir Paul was appointed Chair of the World War I Cathedral Repairs Commission.

Awards for philanthropy

Sir Paul is the UK recipient of the 2014 Montblanc de la Culture Arts Patronage Award, established by the Montblanc Cultural Foundation to recognise patrons of the arts who have made exceptional contributions to artists and their work. Winners are chosen from a shortlist by an international jury of artists and art influencers. Past recipients of the award include HRH The Prince of Wales, Russian maestro Valery Gergiev, American musician Quincy Jones, Italian architect Renzo Piano and Japanese artist Yoko Ono.

In January 2015 Sir Paul was appointed Chairman of the University of Oxford Endowment fund, following his appointment to its board in September 2014.

In May 2015 Sir Paul was made a "Chevalier dans Ordre des Arts et Lettres" for services to French art, awarded by the French Government's Minister of Culture.

In October 2015 Sir Paul was given a Lifetime Achievement in Philanthropy Award by Spear's, the London-based wealth management, business and culture magazine.